270 



TALKS OX MANURES. 



w'neat, but if we neglect to do so, then top-dressing is a commend- 

 able practice. 



Dr. Voelcker reports the result of some experiments in top-dress- 

 ing winter-wheat on the farm of the Royal Agricultural College at 

 Cirencester, England. The manures were finely sifted and mixed 

 with about ten times their weight of fine soil, and sown broadcast 

 on the growing wheat, March 22. A fine rain occurred the follow- 

 ing day, and washed the manure into the soil. The following is 

 the yield per acre : 



No manure 27 bushels and 1984 Ibs. of straw. 



280 Ibs. Peruvian guano 40 2576 



195" nitrate of soda 38 2695 



180 " nitrate of soda, and 168 Ibs. of 



common salt 40s 2736 



443 Ibs. Proctor's wheat-manure 39* 2668 



67^ " " " " 44i 3032 



4 tons chalk-marl 27 1872 



The manures in each case cost $7.80 per acre, except the large 

 dose of Proctor's wheat-manure, which cost $11.70 per acre. The 

 wheat was worth $1.26 per bushel. Leaving the value of the straw 

 out of the question, the profit from the use of the top dressing was : 



With guano $8.70 per acre. 



" nitrate of soda 6.00 



" nitrate of soda and common salt 9.33 



" 443 Ibs. wheat-manure 7.94 



" 672 " " " 10.16 



The marl did no good. 



The nitrate of soda and common salt contained no phosphoric 

 acid, and yet produced an excellent effect. The guano and the 

 wheat-manure contained phosphoric acid as well as nitrogen, and 

 the following crop of clover would be likely to get some benefit 

 from it. 



John Johnston wrote in 1868, " I have used manure only as a 

 top-dressing for the last 26 years, and I do think one load, used in 

 that way, is worth far more than two loads plowed under on our 

 stLTland." 



