6i 



Equal weights of sulphate ot ammonia and nitrate of soda 

 were used i cwt. in each case so that more nitrogen was 

 applied to the sulphate plots. The season was, on the 

 whole, unfavourable to the action of artificial manures ; 

 and it is a curious result that of the plots dressed with non- 

 nitrogenous manures, all but one yielded less hay than the 

 unmanured land, the exception being the plot receiving 

 superphosphate and kainite. Nitrogenous manures in 

 every case gav^ a marked increase ; and in each of the six 

 sets of comparable plots sulphate of ammonia produced a 

 heavier crop than nitrate of soda the average produce 

 being 2i cwt. of hay in favour of sulphate. 



The figures relating to farmyard manure are given for 

 comparison. It is remarkable that in a season apparently 

 more favourable for the action of farmyard manure than 

 for that of artificials, the average produce from sulphate 

 of ammonia should be slightly higher than that from farm- 

 yard manure ; and not only on the average, but in four of 

 the six sets of comparable plots, sulphate gave the heavier 

 yield, and in a fifth set the two manures produced equal 

 crops. 



As a matter of course, the residue left after the crop was 

 removed would be far greater in the case of farmyard 

 manure ; but against this must be put its high cost and 

 expense of applying, in all probability five or six times the 

 cost of using a hundredweight of sulphate of ammonia. 

 In this instance, there is no question that sulphate of 

 ammonia paid better than farmyard manure. 



Comparing the farmyard manure plots with the nitrate 

 plots, we find that in every case but one the former gave 

 the best results ; superphosphate and nitrate being the only 

 exception. 



We may therefore conclude that, though varying in its 

 effect under different conditions, sulphate of ammonia 

 compares favourably in its effects on grass land with any 

 other nitrogenous manure. If used in large quantities at 

 short intervals, it will certainly make the land sour after 

 a time, by causing loss of lime as already explained ; but 

 it is not in this way that farmers need to use it. In 

 practice it should rather be applied occasionally to supply 

 nitrogen in an effective and economical form, not to 

 displace altogether farmyard or mineral manures, which 

 supply other essential constituents of plant food. 



THE INFLUENCE OF SULPHATE ON THE BOTANICAL COM- 

 POSITION OF THE HERBAGE. 



It has been shown clearly in the Rothamsted and other 

 experiments that continuous manurial treatment of any kind 

 invariably has a marked influence on the botanical composi- 

 tion of the herbage. Thus, continuous use of nitrogenous 



