362 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



MAT 13, X8i4 



From the Lonilon Gardeaors' Chronicle. 



EXPERIMKNTS WITH MANURES. 

 From the iiumrrtui-s cxperirnonls which have 

 been made with (liflerPnl niaimres in various parts 

 of the luniitiom, on ahiiost every variety tifsoil and 

 situation, it is reasonable to hope that by a com- 

 parison of the results obtained by these means, we 

 may arrive at someihini; near the truth, and bo ena- 

 bled to form an estimate of the relative value of 

 the substances that may have been made the sub- 

 ject of investji;;ition. It is with the view of assist- 

 ing in this important work, that I transmit yon the 



followin" detaihi of some experiments made at 



Carclew, in 1843, for the purpose of testing, on a 



small scale, the merits of certain manures, when 



applied as a top-dressing to growing crnps. 



The subjects selected for experiment were — 1, 



nitrate of soda ; 2, sulphate of soda; 3, guano ; 



4, sulphite of ammonia ; 5, drain-ngs from the 



farmyard. The soil, a free light loam, averaging 



nbout a foot in depth, on a yellow clayey subsoil, 



interspersed with spar. It had been well manured I other part of the field. The corn tillered well, and 



the previous season, and cropped with turnips, appeared thicker than in Nos. 1 and 2, and al- 



.■ioda; but here ag-iin the produce was less than 

 expectpd. the weight of straw being 2C4 1o8. ;of 

 grain 21,5 lbs., mc.Lsuring 4 bushels and 3 gallons, 

 which is at the rate of 43 3 4 bushels per acre. In 

 so far, therefore, as we may judge from the result 

 of these two experiments, it would seem as if neith- 

 er the nitrate nor sulphate of soda were adapted 

 for using on thin, light soil.-). It is perfectly true 

 that they act in some way as a stimulant to the 

 growing plant, as shown by the places where they 

 have been used, being of a dark healthy green. 



3- Guano. — The conflicting statements which 

 have appeared from time to time respecting the 

 proper quantity which ought to be applied of this 

 manure, and the failures that have occurred from 

 using it too bountifully, induced me to use a much 

 smaller proportion of it thiiU is now recommended, 

 but notwithstanilin- this, its effects were truly re- 

 markable ; for, although only 16 l-'-i lbs. were 

 sown dry over this allotment, which is at the rate 

 of about 1 1-2 cwt. per acre, it could readily be 

 distinmiished during the growing season from any 



After these were removed, the ground was plowed 

 and prepared for barley, which was sown in the 

 latter part of April. On the l.'itli May, the m.i- 

 nures were applied, the tenth part of an acre being 

 allotted for each experiment. 



1. jVitrale of Soda — The quantity used was 

 33 I -'i lbs., which 18 at the rate of about 3 cwt. 

 per acre. It was sown by hand with the utmost 

 oars. Little or no effect was observable for some 

 time afterwards, owing, no doubt, to the unusually 

 cold wet weather, by which vegetation generally 

 was very much retarded. No sooner, however, 

 did it become warm and sunny, than a chanire was 

 apparent, not only in the more raj'id growth of the 

 plants, which soon outstripped those around them, 

 but also in the color of their sterns and leaves, 

 which were alike remarkable, both for their greater 

 aize and the rich deep green they subsequently as- 

 sumed. During the seasrm, thrs plot maintained 

 its ine healthy appeamncc, from which I was led 

 to inter that nitrate of soda would prove a most 

 valuable manure; but the re.^uit was very different 

 to what I anticipated ; the weight of the produce 

 being, in straw, 199 lbs., in grain, 178 lbs., equal 

 to 37 1-2 bushels per acre, and less by (i 1-4 bush- 

 els per acre than any in the series. 



I was not prepared for such a difference between 

 the weight of tlie jrraiii and straw in this experi- 

 ment, and those of the others, and I am quite at a 

 loss to account for the deficiency. The only way 

 in which I imagine it to liave arisen, was from the 

 plants having been stimulnted by the application 

 to become more succulent and vascular, than they 

 would have been under other circumstances ; .so 

 that when they arrived .nt mntnrity, and were cut 

 and dried, the straw and grain lost in weight more 

 than their bulk and appearance would otherwise 

 liave led us to expect. 



2. Sulphate of Soda. — The same quantity, 33 1 -2 

 lbs. of this salt, was used as in No. 1. Being pul- 

 verized. It was sown by hand, as the preceding ; 

 and to the same cause may be oscribed ilie slow- 

 ness of its action, nn ofTi'ct being perceptible un- 

 til warm weather made it.i appearance, when its 

 effects became nearly as striking as in the previous 

 experiment. The phinl.s acquired a dark healthy 

 green color, and were upon tTie whole nearly as 

 tall and luxuriant as those ti-eated with nitrate of 



though somewhat shorter, it was in other respects 

 equally strong and healthy, and of a rich, deep 

 green. It deserves to be noticed that, at the tirnf 

 of binding up the grain, the workmen remarked 

 what appeared to them to be a difference in the 

 weight of the sheaves, compared with those in the 

 first and secrmd plots, which they had previously 

 bound up, and the result showed an increase over 

 the nitrate of soda, of no less than 81 lbs. of straw, 

 and 74 lbs. of grain ; the weight of the straw being 

 280 lbs., of grain, 252 lbs., equal to 5 bushels, or 

 .50 bushels per acre. Ucsides this experiment, I 

 have made several others with guano in a liquid 

 state, nn vegetables in the kitchen garden, all of 

 which have satisfied me that this manure, when 

 unadulterated, is one of the moat powerful that can 

 possibly be employed. Its effects are visible in 

 the course of eight or ten days after its applica- 

 tion. For onions, celery, and the cabbage tribe, it 

 surpasses all manures. I had portions of each of 

 those vegetables watered with guano, without be- 

 ing made aware of the particular spots so treated. 



crrain ; while the difference in the cost of oulph 

 of ammonia is nearly double that of guano. 



