Recent Publications on Manures. 79 



rows in which a little nitrate of soda was dibbled into the hole 

 when the cauliflowers were planted had flowers one third larger 

 than those that got no nitrate ; and another portion, in which a 

 little oil cake was dibbled into the holes at planting, had flowers 

 one third larger than those above the nitrates. Cabbages, 

 he says, were benefited by the nitrates ; but the greatest 

 improvement was made on leeks. On beans the nitrates 

 had no effect. On turnips the shaws were improved, but 

 not the roots ; perhaps from the want of sufficient light 

 in the cloudy dull weather last autumn, to produce the 

 proper effect in the elaboration of the leaves. On rows of 

 potatoes, in a very poor border, 3 rows, with the usual quan- 

 tity of oil cake, and no manure, produced 38 lb. ; 3 rows ditto, 

 nitrate of soda alone, 44 lb. ; 3 rows ditto, rape dust ditto, 

 55 lb. ; while 3 rows, with the usual quantity of farm-yard 

 manure, gave 57 lb. ; thus showing in this experiment the pre- 

 ponderating effect of the latter. None of the dressings of ni- 

 trate, he says, had so powerful an effect this year as the last. 

 At Dankeith, the experiments seemed to be rather in favour of 

 the nitrates and rape dust : the soil there might be richer than 

 that at Roselle, and might yield more food to the plants stimu- 

 lated by the action of these manures, or there might be a dif- 

 ference in the quality or quantity of the manures. Of sea-kale, 

 which he was forcing, Mr. Locke dressed every alternate stool 

 plant with nitrate; almost every dressed plant failed, and even 

 those that succeeded were much spoiled. Some rows sown with 

 peas, and dressed with nitrates rather abundantly ; the peas were 

 destroyed as if they had been boiled, though they grew well sown 

 some time after in the same ground. Some plants sprinkled 

 with nitrate on the leaves were destroyed, as before observed, 

 at Dankeith. To geraniums, in pots, he applied the ashes of 

 burnt wood with great effect. Mr. Hunter also found the ashes 

 beneficial to pot plants, and particularly to beds of pansies. 

 Mr. Locke applied gypsum to turf, but found it produced no 

 effect, and attributed it to the dryness of the ground. If this 

 has been the cause, it may take effect next season ; but so many 

 failures have taken place with that article, that it is doubtful if 

 it always acts in the way described by Professor Liebig. It has 

 been said by some to benefit by the sulphate of lime itself be- 

 coming a constituent of the plant. Soot, he says, was found 

 of no benefit as a top-dressing, and he ascribes the want of effect 

 to the light dry land. If it were, however, washed into the soil 

 by rain, of which there was no deficiency last year, it is strange 

 it produced no effect. Soot, from the ammonia, charcoal, and 

 saline substances it contains, but especially the reputed abundance 

 of the first, has been found beneficial in all soils. Last year I saw 

 an application of it, in which the effects on onion beds, where it 



