1908.] 



Manuring of Old Land Hay. 



285: 



years, and at Cockle Park for 11 years. Professor Gilchrist, 

 in reporting and commenting on the results obtained {Bulletin 

 No. 7) observes that they indicate — 



(a) That on heavy soils, phosphatic manures only are as a 

 rule most profitable for old land hay. 



(b) That on the lighter classes of soils, a potash manure 

 should be added to the phosphatic manure. 



(c) That in the long run nitrogenous manures, either alone 

 or in combination with other artificial manures, are not likely 

 to be profitable for old land hay. 



(d) That on heavy soils, phosphatic manures will develop 

 clover plants and leguminous herbage, and that the same 

 manures with a potash manure will develop the same plants on 

 the lighter classes of soils. These plants collect nitrogen in 

 large quantities from the air, by means of their root nodules, 

 which is likely to be much more valuable than nitrogen in the 

 form of nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia applied to old 

 land hay. 



(e) That basic slag is likely to be the most effective phos- 

 phatic manure, especially on heavy soils, although bone meal 

 may give excellent results, but this manure is slower in its 

 action than basic slag. Neither superphosphate nor dissolved 

 bones have given anything like so satisfactory results as the 

 two foregoing phosphatic manures. The great bulk of the soils 

 in the north of England are poor in lime, and this perhaps 

 explains the poorer results from the latter manures. 



The experience obtained from these various experiments, 

 which have extended in all over fifteen years, enables the follow- 

 ing suggestions to be made for the manuring of old land hay 

 and of pasture : — ■ 



(1) On soils in poor condition a dressing (per acre) of 10 cwts. 

 high class slag, with, on the lighter soils, the addition of 2 cwts. 

 muriate of potash (or about 6 cwts. kainit) is likely to be very 

 generally useful. If dung has been used on the lighter soils, 

 however, the potash manure can probably be omitted. For 

 the after treatment of these soils and for the general treat- 

 ment of soils in better condition, the application of about 5 cwts. 

 per acre basic slag of best quality every three years, with the 

 addition of 1 cwt. muriate of potash on light soils, is likely to 

 give good results, 



