191 1.] Summary of agricultural Experiments. 501 



SUMMARY OF AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENTS* 



Soils and Manuring. 



Calcium Cyanamide and Nitrate of Lime (Jour. Roy. Hort. Soc, 

 Vol. 36, Ft. 3, May, 191 1). — These two nitrogenous manures were tested, 

 in comparison with nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia by Mr. 

 F. J. Chittenden in 1908-10. The crop grown was turnips, and the site 

 of the trials varied each year, Nitrate of soda was used at the rate of 

 4 cwt. to the acre, and the other nitrogenous manures in such quan- 

 tities that each plot received the same weight of nitrogen. The land 

 was also dressed with superphosphate and kainit. The best yield was 

 given by a different manure each year, but the total crops for the 

 three years in each case were very similar, viz. : Nitrate of soda, 227 lb. ; 

 sulphate of ammonia, 239 lb. ; calcium cyanamide, 241 lb. It thus 

 appears that for supplying nitrogen over the whole growing period of 

 the crop there is little to choose between these three. 



Manuring of Meadow Hay (Cumberland and Westmorland Farm 

 School, Newton Rigg, Ann. Repts., 1909-10 and 1910-1 1).— These trial 

 plots have been under experiment for fourteen years. They are manured 

 every third year in order that the effect in each of the three years after 

 manuring may be seen. The manures were last applied in 1909, and in 

 that year plots dressed with nitrate of lime and calcium cyanamide 

 were added. The hay crops in cwts. per acre with farmyard manure, 

 the most successful mixture of artificials, and the two new nitrogenous 

 manures have been as follows : — • 



Fourteen years 



1909. 1970. average. 



Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. 



No manure ... ... ... ... ... ... 38 36 30 



10 tons farmyard manure ... ... ... ... 41 51 42 



f cwt. nitrate of soda, \\ cwt. kainit, 3 cwt. super. 52 47 40 



Two years 

 average,, 



f cw . nitrate of lime, \\ cwt. kainit, 3 cwt. super. 49 42 45 



I cwt. calcium cyanamide, \\ cwt. kainit, 3 cwt. 



super. ... ... ... ... ... ... 48^ 48 48 



Manuring of Swedes and Mangolds (Cumberland and Westmorland 

 Farm School, Newton Rigg, Ann. Repts., 1909-10 and 1910-11). — The 

 vield of swedes has been ' compared on plots dressed with farmyard 

 manure alone, farmyard manure with a small quantity of artificials, and 

 various mixtures of artificials alone. In 19 10 the crop with no manure 

 was 5 tons per acre, and with 12 tons of farmyard manure 275 tons per 

 acre. A small addition of artificials increased this to 32 tons, and very 

 similar quantities were obtained with artificials alone. 



Nitrate of lime and calcium cyanamide were also tested as top- 

 dressings for mangolds. 



Manuring of Potatoes (Edinburgh and East of Scotland Agric. Coll., 

 Report 24), — The object was to demonstrate the advantage of supple- 



* A summary of all reports on agricultural experiments and investigations recently 

 received will be given each month. The Board are anxious to obtain for inclusion 

 copies of reports on all inquiries, whether carried out by agricultural colleges, 

 societies, or private persons. 



