194 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



[March 24 



lication of the debate would occupy greater space 

 than we can afford in a single number ; and its post- 

 ponement in part is the less to be regretted as the 

 subject is not, like many others, one on which an 

 immediate decision would at once affect farm 

 practice. In fact the general tendency of increas- 

 ing knowledge on the subject seems to discourage 

 expectation that farm practice will ever largely 

 benefit by the use of town sewage. Professor Way 



has indeed shown how the conservative powers of 



uients, with and without salt, we have the following 

 table : 



Nitrate of soda 



„ with salt 



Sulphate of ammonia 



„ with salt 



Peruvian guano 



with .salt 



• * ■ 



• # ■ 



* • • 



Mixture 



n 



with salt 



• • • 



• ■ • 



* 9 



• • • 



- • - 



qrs 



5 



5 

 5 

 5 

 5 

 5 

 5 

 6 



Ira. 



3 

 5 

 4 

 2 

 6 

 2 

 5 

 2 



qrs. bu. lb. 



5 4 30 



5 3 29 



5 4 60 



5 



16 



We perceive at once that guano has given the largest 



_ return, next to it comes the mixture, aud third only is 



ordinary soils would make them store-rooms of titrate of soda, with salt. The second column, giving 



fertility, in which the food of plants might at any 

 season be safely placed against the season of growth, 

 when alone it can be used — but in sewage this food, 

 it seems, is so greatly diluted that, however efficient 

 a vehicle for it water may be, the manure which it 

 thus conveys is pretty much as expensively conveyed 

 as guano would be if a whole train of carriages 

 were needed for the delivery of every ton. The 

 question is, no doubt, as Mr. Caird has stated, now 

 one more for the engineer than for the chemist. So far 

 as the latter is concerned, it seems to be exhausted ; 

 but we fear that the problem, however simply now it 

 may be stated, is as far as ever from a profitable 

 solution. 



We hope next week to give a further report of 

 the discussion. 



the average of each pair, shows that though Peruvian 

 guano stands highest, nitrate of soda is little behind it, 

 while sulphate of ammonia falls short by more than a 

 bushel. This difference is so small, however, as to be 



unimportant. 



Turning to Mr. Hope's experiments, we find the 

 results somewhat different, for, with him, sulphate of 

 ammonia has given the highest result, while guano and 

 nitrate of soda are nearly on a level. In Mr. Hope's 

 experiments, we have the advantage of being able to 

 compare the produce with that of an unmanured por- 

 tion, from which we are enabled to calculate the actual 

 profit derived from each manure. I shall select the 

 highest result afforded by each manure, which is most 

 favourable to nitrate of soda, and we obtain the 

 following table, Wheat being taken at 70,9. per qr. : — 



A very seasonable and useful discussion took 

 place last week before the Highland and Agricultural 

 Society of Scotland on Top-dressings for Different 

 Crops. Two papers were read — one by Mr. Hope, 

 of Fenton Barns, and the other by Mr. Finnie, of 

 Swanston — and Dr. Anderson, the chemist to the 

 Society, summed up the points, which had been 

 brought out, and read the experience that had been 

 described, in the light of that general experience 

 which, when classified and arranged, is called science. 

 One cannot imagine a more satisfactory and appro- 

 priate employment for an agiicultural society than 

 that in which the Highland Society was thus 

 engaged. Its best practical men, instructed by its 

 chemical officer, had brought their practical skill to 

 bear upon a point of great practical importance, and 

 the results of their experiments ascertained with 

 carefulness are* now published just at the time of 

 year when likely to be most useful, and published 

 along with suggestions by Professor Anderson, 

 directing attention to such of the results made out 

 as appear to one of his experience in experimental 

 research to have be n determined. Mr* Russell, 

 of Kilwhiss, in Fifeshire,had also contributed similar 

 results with those of Mes 



Nitrate of soda and 



Silll ••• ••• 



Snip, of ammonia 

 and salt ... 



srnano 



t • • 



Increase 

 per acre. 



Bushels. 



3 



5 



Increased 

 val. of crop. 



Cost of 

 manure. 



