Experiments with different Top-dressings upon Wheat. 13 



proved inefficacious or even injurious in relation to turnips, 

 grown on a similar soil to that on which the wheat was raised 

 had a most marked and decidedly beneficial effect upon the 

 wheat-crop. 



It may not be amiss to contemplate these experiments in an 

 economical point of view, and to ascertain to what extent the 

 different top-dressings have repaid the outlay of money which, 

 it will be remembered, was 17. 12s. 6d. per acre in all cases, 

 except in the case of the larger dose of wheat-manure, the appli- 

 cation of which entailed an expenditure of 21. 8s. per acre. 

 Leaving unnoticed the extra produce, of straw, which in some 

 cases was considerable, 1 shall only take into account the produce 

 in corn. The present average price of wheat of ordinary quality 

 is about 42s. per quarter. Taking 42s. as the price of wheat per 

 quarter, we obtain the following money-value of the increase 

 in produce, as the clear profit realized by the top-dressings after 

 deducting the expense of the manures : 



TABLE showing the Money Value of Increase in Corn per acre over 

 Unmanured Plot, and Clear Profit after deducting the .price paid 

 for Manures. 



It will be seen that, with the exception of the chalk-marl, all 

 the top-dressings paid very well, and that the more liberal outlay 

 for manure produced by far the best return in money. 



I purpose to note down the relative produce of next season's 

 crop on each of the J-acre experimental plots, and hope thus to 

 ascertain whether the efficacy of the various top-dressings was 

 spent in one season or not. In estimating the profits arising from 

 the use of these top-dressings, the condition in which the land is 

 left after the removal of the crop ought, by rights, to be taken 

 into account. It appears to me that the productiveness of the 

 different plots will be found to vary considerably. 



In nitrate of soda we have only two constituents, namely, soda 

 and nitric acid. Soda has scarcely any fertilizing value, and in 

 combination with nitric acid it is, moreover, readily removed by 



