242 Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [juke, 



The addition of 3 cwt. of salt to the dressing again increased the 

 yield by 3 tons per acre. The increase due to the addition of nitrate 

 of lime to the dressing was 1 ton 10 cwt., or a profit of £2 os. Sd., 

 as compared with £1 2s. Sd. on the plot on which it was omitted. A 

 dressing which contained 3 cwt. superphosphate and 1 cwt. bone flour 

 was found much more effective than one containing 4 cwt. super- 

 phosphate, the increased yields over the unmanured plot being 6 tons 

 17^ cwt. and 5 tons 7 cwt., or a profit of £2 compared with sjQi 2s. Sd. 



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

 Fanners' Bulletin, No. 4). — The objects of this experiment in 19 10 were 

 to compare nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia in a complete 

 dressing of artificials for swedes to ascertain whether phosphates from 

 one source would give better results than phosphates from two sources, 

 and to find the effect of omitting potash from the dressing. 



The mixture containing, nitrate of soda did not yield so profitable 

 a return as that containing sulphate of ammonia. Superphosphate 

 alone gave a larger yield than superphosphate and bone flour or super- 

 phosphate and basic slag. The swedes grown on the plots receiving 

 basic slag, however, were brighter-looking and suffered less from finger- 

 and-toe than those receiving superphosphate alone. The result of in- 

 cluding sulphate of potash in the dressing was to increase the yield 

 by i8f cwt. per acre, which more than met the cost of this ingredient 

 in the manure. The dressing which gave the greatest yield was \ cwt. 

 sulphate of ammonia, 6 cwt. superphosphate, and \ cwt. sulphate of 

 potash per acre. 



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

 Farmers' Bulletin, No. 5). — Experiments have been carried out at two 

 centres since 1906 on manuring meadow hay with farmyard manure 

 (about 10 tons per acre), and complete and incomplete mixtures of 

 artificials. The soil is deficient in lime, and in 1910 sub-plots were 

 dressed with lime at the rate of 3 tons per acre. 



The lime was applied rather late in 19 10, but, in spite of its slow 

 action, there was, on cutting in July, a net increase of if cwt. 

 per acre on the limed over the unlimed plots. With regard to the 

 effects of incomplete mixtures of artificials, the omission of phosphates 

 caused the greatest diminution in the yield, then nitrogen, and lastly 

 potash. It is recommended, therefore, that potash should only occupy 

 a small proportion of the mixture, say not more than \ cwt. sulphate of 

 potash per acre. A complete mixture of artificials gave an average 

 increase of io| cwt. of hay, with a profit of ys. 6d. per acre over the 

 unmanured plot. The most successful dressing used in the experiments 

 was one of 10 tons of farmyard manure in alternate years, with 102 lb. 

 sulphate of ammonia and 352 lb. superphosphate in the years when 

 no farmyard manure was applied. This dressing gave an average crop 

 of 43 \ cwt., or i6| cwt. more than the unmanured plot. 



Field Crops. 



Varieties of Oats (Lanes. C.C. Agric. Dept., Farmers' Bulletin 

 No. 18).— In 1909 trials were made of Waverley (local and Irish seed), 

 Mounted Police, Banner, Wide Awake, and Besseler's Prolific, the seed- 



