Recent Publications on Manures. 97 



differed had the portions been larger, future experiments alone will determine. 

 From Mr. Fleming's correct habits of observation, we may infer the quality of 

 the soil would be as nearly equal as possible ; but it is difficult to get all 

 these matters properly adjusted. Portions of the manure given the year 

 before to the potatoes may not have been so far decomposed as others ; and 

 pieces of open free stony soil may have wasted more of what was given. 

 Causes may have been in operation years before that may have accumulated 

 organic matter more in some portions of the soil than others ; and while we 

 see much to induce the likelihood of benefit from salt in some situations, we 

 must limit our expectations till warranted by further trials on a larger scale. 

 At Aske Hall, as we shall see hereafter, salt, at the rate of 6 bushels an 

 acre, produced no corresponding effect. From the proximity of Roselle to 

 the sea, there is likely to be more salt naturally in the soil. 



At Barrochan, the sulphate of soda produced 12 per cent increase on 

 the drill of potatoes, while the nitrate of soda produced 20 per cent ; the 

 mixture of the two, however, at the rate of two thirds of the sulphate to one 

 third of the nitrate, produced the uncommon increase of 61 per cent. The 

 foliage of the potatoes had here the same deep green healthy appearance of 

 vigour as the nitrates produce, which those dressed with sulphates never have. 

 On some potatoes in the garden an immense effect was produced by the same 

 mixture. In a field of oats, some portions dressed with nitrates and sulphates 

 by themselves produced no effect, while the mixture produced such an im- 

 mense effect on the growth as might be seen from a great distance. The 

 sulphate may be purchased for half the price of the other, carriage included, 

 in some places for less ; and will be a great saving of expense, besides the 

 benefit, especially if further trials confirm the above, and if the more speedy 

 action be not found to exhaust the benefits of the mixture sooner. The sul- 

 phate of soda was found to increase the produce of beans and peas a great deal 

 in the garden, causing the stems of the former to tiller out to five or six stems 

 from the same root, and increasing the well-filled pods in all. To leguminous 

 crops the professor thinks the sulphate will be the more valuable. On winter 

 rye the principal benefits were from the nitrates. To peat soil, Mr. Fleming 

 found that, in a crop of oats, bones, especially when dissolved in sulphuric 

 acid, were very valuable, as furnishing the phosphates required for the grain ; 

 it being generally found that oats on peat soils often grow more to stem than 

 seed. 



At Erskine (Lord Blantyre's), Mr. Wilson found that, on grass dressed 

 with these manures in portions of one twentieth of an acre, he had decidedly 

 the greater benefit from the nitrates, and found that all of the applications 

 had much more effect on light land than on clay ; perhaps from the cold 

 inactive nature of the latter, the benefits, however, should last longer if this is 

 the cause. The common salt, vitriol, and gypsum here produced little benefit : 

 the sulphate of soda was next to the nitrates, but much inferior. Mr. Wilson 

 here found the benefit of the nitrates to continue longer than in former expe 

 riments by others. 



At Aske Hall (Earl of Zetland's), on a thin light soil, on a clay subsoil, 

 and in a high bleak climate, Mr. Thompson found most benefit ; to the green 

 crop of hay about 25 per cent, to the dried hay about 23 per cent. The sul- 

 phuric acid and sulphate of soda had less produce than the undressed piece. 

 The common salt at the rate of 6 bushels an acre, and the soot at the rate 

 of 20 bushels an acre, produced about 9 to 6 per cent of benefit in the 

 green crop, and 27 to 25 per cent of increase in the dried hay. The nitrates 

 have always most effect at first on the green and. succulent growth of 

 the stem and foliage, and in clear light sunny weather to carry on the 

 action of the leaves ; we may find this greater in other seasons, as compared 

 with the last, which throughout was dull and cloudy, and would have a 

 powerful influence in lessening the chemical action on the substances in the 

 leaf, thus decreasing the produce. 



3d Ser. — 1842. II. h 



