1908.] Manuring of Peaty Land. 121 



Drumburgh Moss (384 acres), Wedholme Flow (1,782 acres), 

 the peat moss on Holme Dub and to the west and south-west 

 (2,000 acres), while in addition there are similar areas further 

 to the east and north-east of the county of Cumberland. 



Experiments at Glasson. — This soil is of a very peaty character, 

 and is typical of a great deal of similar land in this district. 

 It is very rich in available phosphates and potash, and contains 

 as much as 2 • 25 per cent, of lime, or the equivalent of about 

 4 per cent, of carbonate of lime. While it contains about 

 60 per cent, of organic matter, the earthy matter distributed 

 throughout the peaty fibre is of a valuable character, and it is 

 a remarkably fertile soil from a chemical point of view. 



On this peaty soil 1 cwt. nitrate of soda applied annually 

 over thirteen years has given an annual loss of about 8s. per 

 acre. Superphosphate alone has done better than slag alone, 

 but in complete manures, slag has given distinctly better 

 results. Further, nitrate of soda has done distinctly better 

 than sulphate of ammonia in complete manures. When, how- 

 ever, lime was applied, sulphate of ammonia gave better results 

 than nitrate of soda. Dung has not given good results, although 

 its application in the later years has become profitable. Un- 

 doubtedly, basic slag is the most effective manure at this centre, 

 especially in improving the herbage and developing clover 

 plants, but the results indicate that it requires a potash manure 

 along with it to become really effective on this soil. 



Experiments at Souther field. — The plots here are on moss 

 land of a very peaty character, which has recently been drained. 

 On adjoining land the plots are duplicated on similar soil lying 

 under pasture, which has been drained for a considerable time. 

 As the great bulk of this land is now growing herbage of the 

 very coarse character usually found on poor reclaimed moss, 

 these trials are of great importance. 



The experiments extended over the three years 1905-07, but 

 as the hay was not weighed on these plots in 1907, the results 

 cannot be given for this latter year. 



On plot 2, which has been untreated throughout, the herbage 

 is of a poor character, consisting principally of the coarse 

 sedges and grasses characteristic of peaty land, with practically 

 no trace of leguminous herbage. Two tons of lime per acre, 

 applied to plot 1 in 1905, had practically no results in that 



