MANUKES. 



171 



different manurial applications have been tried 

 since 1887. The Peach orchard was planted 

 with the variety known as " Crawford's Late " 

 in April, 1884. The most recent report states 

 that the trees on most of the plots are looking 

 well for trees of their age. Those that have re- 

 ceived no manure are making but feeble growth, 

 and yield but little fruit. Nitrate of soda alone 

 darkens the colour of the foliage, but does not, 

 when applied alone, add to the yield of fruit. 

 With superphosphate alone the leaves were 

 larger and more uniform in size, but while there 

 was a better yield of fruit, it was small. With 

 muriate of potash the quality of the Peaches was 

 superior. With superphosphate and nitrate of 

 soda combined the leaves were of good colour 

 and uniformly large, the return of fruit being 

 satisfactory. Wlien muriate of potash was added 

 to the two former manures the trees were re- 

 markably healthy, leaves and fruit of good 

 colour, and altogether the best row of trees in 

 the orchard. With gypsum alone the trees 

 were feeble. The plot receiving 20 tons of 

 dung gave the highest yield of the series, but 

 the general appearance of the trees was not so 

 good as were those receiving a complete supply 

 of artificial manure. 



Experiments on Tomatoes. — The following table 

 show the results obtained with Tomatoes grown 

 without manure, and with five different descrip- 

 tions of manure : — 



Table showing Manures applied, and produce of Tomatoes in 



pounds per acre. 



1. Without manure, 



2. Muriate of potash and bone black, 



3. Muriate and nitrate of soda, 160 lbs., 



4. Nitrate of soda, 160 lbs., alone,... 



5. Nitrate of soda, 320 lbs. , alone, . . . 



6. Farmyard manure, 20 tons, 



lbs. 

 453 

 600 

 728 

 642 

 716 



In the course of these experiments with To- 

 matoes it was found that the use of 80 lbs. per 

 acre of nitrate of soda in one application, and of 

 160 lbs. in two applications, increased the yield 

 without delaying the maturity of the fruit; 

 160 lbs. of nitrate of soda per acre in one applica- 

 tion also increased the yield, but at the expense 

 of maturation. The yields of fruit on different 

 plots were increased by 35 to 60 per cent from 

 the use of nitrate of soda. In every case there was 

 a large profit from its use. It was also found 

 that the use of nitrate of soda and of farmyard 

 manure resulted in a more solid fruit with 

 fewer seeds, than when potash or phosphates 

 were used alone. Although it is absolutely 

 essential that all necessary mineral ingredients 

 shall be present in the soil, in order that the 



nitrate of soda may properly perform its part 

 in nourishing the crop, yet, these being present, 

 a better result is obtained than when mineral 

 manures alone are applied as fertilizers. 



The directions given by Dr. A. B. Griffiths in 

 his book on Special Manures for Garden Crops 

 for the growth of the Tomato are : that the soil 

 must be rich, as it is of the utmost importance 

 that plants to be grown in the open should in- 

 crease in strength and vitality; therefore, ma- 

 nure a short time before transplanting with one 

 and a half pounds of kainit, two and a half 

 pounds of sulphate of ammonia, half a pound of 

 iron sulphate, and six pounds of superphosphate 

 per square rood. 



"During their growth the plants will be bene- 

 fited by being watered at the roots with a solu- 

 tion containing one ounce of sulphate of ammonia, 

 one ounce of iron sulphate, and one ounce of 

 superphosphate to a gallon of water. The above- 

 mentioned manures are also beneficial for the 

 growth of Tomatoes under glass." 



Experiments with Strawberries. — In the State of 

 New Jersey experiments were tried with the 

 Strawberry, the plants being set out in the spring 

 of 1891. The soil was a sandy loam with clayey 

 subsoil, of medium quality, and well drained. 



Manures applied, and yield of Strawberries per acre. 



Manures Applied. Yield of Strawberries. 



Nitrate of soda, 150 lbs., ... ~\ 

 Ground bones, 500 lbs., ... v 1880 quarts. 



Kainit, 1000 lbs., j 



No. 2 as above, with nitrate \ 



of soda, 200 lbs., added dur- J> 2220 quarts. 



ing growth of the crop, ... J 



The effect of the top-dressing of nitrate of soda 

 was apparent almost immediately; the plants 

 assumed a richer colour, and showed a stronger 

 and more vigorous growth than those upon which 

 no application was made. The plants blossomed 

 well, and the berries set full in all cases. At 

 the time of picking the fruit, that on the ni- 

 trated plots was larger, though no earlier, than 

 upon the plot upon which no top-dressing had 

 been made. 



The gain in yield of Strawberries due to the 

 top-dressing was 340 quarts per acre, or 18 per 

 cent. It must be remembered, however, that 

 nitrates are immediately available as plant-food, 

 and that a top-dressing of nitrate of soda will 

 have a tendency to increase the leaves and 

 runners disproportionally unless the mineral ele- 

 ments, potash and phosphoric acid, are applied 

 at the same time, or exist already in the soil. 



If the soil we cultivate is to continue pro- 

 ductive and yield a fair return for the labour 



