for Twcnhj Years in succession on the same Land. 
101 
■(/nantiti/ (luxuriance) depends greatly on the available supply of 
nitrogen within the soil, and the (jualiti/ of the crop (tendency 
to form seed and to ripen), on the available supply of mineral 
•or ash-constituents. 
First Season, 1852, 
November and December, 1851, were upon the whole fine, 
but colder than usual. January and February, 1852, were mild 
and wet ; March dry and clear, but cold and frosty ; April dry, 
with some hot sun, but a good deal of cold east wind; May 
variable, but also with a good deal of cold east wind ; June 
Tcry wet and cold ; July very hot, with several heavv 
thunderstorms ; August fine at the beginning, very wet in the 
middle, and fine and hot at the end ; September fine until the 
>6th, when there was a heavy thunderstorm, with a good deal of 
rain, the rest of the month being variable, with prevailing low 
temperatures, but upon the whole not unfavourable. In June 
the dew point was below, but the degree of humidity of the air 
slightly above the average ; in July the dew point was above, 
but the degree of humidity considerably below the average ; and 
in August and September both dew point and the degree of 
bumidity were below the average. 
Thus, the early portions of the winter were, upon the whole, 
fine but cold ; but the later for the most part mild and wet. 
Then followed drier weather, allowing of an early working of 
the land. The spring was, however, dry, cold, and backward ; 
the early summer rainy and cold, and the maturing period 
variable, with a good deal of hot weather, and some heavy storms. 
The winter-sown wheat crop was reported to be generally not 
tleficient in bulk, but in many districts much blighted, mildewed, 
and grown ; the result being a yield considerably below the 
average. Shortly before harvest, barley as well as wheat was 
reported to be a bulky crop, and to give upon the whole a fair 
promise, though the hot weather of July was tending to pre- 
jnature ripening, especially on the lighter lands ; and the very 
variable weather of the maturing period greatly lessened the 
yield, and injured the sample. 
The experimental wheat crop was much below the average in 
-quantity of both corn and straw, and also considerably below the 
average in quality of grain. Table II. (p. 102) exhibits the results 
obtained on the selected plots in the experimental barley field. 
The weather was favourable for the preparation of the land, 
and the seed (Chevalier) was sown on March 5. The quantity of 
produce, both corn and straw, was, without manure, by mineral 
manure alone, and by ammonia-salts alone, considerably greater 
in this first season than on the average of the 20 years under the 
same continued conditions as to manure. The comparatively 
