1920.] 



Manures Cm October. 



683 



MANURES IN OCTOBER. 



E. J. Russell, D.Sc, F.R.S., 

 Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden. 



The opening of the season 1920-21 finds the farmer still faced 

 with some of the old war-time problem.-: the need for increased 

 production is as insistent as ever: more corn is needed; not less, 

 and if possible more, land is wanted under the plough. Agri- 

 culture is rapidly advancing in importance in the national 

 economy. Fortunately, the labour supply in many districts is 

 sufficient to allow an energetic programme to be carried out, 

 and there is a good, though perhaps not an over large, supply 

 of fertilisers. 



Storing Artificials. — Farmers who can store fertilisers will 

 do well to lay up stocks for the season and to obtain their 

 autumn and spring dressings as early as convenient. Three 

 classes of fertiliser will be needed: — 



For the grass land. — Basic slag : a trial may also be made with ground 



mineral phosphates. 

 For the corn. — Xitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia ; - a trial if 



desired with nitrate of lime or with nitrolim. 

 For green crops fed to animals, for mangold*, swedes. <£c. — Superphosphate. 

 For potatoes, mangolds, and on light soils for clover and oats. — Potassic 



fertilisers, in addition to phosphates and nitrogenous fertilisers. 



Quantities required. — There is no doubt that high farming is 

 the best and soundest line to adopt, and that a liberal use of 

 fertilisers is advantageous both to the individual and to the 

 community. The following quantities may be used: — 



Basic slug. — Up to 7 or 8 cwt. per acre of present-day grades for grass 

 land which has not been slagged for the past four years. 



Xitrogenous fertilisers, nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia. — About 

 1 cwt. per acre for second straw crops, and for all other corn crops 

 except those grown after roots fed off with fairly good supplies of 

 meal or cake. Xitrate of soda up to 2 cwt. for mangolds, cabbage. 

 Sulphate of ammonia up to 2h cwt. for potatoes. 



Superphosphate. — About 2 cwt. per acre for corn that is likely to want 

 help : from 3 up to 5 or 6 cwt. for root crops grown for sheep or 

 cattle, and for potatoes. Less will be required where farmyard 

 manure has been used. 



Potassic fertilisers. — 2 cwt. per acre of sulphate or muriate of potash for 

 mangolds, potatoes, and on light soil or chalk soil for corn or clover 

 needing help, or for grass laid in for hay. 



Basic Slag. — Some of the fertilisers are not quite the same 

 as those to which the farmer was accustomed before the War. 

 Probably the greatest change is in basic slag. Before the War 

 the usual high grade standard was about 40-43 per cent, phos- 

 phate, of which 80 per cent, or more was soluble in 2 per cent. 



