442 



Use of Artificial Manures. 



even 4 cwt. of nitrate of soda — applied, in the case of the larger 

 dressings, in two doses — will generally suffice, while on lighter 

 soils sulphate of ammonia may partly replace the nitrate. In the 

 latter case, and on peaty soil, a little superphosphate and kainit 

 (say 2 cwt. of each) may be used. Here as elsewhere, however, 

 the farmer should determine the matter by private experiment. 



Where there is a good " take " of clover the nitrogenous 

 dressing must be much curtailed or the clover will be smothered 

 by the luxuriant growth of grass, and the aftermath is likely to 

 be poor. On the other hand, phosphates and potash become of 

 relatively greater importance. With a fair take of clover 

 I cwt. nitrate of soda, 2 cwt. superphosphate, and 2 cwt. of 

 kainit is likely to prove suitable ; while with a strong and 

 abundant clover plant the nitrate may be reduced by half, or 

 even omitted, while the kainit may be nearly doubled, and 

 the phosphates should be increased by the use of about 3 cwt. 

 of basic slag applied early in autumn. 



Meadow Hay should, if possible, get about 10 — 12 tons of 

 dung per acre, applied in autumn, every four years, artificials 

 being either omitted in these years, or, at most, consisting of 

 about 1 cwt. of nitrate of soda applied in spring. In the 

 intervening years 3 or 4 cwt. of basic slag in autumn, and 

 1 cwt. of nitrate of soda in spring, will generally pay, though 

 in many cases the slag need only be used every second 

 year. These quantities may be reduced if the aftermath is fed by 

 stock getting cake. Whether potash should be used in the 

 years between the dressings of dung must be determined by 

 each farmer for himself. It would appear, as a rule, to be unneces- 

 sary, though this is not always the case. 



Where meadows cannot get dung the treatment should be 

 materially different. If the land is found to respond to basic 

 slag it should get a liberal dressing (up to half a ton per acre) in 

 autumn, and for the next two or three years — that is to say, till the 

 clover begins to fail — nothing more need be given. After that 

 time attention should be given to forcing grass, as distinguished 

 from clover, and this may be done by annually using about 

 I cwt. nitrate of soda per acre. After two or three years of 

 such treatment, that is to say, five or six years after applying 

 the slag, the land will again be in a position to grow clover, 