£ s. d. 



£ s. d. 



16 



10 



2 3 9 

 1 10 ' 



13 6 



14 1 



Profit. 



£ s. d. 

 6 



1 







10 

 16 



9 

 9 



Finnie and Hope, 

 but his absence in America had interfered some- 

 what with their parallelism with the others, so that 

 they could not so satisfactorily be presented in the 



same 



We have not space for publication of the separate 

 papers that were read ; but their results we take 

 from Dr. Andkrson's remarks, in which they have 

 been compared. The>e remarks, it should be stated, 

 specially directed attention to Mr. Pusey's view of 

 the relative value of guano and of nitrate of soda 

 as manures, and it was shown that in the ex- 

 perience of the Scottish experimenters that view 



was not borne out — guano being the more efficient of 

 the two. 



The experiments originated in a correspondence 

 between Dr. Andkpson and the three gentlemen we 

 have named, in which the nature of the experiments 

 was resolved upon : it was determined that nitrate 

 of soda should be used at the rate of 1 cwt. per acre, 



It follows, therefore, that while sulphate ot ammonia 

 has given a profit of 30s. per acre, nitrate of soda has 

 given only 6s. , and nitrate of soda employed alone gave 

 an increase of only 2 bushels per acre, value 17s. 6d. 

 entailing a loss of 2*. 6d. per acre. , 



In Mr. Russell's experiments, where the produce of 

 Wheat from the unmanured portion is very small, being 

 only 3 qrs. 3 bush, per acre, the effect of the top 

 dressings is more marked than either in Mr. Finnie's or 

 Mr. Hope's, and in them guano holds the highest place, 

 while nitrate of soda stands low. It gives a profit cal- 

 culated on the same manner as before, but taking the 

 Wheat at the value of 72s. as given by Mr. Russell 

 of but 7s. 9d. per acre, while sulphate of ammonia gives 

 21. 9s., and guano 31. 7s. per acre. As far as the pro- 

 duction of straw is concerned, Mr. Finnie's results are 

 most favourable to nitrate of soda, Mr. Hope's to 

 sulphate of ammonia. 



On Qrass. — Turning to the hay experiments, we find 

 matters more favourable to nitrate of soda. Mr. Hope 

 finds that it produces on the average an increase of 

 12 cwt. per acre, while guano only gives 9 cwt., and 

 sulphate of ammonia 7 cwt. It is worthy of remark, 

 however, that guano conjoined with salt gave a higher 

 result than nitrate of soda, but when employed alone its 

 effects were greatly inferior, and hence the difference in 

 the average. Mr. Finme's increase is 17 cwt. from 

 nitrate of soda, 14 from sulphate of ammonia, and only 

 10 from Peruvian guano. Here guano fails decidedly 

 short of the other ones, while taking into account the 

 relative costs of the two manures, the nitrate and sul- 

 phate of ammonia leave about the same profit. 



Mr. Finnie has calculated the money value of the 

 hay crop ai Id. per stone, and it thus appears that the 

 portion dressed with nitrate of soda alone gives an 

 increased value of 12. 8*. 7d. f but when common salt was 

 added it was only 11. 4s. Ad. Taking the average of the 

 two, we have 2/. 4s. \\d. as the profit ; which consider- 

 ably exceeds that of the other manures. Mr. Hope's 

 experiments afford similar results with nitrate of soda, 



formed by which this was affecaedTwT^^T 

 Anderson further : — ■ . ^' 



Taking these experiments as a whole, it i 8 b ! 

 that they form a very important contribution \?** 

 knowledge of these manures, when used ag tn [L ^ .°* 

 upon different crops. They cannot be considered 

 exhausting the subject, or that we are entitled toi^* 

 that in ali cases similar results are to be obtaiued*^ 

 this much is clear, that the extraordinary pre _ 

 assigned to nitrate of soda is far from being bori^n 

 It is to be observed, however, that the seasun Vag fat 

 and on that account comparatively unfavourable to lqL' 

 dressings. This circumstance would undoubtedly jl* 

 prejudicially on all these manures, but less so in nitrate 

 of soda than the others. We know that when sulpkfe 

 of ammonia and guano lie for a considerable tine 

 on the surface before they are washed in by the 

 rain that a material loss of their ammonia occur* 

 On chemical grounds we know that euch Ion w 

 less likely to occur with nitrate of soda. We remark 

 also, that the greatest effect in many cases has been 

 produced by sulphate of ammonia, while guano occa- 

 sionally stands behind the other two. It must be 

 remembered, however, that the experiments are iocon. 

