6 Influence on the Production of Mutton 



Other methods of reaching conclusions have also been 

 adopted. In most years a sample of herbage of each sub- 

 plot has been separated into its constituent species. It has 

 been interesting to watch the gradual change that has been 

 effected by treatment. On the best plots Agrostis has been 

 much reduced, while better grasses, such as rye-grass, cocks- 

 foot, and yellow oat grass, have taken its place. White 

 clover was present in great abundance, especially in the 

 second, third, and fourth years after basic slag was put on, 

 after which it became less conspicuous. The accumulations 

 of nitrogen stored up by the clover offered suitable conditions 

 for the growth of gross-feeding grasses, like Yorkshire fog, 

 which became rather conspicuous on some of the best plots. 



In the third season (1899), when the action of most of the 

 manures was at its maximum, samples of herbage from the 

 sub-plots were chemically analysed by Mr. Hoare Collins. 

 The complete figures will be found at p. 219 of the Report 

 for 1900, and these supply valuable confirmatory evidence of 

 the accuracy of the other methods of assessing the results. 

 The percentage of albuminoids present in such a substance as 

 grass is usually regarded as the best chemical index of its 



Table II. — In the Third Season at Cockle Park, Co-relation 

 of (a) Live-weight Increase, (b) Weight of Albuminoids, and 

 (c) Weight of Phosphoric Acid in the Herbage, all per Acre. 







Yields of 



Plots. 



Treatment per acre. 













(a) 



Live-weight 



Albuminoids. 



Phosphoric 

 acid. 







increase. 







lb. 



lb. 



lb. 



1 



Gal e fed to Sheep 1897-98... 



106 



125 



5*o4 



2 



4 tons Lime ... 



47 



82 



2 46 



3 



£ ton Basic Slag (2C0 lbs. R 2 0 5 ) ... 



21 1 



278 



1285 



4 



i ton ,, (100 lbs. P 2 0 5 ) ... 



113 



219 



8-56 



5 



7 cwt. Super (100 lbs. P 2 0 3 ) 



103 



155 



5-96 



6 



Untreated 



. 48 



48 



1-41 



7 



As for No. 5, with 50 lbs. K 2 0 for 





1897 and again for 1899 



107 



185 



8* 1 8 



8 



As for No. 5, with \ ton Ground 



• 









Lime for 1897 and again for 1899 





M7 



5'23 



9 



As for No. 5, with % cwt. Sul 

 Ammonia (17 lbs. N.) for 1S97 

















and 1899 



109 



174 



7-19 



10 



6 cwt. Diss. Bones (100 lbs. 











P 2 0 5 4 17 lbs. N.) 



106 



155 



5 '33 



