284 



TALKS ON MANURES. 



much so, that we were led to suppose, for some time, that it would 

 give the largest crop ; but at harvest, it was found that it produced 

 no more corn than plaster. These results seem to indicate, that 

 superphosphate of lime stimulates the growth of stalks and leaves, 

 and has little effect in increasing the production of seed. In raising 

 Indian corn, for fodder or for soiling purposes, superphosphate of 

 lime may be beneficial, as well as in growing the sorghum for sugar- 

 making purposes, or for foddder though, perhaps, not for seed." 



" In addition to the experiments given above, I also made the 

 same season, on an adjoining field, another set of experiments on 

 Indian corn, the results of which are given below. 



" The land on which these experiments were made, is of a some- 

 what firmer texture than that on which the other set of experi- 

 ments was made. It is situated about a mile from the barn-yard, 

 and on this account, has seldom, if ever been manured. It has 

 been cultivated for many years with ordinary farm crops. It was 

 plowed early in the spring, and it was harrowed until quite 

 mellow. The corn was planted May 30, 1857. Each experiment 

 occupied one-tenth of an acre, consisting of 4 rows 3? feet apart, 

 and the same distance between the hills in the rows, with one row 

 without manure between each experimental plot. 



" The manure was applied in the hill, in the same manner as in 

 the first set of experiments. 



"The barnyard-manure was well-rotted, and consisted princi- 

 pally of cow-dung with a little horse-dung. Twenty two-horse 

 wagon loads of this was applied per acre, and each load would 

 probably weigh about one ton. It was put in the hill and covered 

 with soil, and the seed then planted on the top. 



" The following table gives the results of the experiments : 



TABLE SHOWING THE RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS ON INDIAN CORN, MADE NEAR 

 ROCHESTER, N. T., IN THE TEAR 1857. 



DESCRIPTIONS OF MANURES, AND 

 QUANTITIES APPLIED PEH ACRE. 



1. No manure 



2. 20 loads barn-yard manure 



3. 150 Ibs. sulphate of ammonia 



4. 300 Ibs. superphosphate of lime 



5. 400 Ibs. Peruvian guano 



6. 400 Ibs. of "Cancerine," or fish man'e 