 plete, and that the effects upon the next crop nay 

 materially alter the relative position. Kuhluian found 

 that guano differed from nitrate of soda and purely 

 ammoniacal manures in the action which it exerted in 

 the subsequent crops. He found that it produced a 

 marked increase upon them, while the portions whin 

 had been dressed with nitrate of soda and sulphate of 

 ammonia actually gave in the subsequent year a \m 

 produce than the unmanured portion. Should a similar 

 result be obtained on the crops of this year, we shall at 

 once see that our conclusions may undergo considerable 

 modification, and that guano may come to staud higher 

 than it at present does. Mean wi die while these 

 manures are taken so as to supply the same quantity of 

 nitrogen, we have evidence that there is u marked 

 difference between them unless it be in the hay crop. 

 There we find that nitrate of soda does undoubtedly 

 produce a larger increase than either of the others, and 

 this is in accordance with the observation frequently 

 made of its superior effects on the Grasses. In < 

 words, it produces a more powerful effect on the Mem 

 than the other manures, and this we tee ako in the 

 Wheat, when a larger increase of straw is produced by 

 it than by either of the other manures; but in the De- 

 duction of seed we observe that the advautage lie* i 

 some cases with sulphate of ammonia, in others with 

 guano, while nitrate of soda is invariably inferior. 



Our readers will agree with us that the thauka rf 

 the agricultural community are due to the gentlft* 

 men and to the Society who have thus called atten- 

 tion to facts so well determined on a department of 

 farm practice which during the next few weeks will 

 occupy so generally the attention of agtieulturift*. 



the 



acre 



with 



with feulphate 

 Peruvian 



of 



profit is 11. 18a. 8cZ. per 

 ammonia, \l. 2s. 2d. ; and wiin reruvian guano, 



, ., . , . . r . , t» -- 'ilZ. 11*. 10d. In Mr. Russell's experiments guano 



™ a V Sulp */tf_of_ ammonia and Peruvian guano gives an increased amount of hay, the value of which, 



deducting the cost of the manure, is 12*. lOtf. ; nitrate 



YOUTH.— CRIME.— PUNISH M EXT. 



(TWO LETTERS )— No. I. 



One fine afternoon, last autumn, a gentleman ridii| 

 home saw a boy, at that time in his employment, earaaj 

 his wages by knocking down A pples from a tempoif* 

 looking tree in a small orchard adjoining bis gtriea 

 Tiie lad was too busily occupied to notice the wm 

 arrival at the scene of his labours : the interview «W 

 inevitable : flight was vain : and a whip iu the nferj 

 hand. Boys will be boys, and men will forget than* 

 remark once applied to themselves : so, wbt 

 crack ! down came the riding-whip twice upon 

 peccant shoulders, with the usual repriniaodatory 

 jections for such cases made and provided. A 

 expressive shrug of the off-side shoulder, and ft V"J 

 furtive glance curiously compounded of angry pW* 

 intense deprecation of impending number three ^^^^ 

 t • ie whip-hand ; and with that biting form of ^TT 

 which popular metaphor has likened to 'a flea* 



fc 



should be used in such quantities as to supply the 

 same amount of nitrogen. It was further resolved 

 that a mixture of these manures should also be used. 

 One other point seemed worthy of inquiry. It ha 

 recently been customary to mix nitrate of soda with 

 common salt, which is said to strengthen the straw, 

 and prevent the tendency to lodge, which is fre- 

 quently observed where light manures have been 

 applied to grain, but as doubts have been ex- 

 pressed on this point, it was thought well that 

 these manures should be tried both with and with- 

 out salt. 



