293 



THE INFLUENCE OF MANURES ON THE PRODUC- 

 TION OF MUTTON. 



In the Journal of the Board of Agriculture, Vol. V., p. 300 

 December 1 898) an account was given of the results, up to the 

 end of the second year, of experiments on this subject that 

 were started in the spring of 1897 at the Northumberland 

 County Demonstration Farm of Cockle Park. The grazing 

 of 1899 constituted the third year of these experiments, and it 

 is now proposed, as shortly as may be, to bring the results 

 up to date. 



Those who have followed the experiments are aware 

 that they deal with an area of poor pasture, which, in its 

 natural state, is valued at 5s. per acre per annum. Inciden- 

 tally, it may be remarked that such land in its unimproved con- 

 dition is worth even this small rent only for a very limited 

 number of purposes, of which, if we may accept our valuer's 

 figures, the grazing of shearling wedders is not one. This 

 conclusion is unavoidable when it is noted that in two years 

 out of the three, the sheep on the untreated ground were 

 valued at considerably less per head at the end of the grazing 

 season than they had cost at the beginning. How much of 

 this reduction in value may be actual and intrinsic, and how 

 much may be due to the relatively higher price of store sheep 

 in spring than in autumn, it is impossible to say. It may, 

 however, be remarked that this reduction in value is not 

 justified by the weights, for even in the two years referred to 

 the average gain per head for the season's grazing was 14 lbs. 

 and 24 lbs. respectively. 



The field selected for experiment was subdivided into ten 

 plots of three acres each, which were surrounded by substan- 

 tial fences. Each of these main plots included a sub-plot of 

 1 -20th acre, the object being to test the effect of manurial sub- 

 stances on sheep grazing the pasture of the main plots, and 



