1(54 REPORT — 1861. 



The result of this plot affords another proof that a good crop of swedes 

 may be obtained nith a superphosphate in which all the pjiosphates are 

 rendered soluble, and which contains no nitrogenized matters. 



Plot 18. Manured with 3 cwt. of dissolved bone-ash and 1 cwt. of sulphate 

 of ammonia. 



In this experiment the addition of sulphate of ammonia to dissolved bone- 

 ash appears to have done no good whatever. 



Plot 19. Manured with 3 cwt. of sulphate of potash. 



The sulphate of potash used in this experiment was a good commercial 

 sulphate. It produced about the same increase as 2 cwt. of sulphate of 

 ammonia ; and, in comparison to the effect which phosphatic manures pro- 

 duced, must be considered as a manuring constituent which did not seem to 

 be required on the soil on which the experiments were tried. 



Plot 20. Manured with 3 cwt. of dissolved bone-ash and 1 cwt. of nitrate 

 of soda. 



The addition of nitrate of soda to the dissolved bone-ash gave only 14 cwt. 

 more roots than the dissolved bone-ash used by itself — a quantity far too small 

 to be regarded as a proof that nitrate of soda increased the efficacy of the 

 dissolved bone-ash. From the preceding experiments I think we may safely 

 draw the following conclusions : — 



1. They point out in the most decided manner the great superiority of 

 phosphatic matters as manuring constituents for root-crops. 



2. It appears that a sufficient quantity of soluble phosphates renders other 

 fertilizing matters superfluous on soils that have a constitution similar to that 

 of the experimental field. 



3. Ammoniacal salts do not appear to have any specific effect on the 

 turnip-crop. 



4. Alkaline chlorides and sulphates produced no effect. 



5. Nitrate of soda had a beneficial effect upon the turnips. 



6. Sulphate of lime was inefficacious as a fertilizer for swedes in the ex- 

 perimental field. 



Wheat Expenments made iti 1 860. 



The field on which the experiments were tried is quite level. It contains 

 numerous fragments of oolitic limestones, no sand, and a large proportion of 

 clay. The depth of the cultivated soil is about 9 inciies on an average. 

 The surface soil was well cultivated; it passes by degrees into limestone- 

 rubble mixed with clay, and then rests on the great oolite limestone-rock. 

 Two acres of this field were accurately divided into 8 plots, measuring l of 

 an acre each. 



Plot 1 was manured with 4 cwt. of wheat manure per acre, specially pre- 

 pared, being a mixed mineral and ammoniacal manure ; cost £1 125. per acre. 



Plot 2 was manured with 2|^ cwt. of Peruvian guano per acre; cost£l I2s.6cf. 



Plot 3 was manured with 1| cwt. of nitrate of soda; cost £1 105. per acre. 



Plot 4 was manured with 1^ cwt. of nitrate of soda and 3 cwt. of common 

 salt ; cost £1 135. per acre. 



Plot 5 was manured with 3 cwt. of common salt per acre ; cost 3*. 



Plot 6 (unmanured). 



Plot 7 was manured with 2 cwt. of sulphate of ammonia ; cost £1 165. per 

 acre. 



Plot 8 was manured with 32 bushels of soot per acre ; cost IBs. 



These manures were all sifted through a fine sieve and mixed with coal- 

 ashes, so as to obtain, for the sake of better distribution, 20 bushels of the 

 mixture. This was sown by broadcast distribution, on the 27th March, 1860. 



