58 



-the same, and at the rate of 1,600 Ib. of Thomas phosphate; and 

 six with the kainit and nitrate of soda, and at the rate of 2,400 

 Ib. of Thomas phosphate of 16 per cent. In April, 1895, He put 

 in oats and lucerne. No further manure was given in 1896 ind 

 1897. The crop of oats was on an average benefited by the 

 Thomas phosphate by 2 bushels 10 Ib. of grain per acre, but there 

 were 124 Ib. less of straw per acre. The crop of lucerne was in 1896 

 manured at the rate of 1,600 Ib. Thomas phosphate per acre (given 

 in 1895), and yielded on an average 651 Ib. more of hay per acre ; and 

 -with, at the rate of 2,400 Ib. per acre of Thomas phosphate, 1,284 Ib. 

 more. In 1897 the result was still better, the average crop of lucerne 

 hay being respectively 2,604 Ib. and 3,240 Ib. more per acre. From 

 these experiments it is apparent that the soil contained sufficient 

 phosphoric acid for the oats, but for the lucerne the Thomas phos- 

 phate increased the crop considerably, and the crop was a paying 

 -one. 



Lucerne and all legumens demand plenty of phosphoric acid 

 and potash, and will then also enrich the soil with nitrogen. Wolff 

 states that 1,000 Ib. of lucerne hay contained 23.6.1b. of nitrogen, 

 and in the ash 17.3 Ib. of phosphoric acid, 21.9 potash, lime 34.9, 

 silica 8.2, magnesia 4.2, sulphuric acid 4.9, oxide of iron 1.6, chlorine 

 2.5 Ib. The ashes on granitic soil, chalky soil with flint, clayey 

 soil with chalk, or very chalky soils show great variation in the 

 percentages of mineral compounds. Professor Boiret says 

 that you find much more phosphoric acid in leguminous 

 plants than in grass hay, which contains in a ton about 



7 Ib. of phosphoric acid ; while in lucerne hay the quan- 

 tity is 10 Ib. 3 oz. ; in clover hay, 11 Ib. 3 oz. ; in sainfoin hay. 



8 Ib. 3 oz. He gives only instances of tne manuring for sain- 

 foin, giving an increase of one-fifth to one-third, which prove the 

 great advantages of applying large quantities of Thomas phos- 

 phate, up to 8 cwt. per acre, in preference to other phosphatic 

 manures, the land there generally being poor in lime. 



I find the following results of experiments made in 

 France : M. Divoux, of Merviller in Meurthe and Moselle, had 

 2,640 Ib. of lucerne hay without manure in the two cuts; 5,840 

 Ib. with 400 flb. of Thomas phosphate ; and 6,400 Ib. with 400 Ib. 

 of Thomas phosphate and 400 Ib. of kainit per acre. M. Barraud, 

 of Villereal (Lot and Garonne), harvested from the two cuts with- 

 out manure 4,680 Ib. per acre; with 320 117. of Thomas phosphate. 

 7.802 Ib.; witti 640 Ib. of Thomas phosphate, 8,705 Ib. per acre. 

 M Chevais, of Tournelles (Loir and 'Cher), obtained from the two 

 cuts without manure 4,142 Ib. ; with 320 Ib. of Thomas phos- 

 phate, 6,859 Ib. ; with 320 Ib. of Thomas phosphate and 120 Ib. 

 of muriate of potash, 7,428 Ib. of lucerne hay per acre. 



I think it is desirable to give some cultural advice. Although 

 lucerne grows well in the moister parts of South Australia, or 

 where water can be supplied, I am not aware that other manures 

 been used than dung. I am pleased to be able to record 



