Agriculturcd Chemistry — Turniys. 



541 



after an equal period of growth is found to contain most water 

 would conditionally indicate a more extended further growth, and 

 the manure under which it had grown might be belter rather than 

 worse than that to which the more solid turnip owed its character. 

 Again; a series of plots under different manures, though they 

 will be characterized by an undoubted difference in the stage of 

 maturity of the plant, will each within itself exhibit a wide range 

 of variation in this respect, and it is impracticable to gather spe- 

 cimens which shall certainly and exactly represent the characters 

 induced by the manuring of the plots. In our experiments, from 

 ten to twenty plants of average size, and which appear to be sound 

 and firm, are selected from each plot, and from these, when 

 washed and sliced, a weighed quantity is taken; in some cases 

 100 oz., and in some 150 oz. ; in some more and in some less. 

 The results given in the table were obtained from specimen lots 

 of 150 oz. each, and the soil, season, variety of turnip^ and time 

 of sowing and gathering, were the same throughout.* 



From these remarks, our readers will be able to judge for 

 themselves whether too much or too little is based upon our re- 

 sults. We feel, however, that it will be much more conducive to 

 the interests of agriculture that the error should be in the latter 

 rather than in the former direction. 



The following mean results exhibit the general bearings of the 

 experiments more clearly and safely than individual selections 

 would do : — • 



Description of Drilled Manures. 



Drilled 

 Manures 

 only. 



Drilled 

 Manures, 

 and Top- 

 dressing of 

 Rape-cake. 



Drilled 

 Manures, 

 and Top- 

 dressing of 

 Amm.Sali. 



Drilled 

 Manures, 

 and Top- 

 dressing of 

 Rape-cake 

 and Anini. 

 Salt. 



Mean of ] 3 purely mineral manures 



Mean of 4 experiments with alkaline phos- 1 



Mean of 3 experiments with superphosphate) 



8-34 

 8-28 



8-09 



7-97 

 7-90 



7-97 



7°41 

 7-57 



7-50 



7-48 

 7-53 



7-35 



These means show a striking uniformity in the amount of dry 

 matter in each column taken separately, — that is, under the influ- 

 ence of various mineral manures, but a like resource for organic 

 formations. Comparing column with column, however, we find 

 a difference which, though not actually great, must be admitted 

 to have some meaning, when we bear in mind the uniformity 

 within the columns themselves. Were we to compare these 

 effects of organic supply upon the percentage of dry matter with 



* The conditions of manuring alone were different, and we may therefore 

 rely upon the general indications of the experiments, so far as the effects 

 of manures are concerned. 



