590 



Trans ac tions . — Chemis try . 



If the potatoes had only reahsed £2 per ton, then sections 

 2, and 3 would have shown a loss by comparison with the un- 

 nianured section. On section 2 there would have been an 

 apparent loss of 5s., and on section 3 a loss of £2 15s. Theo- 

 retically, section 3 ought to have come out better than 

 section 2. The manure used on section 3 was the same as 

 that used on section 2, plus sulphate of ammonia, which ought 

 still further to have improved the crop. As section 3 was 

 close to the hillside, probably this fact had something to do 

 with the results. Leaving out of calculation No. 3, whilst 

 the use of chemical manures on section 2 showed an apparent 

 loss of 5s. per acre, section 1, even with potatoes at £2 a ton, 

 would show a profit of £5 10s. per acre — that is to say, an 

 expenditure of £11 10s. per acre in chemical manures pro- 

 duced 8^ tons more potatoes than the unmanured section, or, 

 in other words, an outlay of £11 10s. produced an increase of 

 £17. But at £4 per ton, which is a reasonable price, an ex- 

 penditure of £11 10s. per acre would result in thirty-seven 

 pounds' worth of extra produce, or a nett increase of £26 10s. 



These results, though striking, are, I am sure, quite in 

 harmony with the results that I have obtained on my own 

 ground during the last ten or twelve years, and prove con- 

 clusively that chemical manures will pay — on some soils at 

 any rate — if the right kinds are used in the right way. The 

 success obtained in these experiments is largely due to the 

 care exercised in the selection of the chemical manures. The 

 superphosphate was made by myself from locally-prepared 

 bone-dust which had been previously analysed to test its 

 purity, and was used quite fresh before it had had time to de- 

 teriorate. The nitrate of potash, sulphate of potash, and sul- 

 phate of ammonia were also proved to be of good quality 

 before being used. The potatoes were planted in drills, and 

 the chemical manure, well mixed, was scattered around the sets 

 before covering with earth. 



