AND WITH AMMONIACAL L1QUOK. 191 



also sulphate of ammonia and sal-ammoniac in uncertain pro- 

 portions. Although, therefore, when diluted with three or four 

 times its bulk of water, this liquid has proved a very valuable _ 

 application to grass land,* to young corn, and to many other 

 crops, the results obtained with it do not satisfactorily bring out 

 the unaided effects of carbonate of ammonia. I give examples 

 of its effect upon wheat, upon oats, and upon grass cut for hay. 

 1. On wheat. Mr Bourhill, at Musselburgh in Mid-Lothian, 

 applied it to a crop of wheat, with the following increase per 

 imperial acre : 



Grain. Straw. 



Nothing gave ... 23 bush. 57 cwt. 

 Ammoniacal liquor, 240 gallons, 35 ... 87^ ... 



The increase here was very considerable, both in grain and 

 in straw. 



2. On oats. In 1842, Mr M'Lintock, near Glasgow, top- 

 dressed separate portions of a field of Blainslie oats with various 

 substances, and, among others, with 400 gallons an acre of car- 

 bonate of ammonia, by which I understand him to mean am- 

 moniacal liquor, with the following results per imperial acre : 



Grain. Straw. Chaff. 



No application gave . . 35f bush. 92 stones 304 Ib. 

 Carbonate of ammonia, 400 gallons, 45^ ... '120 ... 320 ... 

 Rape-cake, 280 Ib., . . 43| ... 108 ... 320... 



In this case the application was evidently very useful, more 

 so than 2^ cwt. of rape-cake. It may, I believe, in many cases, 

 be pretty safely concluded, that where rape-cake does good, the 

 impure carbonate of ammonia of the gas-works may be applied 

 with advantage also. It is less useful when the land is already 

 rich than where it is comparatively poor in animal and vege- 

 table matter. 



3. On grass. Applied at the rate of 150 gallons per acre, 

 diluted with 500 gallons of water, it gave, per acre, 



Undressed, 20^ cwt. of hay 



Dressed, 61^ 



Increase, 41 



* See my Lectures, 2d edition, p. 617. 



