584 Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [oct., 



pushed into the tubes by thin iron rods and pulled out when the tem- 

 peratures were read by strings. Two ricks were tested, one of first- 

 cut clover hay, containing about twelve tons, and the other of second- 

 cut clover hay, containing ten tons. The first was in ordinary good 

 condition for stacking, and when cut into in December was found to 

 have undergone a rather low fermentation, being only slightly trowned 

 and in good condition. The second was greener when stacked, and, 

 as was to be expected, the thermometer readings were somewhat 

 higher, and the hay produced showed a deeper brown colour. The 

 report includes diagrams showing the daily temperature of each stack 

 until fermentation had practically subsided. These show that newly- 

 ricked hay undergoing a normal fermentation soon reaches its maxi- 

 mum temperature, towards the end of the first or the beginning of 

 the second week after the hay is put into the rick. In the case of 

 the first of these ricks the highest temperature recorded was nearly 

 140 0 F., and in the case of the second about 144 0 F. The rise and 

 fall in temperature are very rapid, a rise of 25 0 F. occurring in stack 

 No. 1 in twenty-four hours. Both diagrams indicate that there is also 

 a second fermentation setting" in about three weeks after the hay is 

 ricked, and it would seem probable that it is this second fermentation 

 that is likely to result in danger from overheating, as the hay has 

 parted with much of its moisture during the previous fermentation, and 

 is more likely to ignite. 



Miscellaneous Manurial Experiments (Somerset C.C., Agric. In- 

 struc. Com. Kept, for period ending March 3is£, 19 10). — At two farms 

 equal money values of nitrate of lime, nitrate of soda, and sulphate 

 of ammonia were applied as a top dressing for mangolds. The in- 

 creases produced by the manures were not large, but on the average 

 there appeared to be no great difference in value between the different 

 forms of nitrogen. 



Winter and Spring Application of Farmyard Manure (Coll. of 

 Agric, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, Year Book, 1909). — A comparison 

 of winter and spring application of farmyard manure was 

 made. The practice of applying farmyard manure to arable land 

 in winter for the succeeding green crop has been questioned, owing 

 to the possibility of loss through the manure being subjected to the 

 washing effect of winter rains, and being in the soil so long before 

 the plant will use it. The point has been tested during four years 

 on land varying from medium loam to strong clay, the manure being 

 applied in December and April in preparation for mangolds, swedes, 

 and potatoes. The results show that each year winter manuring has 

 given the best results. The following have been the average crops 

 during the four years 1905-8 : — 



Mangolds Swedes Potatoes 



tons. tons. tons. 



Manure applied in December 22*1 14*5 57 



April 177 12-8 5-5 



The difference has thus been greatest in the case of mangolds, prob- 

 ably owing to the advantage of having the ground in good condition 

 for obtaining a plant, especially in unfavourable springs. In 1905 

 the difference in the case of mangolds in favour of winter application 

 was very striking. In that year rain fell in heavy storms at the 

 beginning of April, rendering the land very unsuitable for working. 



