Manures in December. 



879 



after it has been made into a heap for application in the field. Two 

 heaps were made up as nearly equal as possible; one was shel- 

 tered under a shed, and the other left in the open in the ordinary 

 way. When the time came for application to the land approxi- 

 uiately equal weights from the two heaps were applied io equal 

 areas of land, viz., about 18 tons per acre. The crop grown was 

 potatoes (Arran Chief), and the results were : — 



tons. cwt. 



Covered iiiamire... ... ... ... ... 14A 



Not covorod ... .. ... ... ... 7 14^ 



It would appear, therefore, that sheltering the heap caused a 

 distinct improvement in value and led to an increase of nearly 

 two tons in the crop. It is probable that the benefits were even 

 greater than appear, as the sheltered heap would be likely to 

 weigh more than the unsheltered in the end, owing to less loss 

 through the washing of rain. 



Application of Superphosphate and Potash on Stubbles.— 



A farmer has inquired whether there is any objection to sowing 

 superphosphate and potash on the stubble previous to ploughing. 

 He points out that if these fertilisers are applied the manure 

 distributor runs much more easily than on ploughed land, and 

 that the whole process is cleaner and more convenient. So long 

 as the ploughing is not too deep there is no objection to sowing 

 these fertilisers on the stubble, as there is no great risk of their 

 being w^ashed out; if, how^ever, they are ploughed in below the 

 depth of the seedlings they will be out of the way of the young 

 plant roots just at the time when they are most wanted. On the 

 whole the ordinary practice of drilling manures at or about the 

 time of sowing is more effective. 



Organic Manures. — Eesults obtained in careful tests of 

 organic manures at Eothamsted show the following order of 

 merit when Peruvian guano, rape cake and shoddy are com- 

 pared on the basis of equal amounts of nitrogen per acre. The 

 results are from yields obtained in the year of application. 



Peruvian guano ... ... ... ... .. 100 



Rape cake ... ... ... ... ... ••• ^1 



Shoddy H8 



Shoddy showed ' a residual effect which would improve its 

 position. 



Leather as Manure. — Considerable interest has been evinced 

 from time to time in the question as to whether leather waste 

 can be converted into manure. There is a very real shortage 



