CHAPTER IX. 



Experiments with common salt, continued, and with the chloride of calcium and 

 magnesium, with muriatic acid, and with the fluoride of calcium. Suggestions 

 for comparative experiments with common salt, applied alone. Experiments 

 with chloride of calcium and with nmriatic,acid, applied alone. Experiments 

 with chloride of magnesium suggested. Experiments with the fluoride of 

 calcium suggested, 



1. Suggestions for comparative experiments with common salt, 

 applied alone. 



THE use of salt in field culture is not very extensively prac- 

 tised, even with us, among whom salt is so very low in price. 

 The practical man may, however, expect to derive benefit from 

 its use upon all crops in places remote from the sea and from 

 large towns, and where he does not give much salt to his stock. 

 Also, where his wheat is apt to lodge, salt alone, or lime and 

 salt, may be of much use to him ; and, in soils and districts 

 favourable to mangel-wurtzel and other varieties of beet, it is 

 deserving of trial for this crop. The salting of manure is another 

 form in which profit may follow the employment of it ; and, in 

 these and various other ways, the rent-paying farmer may be 

 encouraged to make experiments with a material which in our 

 markets can be bought so cheaply. 



But, to the scientific agriculturist, there are several series of 

 field experiments which I would venture to suggest as deserving 

 of his attention, and as likely to lead to useful results. 



1. The comparative effects of salt applied in the autumn and 

 in the spring, at different periods and in different proportions. 

 More than about two cwt. per acre cannot with safety be applied 

 at once to the growing crop in spring ; but three or four times 

 that quantity applied broadcast in the autumn, before or even 

 along with the seed, will not involve much risk of injury. 



