24G OF LARGE AND SMALL DOSES. 



quently recommended in regard to other experiments, their 

 indications would be much more valuable. By having the 

 relative positions of the several plots entered in an experiment 

 book, the requisite attention can be easily given to each, though 

 twelve in number, without perplexity. 



The experimenter will, of course, follow the same system of 

 culture, of manuring, and of cropping, on the whole field, during 

 all the years of trial. The things to be especially observed are 



1. The general physical state and condition of the land, in 

 reference to all the operations of the farm. 



2. The relative weights, feeding properties, and money 

 values of the successive corn and green crops which may be 

 grown upon each experimental division. 



A balance of the profit and loss on each portion, during the 

 course of the twenty years' trial, would prove very valuable, 

 theoretically, and very useful, economically. It will not be 

 necessary to wait for the lapse of this long period before any of 

 the results are published. The state and produce of the seve- 

 ral plots may be made known in each successive year, after the 

 first large dose has been added. These will be found to be not 

 only interesting, but useful also, for many purposes. 



6. Experiments on the use of lime in improving the quality 

 of turnips , especially on fenny or peaty land. 



It is a matter of surprise to practical men, that turnips and 

 other root-crops, even of the same variety, and when raised from 

 the same seed, often differ remarkably in feeding value. In 

 the Lothians, cattle can be fattened on turnips alone ; in Dum- 

 fries-shire this is generally pronounced to be either difficult or 

 impossible. On the fenny land of Lincolnshire, and the ad- 

 joining counties, a similar defect in the quality of the turnip crop 

 is complained of; while on the sharp forest land which skirts 

 it towards the west, the feeding quality of this root is pro- 

 nounced to be excellent. 



The nature of the chemical differences which must exist 

 between the two qualities of turnips, can, at present, only be 

 guessed at. They may abound, more or less, in those com- 

 pounds of nitrogen, of which I have spoken in the preceding 



