94 RESULTS WITH GRASS 



alone gave only 27 cwts. of hay ; here the percentage of 

 nitrogen is at its maximum. When the quantity of ammonia 

 applied is doubled, as on plot n, the percentage of nitrogenous 

 matter rises considerably over that shown by plot 9. 



The increase of nitrogenous matter on plots 5 and n 

 probably improves -little if at all the feeding quality of the hay. 

 The nitrogenous matter will in these cases consist to a more 

 than ordinary extent of amides, and is accompanied by a lack 

 of development of sugar. The stemy herbage produced on 

 plot 9 requires, on the other hand, careful management ; it 

 should be cut before it gets too ripe if hay of good feeding 

 quality is to be obtained. 



6. Practical Remarks. We have already stated that 

 ammonia salts are not to be recommended as a manure for 

 good pasture land, as their use is inconsistent with the pro- 

 duction of the highest quality of herbage. To maintain a 

 high quality of herbage we have to maintain in the soil a 

 liberal supply of the ash constituents of grass and clover ; of 

 these ash constituents potash is generally the most required. 

 Nitrogen is best supplied in an organic form, a slowly acting 

 manure disturbing the growth of clover far less than either 

 sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of soda. The feeding of cake 

 on the land ; a dressing of well rotted farmyard manure ; or the 

 application of fish-guano, or horndust, will enrich the pasture 

 with nitrogenous food without deteriorating the herbage. 



On hay meadows sulphate of ammonia may be very useful 

 if the soil contains a fair amount of lime. The salt should 

 not be used alone, but phosphates and potash salts should be 

 applied with it, excepting in the case of exceptional soils, 

 as that at Cirencester. An autumn dressing of 2 cwts. of 

 basic slag, and a spring dressing of 3-4 cwts. of kainite, and 2 

 cwts. of sulphate of ammonia, would generally be found to 

 give good results. The return obtained from the use of i 

 cwt. of sulphate of ammonia, with ash constituents, is fairly 

 equal in the various experiments we have quoted, being 7-9 

 cwts. of hay; at Rothamsted, 6-3 cwts. at Cirencester, 

 and 7-5 cwts. at Pumpherston, or an average of 7^ cwts. 

 These figures refer to the first crop only. We should therefore 



