FLEMISH EXPERIMENTS. 



179 



application of this salt in the second experiment, at least to an 

 equality with that obtained by the addition of the 2 cwt. of 

 nitrate of soda ; in which case the nitrate of potash would be- 

 pronounced the more efficient substance under the circumstances. 

 c In 1843 Mr Melvin of Katho, in Mid-Lothian, obtained 

 the following comparative results in the produce of hay : 



Nothing gave 

 Nitrate of soda, 2 cwt. 

 Nitrate of potash, 1 cwt. 



306 stones per acre. 



449 ... 



405 



In which the salt of soda appears the more efficient. These 

 discordancies all show the necessity for new experiments. 



d By Mr Kuhlmann, near Lille in French Flanders, in 1844. 

 The top-dressings were applied in a state of solution to old 

 grass on the 20th of April, and the produce of the two cuttings 

 of hay was as follows : 



Nothing gave 



Nitrate of soda, 250 kilos. 



Nitrate of lime (dry,) 250 kilos. 



3820 kilogrammes per hectare. 



5690 



5397 



This is the only experiment with nitrate of lime which I 

 have met with, and the result of its application is very favour- 

 able, and encourages repetition. The equivalent weight of the 

 two nitrates of lime and soda are nearly equal, (103 and 107 

 respectively,) and therefore, w r hen applied in equal quantities, 

 their effects if not special to them as salts of lime or soda 

 ought to be nearly alike. In this experiment the nitrate of 

 soda gives the larger return by about 4 per cent, but duplicate 

 experiments might have reversed the position of the two nitrates 

 in this respect. 



It must be acknowledged, however, that the subsequent 

 observations of Kuhlmann, in 1845 and 1846, do not support 

 this opinion. In 1845 he applied nothing to any part of this 

 experimental field, but in 1846 renewed his top-dressings 

 applying to each plot the same weight of the same substance 

 as in 1844. The results of the whole three years were as 

 follows : 



Nothing gave 

 Nitrate of soda, 

 Nitrate of lime, 



1844. 



3820 

 5690 

 5397 



1845. 



4486 

 4390 

 4420 



were 



1846. 



3330 

 5383 

 4023 