Draininf^s frum the Funn-ynrd. — The valui 

 liquid muniire is well known : the trial whicli > 

 made of it in this instance, was highly tfatisfiicttl 

 and contirms the opinion I have luiig entcriaii! 

 that more attention ought to he paid to the prn 

 formation o! dung-heaps, as well as to the inak 

 and prestrving of liquid manure in tanks, &c., l! 

 13 the eem ral practice. Were this the case, I 

 persuaded it would be far more advantigeoui 

 the farmer, than spending his money for fore i 

 substances, rii>t more powerful than those wh i 

 may be ohtaineil, at much less cost, l/um ol 

 agents within reach, if the means are only adif 

 to secure them. Here we have the fact of iLs oi 

 mon dramings of the farm-yard giving a ret 

 equal to that obtained from the finest r;i:inuri 

 which we have any knowledge. The quan 

 used was 100 gallons, or 1000 gallons per a 

 not in the strong, brown colored state it appc 

 when running from the stables or cattle liou 

 but diluted with water until it resembled whs 

 commonly used for gardening purposes. It is 

 ficult tn make the general reader iinder^'and t. 

 but I should think one, gallon of the dark-ooli 

 liquid, to two gallons of water, would be near 

 right proportions. The appearance of the g 

 was remarkably strong and healthy. The wo 

 of straw was 300 lbs.; of grain, 25C lbs., or 52 

 bushels per acre. 



If the effects of guano and some of the o 

 manures were such as to excite surprise, I tl 

 the result of this experiment will appear no 

 remarkable, as it supplies us with evidence in p 

 of the great value of liquid manure, wliicli, I 

 gret to say, is either little attended to, or wli 

 permitted to rirn to waste. In this partrciilar, I 

 lieve it will bo generally admitted there is g 

 room for improvement ; and it is to be hoped 

 time is not far distant when the facts deriverl I 

 these and similar experiments, will be the mi 

 of causing a better system of management lu 

 introduced. 



A portion of equal extent to those allottee 

 each experiment was set apart for comiirison, 



and at the end of a week I had no difficulty in found to produce, without manure, in straw 23^ I 



pointing out every spot where the guano had been 

 used. 



4. Sulphate of JJmmnnia. — A small quantity of 

 this salt was sent me from Hristol, with the follow- 

 ing directions : " The quantity usually applied is 

 about 2 cwt. per acre. Upon grass lands or grow, 

 ing crops, it may be sown broadcast; or in pre- 

 paring the land for seeds, it may be harrowed light- 

 ly into the ground ; or it may be mixed up in any 

 proportion with soil or any decayed vegetable mat- 

 ter that may be most easily procured." In the 

 present case, the quantity used w-as 22 12 lbs., 

 which after being reduced and made tolerably fine, 

 was sown by lianil unmixed with any other sub- 

 stance. A fortnight after tlio application, I re- 

 marked a trifling difference in the color of the 

 young plants, which seemed to be of a paler green 

 than those adjoining ; but this soon changed, and 

 was succeeded by a line healthy green, which they 

 retained during the rest of the season. The crop 

 was about the same thickness as where the guano 

 was used, and of an average height.- The produce 

 gave of straw, 200 lbs. ; of grain, 232 lbs. ; equal 

 to 47 1-2 bushels per acre. Between this and 

 guano, there is a difference in favor of the latter 

 of 18 lbs. in the weight of straw, and 20 lbs. in 



ill gram, 200 lbs., or at the rate of 40 bushels 

 acre. 



The subjoined table will more readily show 

 results of the several experiments : 

 Kind of Manure. Produce per 



Notliing, 40 b 



1. Nitr.-ite of soda, 



2. Sulphate of soda, 



3. Guano, 



4. Sulph. of ammonia, 



5. Dramings of farm-yards, 



W 



37 1-0 

 43 3-4 

 50 



47 1-2 

 52 12 

 15. BOOTl 



Leaves are the lungs of plants ; thoy take i 

 gen from the air and emit carbonic ac:d, whit 

 composed of oxygen and carbon. Wliiie the 

 mer goes off, the latter remains and converts 

 sap into a kind of pulp, a part of which ronsis 

 carbon. The pulp passes from thfc o,.i'i r ui 

 under side of the leaf. The cells wriei'-- i' • 

 lodges being yelloiv, and the carbon of a darK I 

 they form together the green color of the lo 

 and young bark. — Selected. 



Never drive a toad from your garden : they 

 useful in destroying noxious bu^s. 



