160 REPORT 1861. 



This soil contained hardly any sand that can be separated by the mechanical 

 process of washing and decantation. It contains, like most of the soils on 

 our farm, an appreciable quantity of sulphate of lime and also of phosphoric 

 acid. It is not so rich in carbonate of lime as many others of our fields, and 

 is rich enough in clay to be called a good agricultural clay. 



An acre of this land was divided into 20 parts. The difFerent manures, 

 after having been mixed with burnt soil for the sake of better distribution, 

 were sown on the 6th of June, the land was ridged up, and the seed (Skirving's 

 swedes) drilled on the following day. The distance between the drills was 

 22 inches ; the plants were singled out 12 inches apart. The portion of the 

 field on which the experiments were tried was left unmanured. 



The following list exhibits the arrangement of the experimental field, the 

 kinds of manure employed, and their quantities calculated per acre : — 



Experiments upon Skirving's Swedes, infield No. 7, Royal Agricultural 

 College Farm, Cirencester, 1 859. 



per acre. ^ 



Plot 1 was manured with 15 tons of rotten dung. 



Plot 2 was manured with 15 tons of rotten dung and 2 cwt. of super- 

 phosphate. 



Plot 3 was manured with 3 cwt. of superphosphate. 



Plot 4 was mauuijpd with 1 cwt. of superphosphate. 



Plot 5 was manured with 6 cwt. of superphosphate. 



Plot 6 was manured with 3 cwt. of gypsum. 



Plot 7 was manured with 2 cwt. of superphosphate and 1 cwt. of guano. 



Plot 8 was manured with 3 cwt. of guano. 



Plot 9 was manured with 1 cwt. of sulphate of ammonia. 



Plot 10 was left unmanured. 



Plot 1 1 was manured with 3 cwt. of fine bone-dust. 



Plot 12 was manured with 2 cwt. of sulphate of ammonia. 



Plot 13 was manured with 3 cwt. of turnip manure. 



Plot 14- was manured with 1 cwt. of nitrate of soda. 



Plot 15 was manured with 6 cwt. of turnip manure. 



Plot 16 was manured with 3 cwt. of salt. 



Plot 17 was manured with 3 cwt. of bone-ash treated with sulphuric acid. 



Plot 18 was manured with 3 cwt. of dissolved bone-ash and I cwt. of sul- 

 phate of ammonia. 



Plot 19 was manured with 3 cwt. of sulphate of potash. 



Plot 20 was manured with 3 cwt. of dissolved bone-ash and 1 cwt. of 

 nitrate of soda. 



On each plot of the experimental field a remarkably even and good plant 

 was obtained. The roots continued to grow as late as November ; they were 

 therefore left in the field until the 8th of December, when the crop was 

 taken up. The roots were topped and tailed and cleaned, and the whole 

 produce of each plat then carefully weighed, with the following results : — 



Table showing the produce per acre of swedes, topped and tailed and 

 cleaned, and increase per acre over the unmanured portion in field No. 7, 

 Royal Agricultural College Farm, Cirencester, 1859. 



Produce per acre. Increase per acre. 



Plot. Manure. tons. cwt. qrs. lbs. tons. cwt. qrs. lbs. 



1. 15 tons of farmyard manure .18 10 2 24 ... 3 16 1 20 



2. 15 tons of farmyard manure and 2 



cwt. of superphosphate 17 6 3 4 ... 2 12 2 



