366 



On Nitrate of Soda, 



on which returns in the crop as soon almost as, after three months^ 

 credit, it is paid to the dealer. 



. It is wonderful certainly to have found a mineral which, even 

 at its present high price, yields us wheat at a cost of 245. a quar- 

 ter ; and if cheapened, as it might apparently be, by one half, 

 would of course yield it at Vis. a quarter. Thus, instead of three 

 million quarters of wheat costing six millions sterling, we might 

 import yearly 200,000 tons of nitrate (a less weight than we have 

 already imported of guano in a single year), costing little more 

 than three millions, or, if the price of nitrate were reduced to eight 

 pounds, costing sixteen hundred thousand pounds only ; and so 

 our farmers might obtain from their own farms the whole foreign 

 supply of wheat without labour and with but a few months* 

 outlay of capital. This would indeed be an important result 

 for the nation as well as for British farmers. I do not mean to 

 say that no failures will yet occur before we obtain a complete 

 mastery over this powerful substance ; but I am confident that, 

 as California has been explored in our day, so a vast reservoir 

 of nitrogen, the main desideratum for the worn-out corn-fields of 

 Europe, cannot long be left within a few miles of the sea, passed 

 almost in sight by our steamers, yet still nearly inaccessible at 

 the foot of the Andes. 

 Pusey, December i 1852. 



From Mr. Keary to Mr, Pusey. 



Dear Sir, — In reply to your questions : salt has been used in combination 

 with nitrate of soda about ten years in West Norfolk, amongst a few farmers 

 only ; but during the last three or four years the use of nitrate alone, and 

 mixed with salt, has much increased. The addition of common salt to nitrate 

 of soda, as a top-dressing for wheat in spring, was first introduced by 

 Mr. Henry Blyth, of Sussex Farm, near Bm-nham-Market, in this county, 



2nd. In 1850 we had some very dry weather in the spring, immediately 

 after the application of the top-dressing, which, I am inclined to think, was 

 the cause of the comparatively small benefit arising from the application of the 

 nitrate of soda. 



3rd. I rarely thrash much wheat at this season of the year, and cannot, there- 

 fore, give a decided opinion as to the yield, I top-dressed very nearly 400 acres, 

 at the rate of 6 and 7 stone per acre, combined with double the weight of salt, 

 and I certainly never had apparently finer crops of wheat. The whole of the 

 wheat crop in this district was blighted more or less ; but I am quite sure that 

 the top-dressed wheats were not more affected than others, I should say the 

 average increase of corn per acre in this district, from the use of nitrate, at the 

 rate of 6 to 8 stones per acre, and salt, is about 6 bushels per acre in average 

 seasons, I have never yet met with any instance, where nitrate of soda was 

 properly and jW/aow^/y applied, in which it did not pay a large percentage 

 upon the outlay. 



I remain, dear Sir, yours faithfully, 

 Holklmm, Dec. 21, 1852. H. W. KsARr. 



