22 EXPERDIEXT STATION. [Jan. 



large proportion of our pasture soils. Especially must this be 

 true of those naturally poor in lime, with soils which are reten- 

 tive of moisture, and where white clover is scantily produced. 

 Slag meal is likely to produce less striking effects in pastures 

 which now j)roduce white clover abundantly, or in those having 

 excessively dry soils. Its special fitness for the im})rovement of 

 pastures deficient in lime and not now producing white clover 

 is undoubtedly connected with the fact that it is rich in lime. 

 Its tendency, therefore, is to sweeten soils which are naturally 

 sour, and thus to bring them into condition such that clovers 

 can thrive. It is now generally understood that clovers cannot 

 flourish in soils containing free acid. Basic slag meal, more- 

 over, is a relatively low-priced fertilizer, and it may be pointed 

 out still further that it has for many years been profitably used 

 for top-dressing pastures in various parts of Europe, especially 

 in England. 



A potash salt, as well as the slag meal or some substitute for 

 the latter, will in almost all cases be required, for without a 

 liberal supply of potash in the soil clovers will not thrive, and 

 a good permanent pasture without white clover is. in our cli- 

 mate, practically an imix>ssibility. There are several potash 

 salts which might be used. Most important among these are 

 the muriate, the high-grade sulfate and the low-grade sulfate. 

 In the experiments described the latter has been employed. The 

 writer was led to select it chiefly because of his observations 

 upon the results of top-dressing with the different potash salts 

 in the permanent mowings referred to at the beginning of this 

 article. It appears to be peculiarly adapted to bring in white 

 clover; but observations upon the permanent mowings, where 

 the different potash salts are under comparison, show that either 

 the muriate or high-grade sulfate also will increase the ])ropor- 

 tion of white clover. These salts cost rather less in proportion 

 to the actual amount of potash they supply than the low-grade 

 sulfate, and in localities where transportation counts as an es- 

 pecially im]iortant item they should perhaps be preferred, since 

 to obtain an equal amount of potash it would be necessary to 

 use them in only half the (piantities re(piircd of the low-grade 

 sulfate. The writer would, however, call attention to the fact 



