878 



Manures in December. 



[Dec, 



Effect of Alkaline Salts upon the Wheat Crop {Rothamsted). 



Plr.r 



Alkiilinc Salt added to Ammonium 

 Salts and Superphosphate in Manure 



1852- 

 1861 



18G2- 

 1871 



1872- 

 1881 



1882- 

 1891 



1892- 

 1901 





(Ti-ain, bushels. 











11 



12 



i:', 

 U 



None 



Sulphate of Soda 



Sulphate of Potasli 



Sulphate of Maguesia ... 



Sulphates of Soda. Potash and i^IuLiucsia 



2S-4 



32-y 



88-. 

 81-7 



27-9 

 34-3 

 34-8 

 34-4 



359 



21-7 

 2.Vj 

 26-8 

 2f>-4 

 2{;-9 



22-7 

 30-1 

 32-5 

 31 1 

 350 



i9-5 

 26-7 

 29-6 

 25-0 

 31-8 





Straw, cwt. 













11 

 12 

 18 

 U 



None 



Sulphate of Soda 



Sulphate of Potasli 



Sulphate of Magnesia ... 



Sul{)hat(. s of S.)da, Potash and Maguesia 



2S2 

 8i2 

 84--i 

 35-0 

 3G-4 



24-5 

 30-5 



33- 4 

 30-7 



34- 8 



21-8 

 25-U 



27- 6 

 2(r8 



28- 7 



20-8 

 27-8 

 31-9 

 28 6 

 34-1 



18-8 

 24-0 

 28-6 

 23-4 

 31-1 



It will be observed that Plot 14, supplied with sulphate of 

 magnesia, gave for many years results as good as Plot 13, sup- 

 plied with sulphate of potash, although subsequently it fell 

 behind considerably. Analysis shows that magnesia enabled the 

 plant to obtain more potash from the soil than it would other- 

 wise have done, and there is further evidence that magnesia 

 enables the plant to make fuller use of the potash it is able to 

 obtain. Similar remarks apply to sulphate of soda, which, also, 

 is not harmful, but indirectly beneficial, increasing the avail- 

 ability of the soil potash. 



Care of Manure Heaps. — Now that the season for clearing 

 the yards is at hand we must again emphasise the need for 

 avoiding waste of farmj^ard manure. It has been shown, both 

 on the heavy land at Kothamsted and on the light land on Lord 

 Elvedon's farm at Woking, that a sheltered manure heap is 

 better than one exposed to the air, even a little shelter being 

 better than nothing. The farmer gains in two ways ; the result- 

 ing manure is better ton for ton, and there is more of it. The 

 gains due to sheltering were : — 



Exce-s of yield from .sheltered heap 

 At Rothamsted : over that from exposed hi.ap. 



Potatoes 7 cwt. per acre. 



Wheat : .aTaiii •. 5 bush, per acre. 



do. straw 4 cwt. per acre. 



At Wokinp- ; 



Wheat : graiii ^ bush, pt-r acre. 



do. straw ... ... ... ... 2 cwt. per acre. 



Effect of Sheltering Manure: a Practical Trial. — A corre- 

 spondent from Ireland sends particulars of a trial conducted to 

 ascertain the effect of providing shelter for farmyard manure 



