287 



Top-dressing in the spring with artificial manures has been advocated 

 by many. In 1862 he tried this system, and his experiments show the 

 following results : 



TOP-DRESSma WHEAT. 



ilannre applied. 



Loss of 

 manure. 



Balance. 



Procter's wheat manure 



Guano t 



Nitrate of soda X 



Soot 



if o manure § 



& s. d. 



2 



2 



2 



1 12 



£ s. d. 

 9 11 



8 19 



9 16 

 9 16 

 9 12 



* Produced a larger quantity of straw, but inferior sample. 



t Similar quantity of straw and sample. 



; Largest quantity of straw and poorest sample. 



§ Smallest quantity, but much the best sa^iiple. 



Some are of the opinion that top-dressing is advisable where there is 

 a thin, weak plant. Mr. Burnett said that many proofs might be 

 brought in support of this opinion, but he would only mention one, 

 supplied by the late E. Drew; an application of four hundred-weight 

 of Messrs. Procter's wheat manure per acre, at a cost of 32^. Calculating 

 the wheat at 6s. per bushel, and the straw at 20s. i^er ton, left a loss of 

 4s. 8f7. Guano, under ijrecisely similar circumstances, gave a profit of 

 £1 4s. M. Nitrate of soda gave a profit of £3 4s. M. The straw and 

 grain from the wheat manure were of better quality than from either of 

 the others. 



POTASH AS A MANUEE. 



The large proportion of potash in the ash of plants suggests the 

 probability of its value as a fertilizer. The following table gives, from 

 the analysis of Professor Way, 1st, the ash per cent, in the dried plant ; 

 2d, the potash; 3d, the chlofide of potassium in the ash ot various 

 grasses : 



NATURAL GRASSES. 



1. 2. 3. 



Meadow fox-tail grass 1.55 37.03 9.50 



Sweet sceated vernal grass 1.24 32.03 7.03 



Downy oat grass 2.01 31.21 4.05 



Soft brome 1.36 30.09 



Crested dog's tail 2.33 24.99 11.60 



Cock's foot 1.59 29.52 17.86 



Hard fescue 1.66 31.84 8.17 



Meadow soft 1.93 34.83 3.91 



Perennial darnel or rye grass 2.15 24.67 13.80 



Annual meadow 59 41.86 .47 



Smooth stalked meadow grass 1.65 31.17 11.25 



Rough stalked meadow 2.20 29.40 6.90 



Common cat's tail 2.26 24.25 .70 



Annual rye grass 1.99 28.99 



ARTIFICIAL GRASSES. 



Common red clover 1.85 36.45 2.39 



Purple trefoil 1.58 22.12 



Cow grass 1.77 34.72 .85 



Common vetch 1.11 32.82 3.27 



Alsike clover 2.12 29.72 6.29 



Lucerne 3.04 9.99 1.54 



The asli of some plants contains a large percentage of potash. Liebig 

 mentions a German cultivator who planted wormwood to obtain potash, 



