3 to Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [july, 



field, where its abundance of top may tend to protect it in the case of 

 severe frosts. 



Manuring of Mangolds (Midland Agric. and Dairy Coll., Bull. 5, 

 1909-10). — In experiments during the five years 1903-7 the following- 

 dressing of artificials, applied in addition to the ordinary supply of 

 farmyard manure, was found to be the most profitable for mangolds : — 

 Sulphate of ammonia, 100 lb. (at seeding) ; nitrate of soda, 130 lb. (at 

 singling) ; superphosphate, 750 lb. (at seeding) ; sulphate of potash, 

 120 lb. (at seeding); common salt, 280 lb. (in March). This "standard 

 dressing " is now being tested for five years against various modifica- 

 tions of it. In 1908 the trials were made on ten farms, and in 1909 

 on eight. Both years, however, were unfavourable to mangolds, and 

 the results on only three farms in 1908 and six in 1909 are considered 

 reliable. At these centres, from 15 to 20 tons per acre of farmyard 

 manure were applied. The addition of the standard dressing mentioned 

 above, costing 555. 6d. per acre, resulted in a profit of 11s. $d. per acre 

 over the cost of the dressing. Modifications of it, by leaving out the 

 whole or part of some of the constituents, resulted in a loss, except 

 in two cases. Where the full amount of sulphate of ammonia and 

 nitrate of soda contained in the standard dressing was applied alone, 

 there was a smaller total crop, but the balance of profit, after paying for 

 the manure, amounted to 105. id. The application of the nitrogen 

 and potash in the standard dressing, but omitting the superphosphate, 

 also rather more than covered the cost of the manure. 



Manuring of Mangolds and Swedes (Devon County Agric. Corn., 

 Rept. on Field Expts., 1907-9). — Experiments in manuring mangolds 

 were carried out at five centres in Devonshire. On a light sandy soil, 

 deficient in lime, phosphate, and potash, at Higher Beer, Filleigh, and 

 East Rowley, Romansleigh, the best results were given by a complete 

 manure composed of 4 cwt. kainit, 1 cwt. sulphate of ammonia, 1 cwt. 

 nitrate of soda," and 528 lb. superphosphate. These manures are recom- 

 mended for this class of land, which covers a wide area of North 

 Devon. At the former place, farmyard manure was used, and the 

 most profitable system of manuring was 15 tons of farmyard manure 

 with a moderate dressing of artificials, the dressing mentioned above 

 being used with only half the quantity of the sulphate of ammonia, 

 nitrate of soda, and superphosphate. 



At Branscombe, where the soil was a clay loam with flints, the 

 results were similar, but 1^ cwt. of sulphate of potash was more 

 effective than the kainit. A complete dressing of artificials, with or 

 without farmyard manure, is indicated for this soil. 



At Budlake, Broadclyst, the soil was a good loam. Twelve tons 

 of farmyard manure and 4 cwt. of kainit were applied in early spring. 

 The crop produced by this was 33 tons per acre, and on this rich soil 

 little increase was obtained by adding any further manures. 



At Mortehoe, on a light loam deficient in phosphates and potash 

 and not rich in nitrogen, a complete manure was required to produce 

 a full crop. With no manure, the yield was 15 tons 10 cwt. ; 15 tons 

 of farmyard manure increased this to 30 tons 15 cwt., and a further 

 increase to 46 tons 4 cwt. was given by the addition of 3 cwt. basic 

 slag, 28 lb. nitrate of soda, and 4 cwt. kainit at seeding, and 28 lb. 

 nitrate of soda after singling. When no farmyard manure was used 



