756 



Notes on Manures for November. 



[Nov., 



NOTES ON MANURES FOR 

 NOVEMBER. 



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



Rothamsted Experimental Station. 



Ashpit Refuse from Towns.— In view of the shortage of 

 stable manure in cities, as a result of the increase in motor 

 traction, it has become necessary to inquire whether, and to 

 what extent, ashpit refuse from towns can serve as a fertiliser. 

 In some cases a useful manure is obtainable and some of the 

 heavy land farms near London have used it with good results. 

 In spite of its smell, however, it is not rich in fertilising con- 

 stituents, and in its raw state it is too coarse to be of much 

 value except on heavy land where it has a lightening effect. 

 Attempts are now being made by some Councils to grind the 

 material and otherwise improve it, and a truck load as sent out 

 from London by the contractors, Messrs. Cloke of West 

 Hampstead, is being tested at Rothamsted. Analyses of some 

 of the samples from Bermondsey and Southwark are as 

 follows: — 



Per cent. 



Organic matter ... ... ... ... 3r20 



Lime ... ... ... ... ... 2-86 



Phosphoric Acid (P,05) ... ... ... 0-53 



Potash (K2O) ... ... ... ... 0-47 



There is an element of risk in using refuse material of this 

 nature on land where potatoes are to be grown, inasmuch as 

 it may contain diseased potato peelings which may infect the 

 land for a subsequent crop. On the other hand, mangolds, 

 cabbages and other farm crops are not likely to suffer. This 

 material is w^orth trial on heavy soil so long as the cost does 

 not become too great. 



Time to apply Basic Slag on Clover Leys. — There are two 

 possibilities in the way of using basic slag on clover leys: it 

 may be applied to the corn crop in which the clover is sown, or 

 to the young plants after the corn has been cut and carted. 

 The choice between these two ways turns on the vigour with 

 which the clover grows. In some parts of the west country 

 clover starts so well in the corn that if it is treated with slag 

 it develops to an inconvenient extent; in such cases the addition 

 of slag should be delayed iiill after the corn has been cut; it 

 could, for instance, go on now. In the eastern counties such 

 vigorous growth in the corn would be exceptional, and the slag 



