THE STATE AS FARMER 63 



Farmers who manure on general principles will, no 

 doubt, usually be right, but those who are dealing 

 with soil of an exceptional character, or with a farm 

 that has been managed in an exceptional manner, 

 may be led very far astray by blindly following 

 general principles. The manuring of meadows may 

 be taken as an example. The teachings of Rotham- 

 sted, and of several other experimental stations, 

 show that, as a rule, potash is a most important 

 ingredient in a manurial mixture, and yet there are 

 cases where this substance does harm rather than 

 good when used for meadow hay. For the turnip 

 crop also potash is usually necessary, and its use will 

 leave a profit, though it cannot be said that, in many 

 cases, its presence or absence is a matter of vital 

 importance. There are cases, however, in which 

 potash is the most important element of all in the 

 treatment of this crop ; so much so, indeed, that the 

 most liberal applications of nitrogen and phosphates 

 may be absolutely without effect if unsupported by 

 potash. 



It is, therefore, the first duty of a farmer to 

 ascertain what the manurial requirements of his 

 own particular holding may be. And not only so, 

 but, if his land be variable in character, he should 

 take steps to become acquainted with the peculiarities 

 of every field. To rest satisfied with less is to 

 conduct his business in a haphazard fashion. His 

 practice may be right, but there is a great chance that 

 it will be wrong, and a serious error in judgment 



