200 TALKS ON MANURES. 



The plot continuously unmanured, gives about 16 bushels of 

 wheat per acre. 



The plot with barn-yard manure, nearly 30 bushels per acre. 



400 Ibs. o-f ammonia-salts alone, on plot 9#, 31 bushels ; on 95, 

 29 bushels ; on IQa and 106, nearly 29 bushels each. This is remark- 

 able uniformity. 



400 Ibs. ammonia-salts and a large quantity of mineral manures 

 in addition, on twelve different plots, average not quite 32 bushels 

 per acre. 



"The superphosphate and minerals," said the Deacon, "do not 

 seem to do much good, that is a fact." 



You will notice that 336 Ibs. of common salt was sown on plot 

 IQa. It does not seem to have done the slightest good. Where the 

 salt was used, there is 2 Ibs. less grain and 98 Ibs. less straw than 

 on the adjoining plot 166, where no salt was used, but otherwise 

 manured alike. It would seem, however, that the quality of the 

 grain was slightly improved by the salt. The salt was sown in 

 March as a top-dressing. 



"It would have been better," said the Deacon. " t o have sown it 

 *n autumn with the other manures." 



" The Deacon is right," said I, " but it so happens that the next 

 year and the year after, the salt was applied at the same time as 

 the other manures. It gave an increase of 94 Ibs. of grain and 61 

 Ibs. of straw in 1851, but the following year the same quantity of 

 salt used on the same plot clid more harm than good." 



Before we leave the results of this year, it should be observed 

 that on 82, 5,000 Ibs. of cut straw and chaff were used per acre. I 

 do not recollect seeing anything in regard to it. And yet the 

 result was very remarkable so much so indeed, that it is a matter 

 of regret that the experiment was not repeated. 



This 5,000 Ibs. of straw and chaff gave an increase of more than 

 10 bushels per acre over the continuously unmanured plot. 



" Good," said the Deacon, " I have always told you that you 

 under-estimated the value of straw, especially in regard to its 

 mechanical action." 



I did not reply to this remark of the good Deacon. I have never 

 doubted the good effects of anything that lightens up a clay soil 

 and renders it warmer and more porous. I suppose the great benefit 

 derived from this application of straw must be attributed to its 

 ameliorating action on the soil. The 5,000 Ibs. of straw and chaff 

 produced a crop within nearly 3 bushels per acre of the plot ma- 

 nured every year with 14 tons of barn-yard manure. 



"lam surprised," said the Doctor, " that salt did no good. I 



