554 



Improvement of Poor Pasture. [dec, 



ammonia was applied tiie live-weight increase was greater by 

 7 lb. per acre per annum, but in the five years this manure was 

 not used the average decrease was I3f lb. (= los. id.) per acre 

 per annum ! Here we have a clear demonstration of bad after- 

 effects of this manure on pasture, and a striking evidence against 

 this manure having any residual value after the first year it is 

 applied to pasture, showing on the contrary that compensation 

 is needed for its bad after-effects. This manure has on the 

 average slightly repressed the clover. 



Results from Lime only. — Plot 2 had 4 tons lime per acre in 

 1897, and another 4 tons in 1903. The increase m live-weight of 

 the sheep has been only \2\ lb. per acre annually, and when the 

 cost of the lime is deducted, the net loss has been 7s. 3d. per 

 acre per annum. On this poor exhausted soil (especially poor in 

 available phosphates) there has not been sufficient plant food on 

 which the lime could exert its beneficial action. Nor has the 

 lime sweetened the coarse natural herbage to any extent, as 

 sedges, mosses, &c., are still nearly as abundant here as on the 

 untreated plot, while clover development has been very slight. 



Results from Lime and Superphosphate.~Y\o\. 8 has had the 

 same superphosphate as plot 5, and in addition 10 cwt. ground 

 lime in each of the years 1897, 1899 and 1903. This addition 

 of lime has increased the live-weight of the sheep per acre per 

 annum by 22^ lb., and the average annual net gain from 13s. 9d. 

 to 17s. per acre. The live-weight increases due to the addition 

 of lime have been about the same for the first, second and third 

 years after each application. The average annual increase in 

 live-weight from this plot is practically the same (about 79 lb.) 

 as that from 10 cwt. slag all applied in 1897 (plot 3), these being 

 the two plots that have given considerably the highest increases. 

 The greater cost of the superphosphate and lime than of the 

 slag accounts for the considerably less net gain from the former. 

 The results on plots 3 and 8 show that a combination of super- 

 phosphate and lime has given very similar results to slag, and 

 show that the lime present in slag is a most valuable ingredient 

 in it, as well as the phosphoric acid which it contains. Lime 

 and superphosphate have developed clovers on this plot ta 

 practically the same extent as slag on plot 4, and considerably 

 more than superphosphate on plot 5. 



