28 



Experiments in Turnip Manuring. [april, 



of the Principal of the South Eastern- Agricultural College at 

 Wye, where farther investigations and experiments are being 

 made on a scientific basis, such as is impracticable to the 

 ordinary fruit farmer. Any information or experiences will be 

 welcomed by that Institution. Geoffrey F. Hooper. 



The Aberdeen and North of Scotland College of Agriculture 

 have carried out experiments in turnip manuring* on a number 

 of farms in 1903, 1904 and 1905. Taking 

 Experiments in the average of the three seasons, satis- 

 Turnip Manuring, factory results were obtained from an 

 application of -J cwts. sulphate of am- 

 monia, 6 cwts. superphosphate, and f- cwts. sulphate of potash, 

 the yield being 18 tons 2 cwts. ; the omission of the potash reduced 

 the yield to 15 tons 1 cwt. of the phosphate to 9 tons 18 cwts., 

 and of the nitrogen to 16 tons 5 cwts., showing, as is well known, 

 that phosphates are, in the majority of cases, the most essential 

 constituent of an artificial manure for turnips. Potash, 

 •however, is often deficient, and it is worth while for each 

 farmer to experiment for himself in order to discover the 

 wants of his soil. The trials also showed that bone meal and 

 ground mineral phosphate were much inferior to superphos- 

 phate and slag as turnip growers. Superphosphate is a little 

 more effective than slag, but a mixture of both is generally 

 good. 



Several plots received 10 tons of dung together with artificial 

 manures. Ten tons of dung alone produced a crop of 16 tons 

 3 cwts., the addition of about one-half of the complete artificial 

 manure mentioned above increased this yield to 21 tons 6 cwts., 

 so that a small complete dressing of 3 to 4 cwts. per acre may 

 be taken as giving a profitable return when used with 10 tons 

 of dung. No advantage was obtained from doubling the 

 quantity of superphosphate, while a reduction ensued from 

 the omission of the ammonia and potash. 



Trials with large and small dressings of dung showed that 

 very little is to be gained on the turnip crop by increasing the 

 dressing beyond 10 tons per acre. 



* Bulletin No. 3. Copies of this and similar publications are filed in the 

 Board's Library, and can be borrowed on the usual conditions. 



