iqio.] Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 229 



sowing. If the salt is not completely mixed with the soil, the seed is 

 liable to be damaged. The application of 2\ cwt. per acre gave an 

 average increase in two years of 3 tons 18 cwt. ; 5 cwt. and 10 cwt. gave 

 an average increase during three years of 5 tons 10 cwt. and 8 tons 

 6 cwt. respectively. The results varied a good deal from year to year, 

 and in 1909 the effect was much less than in the two preceding years, 

 10 cwt. of salt giving an increase of 3 tons 4 cwt. only, while 15 cwt., 

 tried for the first time that year, gave an increase of 3 tons 17 cwt. only. 



In another experiment a number of purchased compound manures 

 which are intended for mangolds were compared. 



Experiments with four different nitrogenous manures were also 

 carried out at three centres in Staffordshire. The object of these experi- 

 ments was to compare the new nitrogenous manures, calcium 

 cyanamide and nitrate of lime, with nitrate of soda and sul- 

 phate of ammonia. In each case an equal amount of nitrogen was 

 applied together with 15 tons farmyard manure, 4 cwt. steamed bones, 

 2 cwt. superphosphate, and 3 cwt. kainit. The results varied at 

 each centre, the most striking feature being a remarkable increase of 

 14 tons at one centre, which apparently resulted from the use of 

 nitrate of lime, whereas the other nitrogenous manures only gave an 

 increase of from 2 to 4 tons. 



Experiments with Siuedes (Harper Adams Agric. Coll., Report on 

 Field Expts., 1909). — Eleven varieties of swedes were compared. The 

 season was wet and finger-and-toe considerably reduced the crop. The 

 following were the best yields : — New Tankard (Garton), Modern 

 (Leighton), Model (Garton), and Lord Derby (Leighton). All these 

 gave crops of between 18 and 20 tons per acre. 



A comparison of various phosphatic manures was made, a quantity 

 costing £1 being applied in each case. In 1909 there was little differ- 

 ence in the results. On the average of three years bone meal has 

 given slightly better results than superphosphate and dissolved bones, 

 and these in turn have done better than steamed bones and basic slag. 



In a similar comparison of nitrogenous manures equal money values 

 of sulphate of ammonia, calcium cyanamide, nitrate of soda, nitrate of 

 lime, and a mixture of nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia were 

 applied in conjunction with a standard dressing of steamed bones 

 4 cwt., superphosphate 3 cwt., and kainit 2 cwt. In this case, also, 

 there was not much difference in the resulting crops, but the average 

 of five years is slightly in favour of sulphate of ammonia. 



Potash manures were also compared, the superphosphate and kainit 

 in the standard dressing used in the nitrogenous trials being tried 

 against an equal money value of potassic superphosphate. Only 3^ cwt. 

 of the latter could be purchased for the same money as 3 cwt. of super- 

 phosphate and 2 cwt. of kainit together, and this quantity did not prove 

 to have an equal manurial value, as the crop grown on this plot 

 was smaller by 1 ton 13 cwt., and on the average of two years 

 by 2 tons 6 cwt. 



An experiment was also carried out with a number of compound 

 manures sold for the swede crop and two home-mixed compounds. 



A trial was carried out to compare the value of basic slag and 

 superphosphate as manures for swedes as expressed by the feeding 



