180 NITRATE OP SODA ON TURNIPS. 



The comparative falling-off in 1846 was great enough to 

 invite further inquiry, and rather incites our curiosity than 

 satisfies our convictions. 



6. On Turnips. Few experiments with the nitrates have 

 been made upon root-crops, though their known natural occur- 

 rence in the sugar-beet and some other roots renders such 

 trials desirable. Several experimenters have reported that, 

 when applied to turnips, the nitrate of soda gave no profit, but 

 the numerical results have not been given. 



Mr Barclay of Eastwick Park, Surrey, made some compara- 

 tive experiments upon turnips in 1839, the size of each plot 

 being 20 roods, and the produce on each as follows : 



Seed drilled with bones and ashes, at the ) ~ ()l 



rate of 15 bushels of each per acre, . J 

 Seed drilled with nitrate of soda at the rate \ 



.. > ... Ol ... 



of 1 cwt. per acre, . . . . J 

 Seed and 1 cwt. nitrate, both broadcast, ... 35 



Seed drilled, and 1 cwt. nitrate broadcast, ... 38 ... * 



On well-manured land, it was stated by Mr Dewdney, whose 

 farm was, I believe, in Surrey, that nitrate of soda did harm to 

 his turnips, though it greatly benefited the succeeding barley 

 crop. The following experiment of Mr Finnic, made at Swan- 

 ston in Mid-Lothian in 1843, would appear to indicate a similar 

 injury to the turnip crop on land previously well manured with 

 farm-yard dung : 



Bulbs. Tops, 



tons. cwt. tons. cwt. 



Farm-yard manure, well made, 16 tons gave 20 8 4 16 

 Do. and 162 Ib. nitrate of soda, ... 19 4 36 

 Do. and 45 Ib. bone-dust, ... 17 8 3 6 



The weight of the nitrated crop was, less, both in bulbs and 

 in tops, than that to which the manure alone was applied. It 

 would therefore appear, at first sight, as if the nitrate had done 

 harm instead of good. I have added the third result, however, 

 which was obtained by the addition of a bushel of bones to the 

 manure, and which was nearly two tons less in the weight of 

 bulbs, to show that this apparent conclusion as to the effect of 

 the nitrate is not a correct one. It is contrary to all experience 

 * Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society, i., p. 428. 



