1010 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



dung ; the expense of the chemical fertilisers being at the same time 

 very much less than that of the extra dung. 



In the foregoing table reference has been omitted to the plots on 

 which a crop was grown without any dung at all. These, however, are 

 highly important, indicating as they do that chemical fertilisers, even 

 when used entirely alone, are far more economical for Cabbages than 

 dung is. These results are shown in the following table : — 



AUTUMN-CUT CABBAGES. 





Annual cost 



Weight of Cabbage 



s per acre per annum 



Annual manuring per acre 



of manure 



Five years' average 

 (181)4-1898) 



Three years' average 

 (1899-1901) 





per acre 



50 loads (25 tons) London Dung . 



25 loads (12| tons) London Dung . 



No Dung ; Phosphates (without 

 Potash) and 4 cwt. Nitrate of 

 Soda 



Ditto, ditto (with Potash) 



No Dung ; Phosphates (without 

 Potash) and 8 cwt. Nitrate of 

 Soda 



Ditto, ditto (with Potash) 



£ s. d. 

 10 0 0 

 5 0 0 



2 15 0 



3 5 0 



4 15 0 



5 5 0 



tons cwt. 



23 0 

 20 14 



24 14 



24 9 



tons cwt. 

 24 3 

 20 C 



24 14 



25 18 



These figures speak sufficiently for themselves. 



It may be noticed that, during the last three years, where the very 

 heavy dressings of nitrate of soda were used without dung, potash seems 

 to have produced a tangible result, although as a general rule it has not 

 been found by us to benefit this crop. 



Roughly speaking, the manures on the plots fertilised entirely by 

 means of chemicals cost only about the same as the 25 loads of dung, 

 or half the sum expended on the 50 loads of dung. Nevertheless, on 

 surveying the whole of the results, it will be seen that there is a decided 

 gain in crop where a light dressing of dung is used in addition to chemical 

 fertilisers, as compared with the plots receiving no dung at all ; and 

 probably the best way to grow Autumn Cabbages is to use a light dressing 

 of dung — not more than about 12 tons per acre — and to supplement this 

 with a liberal dressing of phosphates and nitrate of soda. Phosphates 

 are cheap, and it is better to give an abundance — say not less than 6 cwt. 

 of good superphosphate per acre, or 8 to 10 cwt. of basic slag, according 

 to the nature of the soil ; while our experience indicates that nitrate of 

 soda can be used with advantage up to 6 cwt. per acre. If this quantity 

 is used, 3 cwt. of it might be applied at planting out, and 8 cwt. a month 

 or two later ; or, if the climate happens to be a moist one, the total 

 quantity might be divided into three top dressings instead of two. 



Although a moderate quantity of dung appears to be a desideratum 

 for this crop, nevertheless, if dung is scarce, it may be dispensed with ; 

 and in this case the nitrogenous dressing may go safely as far as 8 cwt. 

 I»;r acre. 