On the last of these points it is sufficient to state 

 that, comparing the two halves of all the experi- 



of which the salt had been used, 

 other it had not. the conclusion 



ear 



the boy departed : and the rider. 



For, the excitement of the m 



ments, over one 



while over the other it had not, 



arrived at is, that it was without effect, or at least 



that its influence was very uncertain. 



The real point determined by these experiments 

 is thus limited to their comparison of the nitro- 

 genous manures, and here we simply present to the 

 reader a somewhat condensed report of Professor 

 Anmrson's remarks : — 



On Wheat. — In Mr. Finnie's experiments there is 

 remarkable similarity throughout the results. If we 

 add together the quantities of good and weak grain, 

 and, further, take the mean of each pair of experi- 



of soda gives \L 0s. 8.7. profit ; and sulphate of ammonia, 

 1Z. 7s. 2d. On Grass the results are on the whole more 

 favourable to nitrate of soda, but they by no means give 

 it that pre-eminence which has been lately assigned to it. 



On Potatoes. — The results obtained from Potatoes are 

 unfavourable to nitrate of soda, but considerable discre- 

 pancy' exists between Mr. Hope and Mr. Finme's 

 results. Calculating Mr. Hope's at the rate of Ss. per 

 cwt., we find that, after deducting the cost ot the 

 manure, the profit is 10s. per acre, while sulphate of 

 ammonia gives 1/. Qs. 6d. 9 and Peruvian guano entails a 

 loss of 7s. In Mr. Finnie's experiments, sulphate of 

 ammonia gives a loss of 14s. per acre, nitrate of soda a 

 gain of 19s., and guano a gain of 'M. lis. 



It is proper to add to this that the manures 

 applied per acre were respectively as follows : 

 (1), nitrate of soda, 



the 



1 cwt.; (2), nitrate of soda, da ^. had pas ^ Vf t t w 

 n salt, 2 cwt J (3), 87 lbs. of K w f in ^ wa ^ aS * Xn 2 



U « fA\ qt lk r J i , r before the little man, iSo. I, < 



"Both, in pain. *«*., *i*~ ~«- — ««*«■* 



over, there was something in the appeal of that ^' "3 

 look, and writhing figure that made me halt 0*p-£ 

 (for the writer was the rider) to throw the wwp . 

 the nearest pond, which chanced to be » n> * 

 at hand. But why was this ? Had I mtw» 

 hard? No; the whip was but a ,, £ h $JJL*i 

 offence, and detection, complete ; and I had 

 most approved fashion too—punishtd the " tUc *^g 



I began to reflect, as I rode on, upon tii ^n m 



< Punishment.' Said I to myself but J*J*J|^ 



the soliloquy in result I have already remar* , 



a tempting apple-tree : (oh ! those tempttOJ^J^ 

 what work they have phyed in history, ' *TJ|^| 

 profane ! For aught we know, Troy iMOU «* ^ 

 be standing, strong and safe as Sebartojpwj. ^ 



Well, under this eaine tree, WJ^ 

 I beheld another youjf T* *t 



as on foot thia tu# ' 



profane 

 be stau 

 one of them ! | 



could look ru*«4 

 he was raisin- with might and main f (> r ' ?"£! 



1 cwt.," and common 



sulphate of ammonia ; (4), 87 lbs. of sulphate of 



ammonia and 2 cwt. of common salt ; (5), 137 lbs. 



of Peruvian guano ; (6), the same guano and 2 cwt, 



of salt ; (7), a mixture of 37 lbs. of nitrate of soda 



with 29 lbs. of sulphate of ammonia and 4G lbs. of 



Peruvian guano ; (8), the same mixture and 2 cwt. 



of common salt. » Why how comes this ? 



On the general value of these experiments, and to •teal? " 

 on those circumstances under which they were per- 



dropped to his side, at the touch of a 



gently, on his shoulder. 



« What, stealing Apples, my little man f 

 A look of terror, and a burning blu*h, ■ 



=*5 



ti#*ti 



answer. 



Don't you know 



ii* 



steal ! 7 ' . 



No answer : but the same shamed a»« 



ifeifc* 



