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all the appearance of dry rot ; the root when cut had irregular 

 brown markings, similar to those presented by diseased po- 

 tatoes ; it had all the appearance of being produced from 

 fungi, which extend themselves in circles, like the fairy rings 

 of grass fields, but not so regular. The patches were in 

 various parts of the field, and all the plants round the edges 

 of these patches were affected ; all in the interior, without 

 exception, were dead. I could not, in such a case, state 

 that the disease and disappearance of the clover was owing 

 to a deficiency of potash ; on the contrary, I believe such 

 was not the case. Had it been so, other plants would have 

 been found in a dying state where these patches did not exist ; 

 but such was not the case. Hence, any suggestions I may 

 make with regard to the preservation of the red clover crop 

 applies only to cases similar to those I have been requested 

 to investigate, and which I imagine are the ones from which 

 the farmer is known to suffer most. 



I have before stated my conviction that the failure of the 

 clover is owing entirely to a deficiency of soluble potash 

 in the soil at the time the plant requires this material in 

 abundance. I have shown that the small quantity of potash 

 remaining after the growth of the barley or wheat would 

 all be exhausted by the growth of the clover in autumn, or 

 washed away by the rains of winter and spring ; and that, 

 from the small quantity of minerals liberating potash, much 

 less would be rendered soluble in a natural way than was 

 necessary for its growth. It is, consequently, evident that, 

 in order to cause the crop to come to maturity, we must take 

 such steps as will facilitate the decomposition of the potash 

 minerals in the soil, or add something in the form of manure 

 which will furnish potash at the time the clover plant requires 

 it. With regard to the former case, we have two methods of 

 efi'ecting our purpose, namely, by the use of organic manures 

 furnishing carbonic acid, and by the use of lime. In the 



