THE MANURING OF MARKET-GARDEN CROPS. 



1039 



in the case of late or main-crop varieties. In fact, the application of 

 potash for the early varieties has not paid when a dressing of dung has 

 been used. In the case of the late or main-crop varieties, however, the 

 good effect of potash has been very great. The well-known need of 

 Potatos for potash is strikingly brought out in both the early and late 

 varieties on those plots on which no dung has been used. 



Although we have each year included chemically manured plots 

 receiving no dung at all, our crops of early Potatos grown in this way 

 have been unsatisfactorily small, except in one year when we grew nearly 



tons of 1 Windsor Castle ' Potatos of good quality without the use of 

 any dung at all ; this, however, was exceptional. With the late varieties 

 we have obtained many good crops without the aid of dung ; but the 

 average differences between the crops grown solely with the aid of 

 chemical fertilisers and those grown by the combined use of chemical 

 fertilisers and dung has t>een considerably more valuable than the sum 

 saved by withholding the dung. 



In 1900 and 1901 increased dressings of nitrate of soda were tried ; 

 but when dung was used no advantage was gained by using more than 

 4 cwt. of nitrate per acre, with phosphates and potash salts. 



On our soil the most satisfactory manuring for early Potatos seems 

 to be heavy dunging, which might probably be well supplemented by a 

 light dressing of chemical fertilisers. For late varieties, however, we 

 counsel, for such soils, the use of 25 loads (say 12 or 15 tons) of dung, 

 4 to 6 cwt. of superphosphate, 1 cwt. of sulphate of potash, and 4 cwt. of 

 nitrate of soda per acre. The dung, superphosphate, and potash should be 

 well mixed into the soil before planting. The nitrate may be applied, 

 2 cwt. per acre at the time of planting, and 2 cwt. after earthing up. 



The nature of the soil, however, is a very important factor in the 

 manuring as well as in the general management of the Potato crop. 



Tomatos. 



The following simple experiment was made during the last two years, 

 to ascertain the effect of nitrogenous manure upon Tomatos. The plants 

 were grown out in the open, and were manured with dung at the rate of 

 25 loads (12^ tons) per acre, together with 6 cwt. of superphosphate and 

 1 cwt. of sulphate of potash per acre. One plot was left without any 

 further nitrogenous manure than was comprised in the dung ; the other 

 received a dressing of 2 cwt. of nitrate of soda per acre. The results 

 were as follows : — 



TOMATOS. 





Annual cost 



Weight of Tomatos per acre 



Annual manuring per acre 



of manure 









per acre 



1!)U1 



1902 





£ s. <l. 



tons cwt. 



tons cwt. 



25 loads (12^ tons) London Dung, 6 cwt. 









Superphosphate, and 1 cwt. Sulphate of 









Potash (without Nitrate of Soda) 



6 5 0 



6 0 



7 16 



25 loads (12^ tons) London Dung, 6 cwt. 









Superphosphate, and 1 cwt. Sulphate of 









Potash, with 2 cwt. Nitrate of Soda . 



7 5 0 



6 16 



8 14 



