1911J Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 241 



to young and tender plants, while nitrate of lime absorbs moisture very 

 readily, and becomes difficult to sow. 



Liming of Meadow Land (Lanes. C.C. Educ. Com. Agric. Dept., 

 Farmers' Bui. No. 17). — These experiments have been carried out since 

 1906 to ascertain whether ground limestone could be substituted for cob- 

 lime and ground-lime. Both these when used upon the land become 

 changed into carbonate of lime, and if finely ground limestone or car- 

 bonate of lime could be used instead, the expensive process of burning" 

 the rock could be dispensed with. A ton of cob or ground lime is con- 

 verted by exposure to the air into if tons of carbonate of lime, so that 

 in the trials if tons of ground limestone were used in comparison with 

 one ton of each of the other forms. In spite of this, the cost of the 

 dressing of ground limestone was, owing to its low price, at first less 

 than that of cob-lime or ground-lime ; but its price has steadily risen since 

 1906, and in 19 10 the cost per acre of each application was : cob lime, 

 14s. Sd. ; ground lime, 20s. Sd. ; ground limestone, ijs. 6d. In the 

 four seasons, 1906 to 1909, the plot on which ground limestone was used 

 has produced the heaviest crop of hay ; and when the cost of the liming 

 is taken into account, this has been the most profitable form to use. It 

 is concluded that this is a quite suitable form in which to apply lime. 

 It has given the most remunerative results up to the present, but as 

 the price has been gradually rising, farmers may later find it more 

 profitable to use one of the other forms. It is recommended that the 

 ground limestone used should contain at least 95 per cent, of carbonate 

 of lime, and should be finely ground, not less than 40 per cent, passing 

 through a sieve having 10,000 holes to the square inch. Samples more 

 finely ground can be obtained, but they are more costly. 



Manuring of Potatoes (Hereford C.C. Agric. Educ. Sub-Corn., 

 Farmers' Bulletin, No. 2). — The experiment sought to ascertain the 

 effect of omitting potash from a complete dressing of artificials for 

 potatoes and the effect of replacing pure sulphate of potash (50 per 

 cent, potash) by potash manure salts (31 per cent, potash), these salts 

 having given good results in Scotland. The values of sulphate of 

 ammonia and nitrate of lime as sources of nitrogen were also com- 

 pared. 



A dressing of about 12 tons of farmyard manure was given in 

 each case. Sulphate of potash proved superior to potash manure salts, 

 the increased yield from the dressings containing these being 2 tons 

 19 cwt., and 2 tons 5 cwt. respectively. Nitrate of lime was found 

 more effective than sulphate of ammonia, the increased yields being 

 3 tons 12! cwt. and 2 tons 5 cwt. respectively. The omission of potash 

 from the dressing resulted in an average reduction of 26 cwt. of potatoes 

 per acre. The artificials used in each case gave a profitable return 

 varying in amount from £1 ijs. gd. to 95. gd. per acre. 



Manuring of Mangolds (Hereford C.C. Agric. Educ. Sub-Corn., 

 Farmers' Bulletin, No. 3). — Good results were obtained in 1908 and 

 1909 from the use of salt for mangolds, 3 cwt. of salt per acre having 

 increased the yield by 3 tons per acre. In 19 10 the trials were in- 

 tended to test this point further, and, in addition, to ascertain the 

 effect of nitrate of lime, and the results of using phosphates from two 

 sources (superphosphate and bone flour) as compared with the use of 

 superphosphate alone in the dressing. 



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