4Q2 Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [august, 



The limed plots showed no improvement whatever, except where phos- 

 phate was applied. The effect of lime seemed to produce a more 

 vigorous growth of weeds. In February, 1909, phosphates and kainit 

 were again added, and nitrate of soda in April to some of the plots. 

 Owing to the character of the grasses which are present the nitrate 

 of soda did not produce sufficient herbage to pay. 



Another trial was made at Cofyns, Spreyton, the soil being a poor 

 clay on the Culm measures. When the manures were applied in 

 February, 1909, there was scarcely a leaf of clover to be seen, and the 

 field presented a starved appearance. During the summer, however, 

 the whole field altered, and a thick growth of nutritious clover developed 

 before the end of the autumn. The manures applied included phos- 

 phates, potash, and lime, in various forms and combinations. 



Manuring of Grass Land (Wilts C.C., Results of Field M anuria! 

 Demonstrations , 1908-9). — Experiments on the manuring of meadow 

 grass for hay were carried out at four centres in the county. Eleven 

 plots of J^- acre at each were dressed with sulphate of ammonia, basic 

 slag, superphosphate, and kainit, singly and in various combinations, 

 the quantities used being :— Sulphate of ammonia, 100 lb. ; basic slag, 

 220 lb. ; superphosphate, 335 lb. ; kainit, 160 lb. 



The season was unfavourable to hay, and the results at the different 

 centres varied considerably. At one, where the weather was most 

 adverse, the increased crop produced by the manures was not sufficient 

 to pay their cost. At the others the applications were usually profitable, 

 the mixed manures giving better results in this respect than single 

 dressings. 



Manuring of Pasture (Somerset C.C. Agric. Instr. Com., Report for 

 period ending March 3is£, 1910). — This experiment was designed to find 

 the best manuring for poor pasture land on Brendon Hill, where lime 

 is said to act with marked results, and on the Blackdown and Quantock 

 Hills. Ground burnt lime, phosphatic dressing alone, and phosphates 

 together with kainit, were used, and a cross dressing of 10 cwt. of 

 ground lime was carried across one-third of all the plots. The land is 

 not to be mown, the improvement being determined by inspection. 

 The trial was started on four farms in 1908-9, and on two in 1909-10. 

 In the case of the former a distinct improvement was noticeable last 

 summer on the plots receiving slag or superphosphate alone, or these 

 substances along with kainit, though there was little, if anything, to 

 choose between any of these four plots. So far the ground lime, either 

 alone or as a cross dressing, gave little result, while the plot getting 

 kainit alone w T as, at each centre, no better than those with no manure. j 



Manuring of Seeds Hay (Midland Agric. and Dairy Coll., Bui. 2, 

 1909-10). — These trials were started in 1904. For the first three years 

 they were of a preliminary nature, but served to demonstrate that the 

 crop is one that can, in the average case, be profitably treated with 

 artificial manures, and also that nitrogen alone, i.e., nitrate of soda 

 or sulphate of ammonia, is not so profitable a dressing as nitrogen 

 accompanied by phosphate. For the last three years a more definite 

 scheme of tests has been carried out to compare different dressings of 

 artificial manures. Twelve plots of _i_ acre have been manured at each j 

 centre, great care being exercised to secure land as even as possible in I 

 character and plant. Two plots were left unmanured, two received 



