SOILS AND MANURES 361 



several ingredients of commercial fertilizers appears to be more chap. 

 dependent upon the soil than upon the crop. At the Govern- VIU - 

 ment Experiment Farm, Ottawa, Canada, mixed horse and 

 cow manure gave an average return during fourteen years of 

 14-32 tons of green silage per acre, as compared with 8-02 

 tons on the unmanured plots ; of the artificial manures, phos- 

 phates, nitrates, and potash, mixed, gave the best result, viz. 

 1 1 -97 tons per acre (Canadian Government, 1). At Koedoes- 

 poort, Pretoria, superphosphate and nitrates gave the best 

 results. At Potchefstroom superphosphates alone and clung 

 have given good crops. At Manderston, Natal, bone-meal is 

 said to have given excellent results for a series of about 

 fourteen years. 



318. Does the Use of Fertilizers Pay? — Experiments con- 

 ducted at Vereeniging, under the direction of Prof. Watt, 

 showed that on unmanured land an increase of 60 per cent 

 in crop can be secured by the direct application of 150 lbs. 

 of commercial fertilizer per acre, when drilled in with the 

 seed. When 300 lbs. was applied broadcast the increase was 

 very slight the first year, but it is probable that some effect 

 would have been noticeable the second year if the test could 

 have been carried on. On a certain farm at Manderston, in 

 Natal, 1 400 lbs. per acre of bone-dust was used the first year, 

 and 200 lbs. every subsequent year, and excellent crops have 

 been harvested for twenty-three years in succession. On poor 

 soils at Koedoespoort, Prof. Watt obtained an increase of 

 1 i-i- muids in two years through the use of artificial fertilizers. 

 The net increase from the use of suitable manures has been 

 found by Prof. Watt and Mr. Holm to amount to £2 or 

 £2 5s. per acre; in one case the expenditure of 18s. 8d. per 

 acre resulted in an added gain of £2 19s. 6d. per acre. It is 

 evident, therefore, that it pays to manure if a suitable quantity 

 of the right kind of fertilizer is used. 



The kind of fertilizer will vary with the chemical composi- 

 tion and physical character of the particular soil, and this 

 should be determined by analysis by a competent agricultural 

 chemist before the farmer invests heavily in any chance manure 

 offered, which may not at all suit his soil. 



319. Cost of Fertilizers in the Interior Provinces. — One of 

 1 Mr. John Moon's. 



