Influence of Manures on Mutton. 311 



decumbe?iSy Briza media^ and Air a ccESpitosa. Bad, 

 however, as the natural pasture is, it was still capable of 

 adding considerable weight to the animals that grazed it, the 

 average increase per head per week being 0*9 lbs. in 1897 and 

 I '3 lbs. in 1898. The butcher reported : " Condition of skin 

 fair, proved rather disappointing, did not slaughter so well 

 as I expected." 



The Effect of Sulphate of Potash [Plot 7). — This plot was 

 dressed exactly like No. 5, except that Plot 7 received 50 lbs, 

 of potash per acre in the form of i cwt. of commercial 

 sulphate of potash. Judged by its effects on the hay -crop, 

 this addition to the phosphate has proved anything but an 

 advantage, the yield being reduced by over half a ton per 

 acre in the two years. 



Its effects are, how^ever, distinctly better where the land is 

 pastured, and each year it has been accountable for consider- 

 able live-weight increase, which in the aggregate amounts to 

 33 lbs., per acre, valued at iis. As this increase has been 

 obtained at an outlay of 7s. 8d., the use of the potash on the 

 pastured ground has been moderately profitable, A practi- 

 cally similar result is got by the butcher's valuation (see 

 Table II.). In his report he says, " Sheep in a healthy 

 thriving condition, and equal in appearance to those ot 

 Plot 3. Carcases proved fair, but not equal to those from 

 Plot 5." 



The Effect of Sulphate of Ammonia [Plot 9). — As this 

 manure was, like the others, applied only in the spring of 

 1897, it is not likely that any of it remained in its unal- 

 tered condition till 1898. As, however, nothing was removed 

 from the pasture of Plot 9 but the mutton produced, most of 

 the 20 lbs. of nitrogen applied in 1897, in the 97 lbs. of sul- 

 phate of ammonia per acre, must have remained in the land 

 in the form of plant substance, manurial residue, etc., except 

 in so far as there may have been loss into the subsoil or air. 

 In point of fact the sulphate of ammonia had a marked effect 

 on the pasture in 1898, so that in spite of the comparatively 

 heavy stocking (10 sheep per acre for most of the season), it 

 remained rougher than that on any other plot, with the single 

 exception of No. 3. 



In 1S97 yield of Plot 9 was the largest of the series 



