130 



On the Nitrate of Soda. 



Bus. G. 



An acre without nitrate produced . . 44 2 



£. s, d. 



At 355. per quarter, amounts to 9 13 7 

 Straw, 45 J trusses, at Is. . 2 5 6 



1 19 1 



Gain by the use of nitrate . 2 0 2t 



My experiments on wheat were made on a field of heavy land 

 sown with spring wheat (Talavera). Some effect was observed, 

 but not sufficient to pay the cost of the soda : on another, of 

 autumn-sown Chidham wheat, the land in high condition, the 

 effect was rather injurious than otherwise, forcing the straw to the 

 prejudice of the grain. The third experiment was made on 17 

 acres, part of 40 acres considered the poorest on the farm ; the 

 result was as follows, after a very careful measurement : viz. — 



One acre, with nitrate, produced 39 bus. 5 gal. 2 qts. of thrashed 



wheat, which, at 66^. the quarter, amounts to . . .£l6 7 7 

 64^ trusses of straw at Is » . . . . 3 4 6 



Weight per bushel 63i lbs. 19 12 1 



Cost of nitrate .... 1 0 0 



18 12 1 



One acre, without nitrate, produced 33 bus. 7 gah 

 2 qts. of thrashed wheat, which, at 66^. the 

 quarter, amounts to £14 0 2 



56 trusses of straw, at Is. per truss . . 2 16 0 



16 16 2 



Gain per acre by the use of nitrate £l 15 11 

 Weight per bushel 63j lbs. 



The samples of oats, barley, and wheat, dressed with nitrate of 

 soda, w^ere taken to a neighbouring market, and compared by 

 good judges with samples grown on adjoining lands not so ma- 

 nured, and no difference in the equalities could be discovered ; nor 

 was there any noticeable difference in the weight of the bushel, 

 either of the oats, barley, or wheat. 



My farm is situated on the confines of the clay and chalk 

 formations ; the soil of the western part is mostly of a heavy de- 

 scription, with a subsoil of stiff clay ; the experiments made on 

 this portion, whether upon corn or grasses, have been unsuccess- 

 ful, while those which have been m.ade on the light land with the 

 chalk subsoil have, with few exceptions, been attended with bene- 

 ficial results — thus tending to confirm the opinion of the Harle- 



