Expo intent X witli different Top-Dressinf/s iijjun IP' heat. 
17 
was a fair avciajii^c crop, but my experiments, us in 1851), were 
particularly successful. 
The land on which the wheat was grown is considered deci- 
dedly better than that on which my experinuMits were tri(?d in 
18;>9. The soil was in a fine states of preparation on the surface^ 
.md extended to a depth of 9 or 10 inches. 
The subsoil of most of the fields on our farm is a stiff clay ; 
but in the case before us it is porous limestone-rubble, mixed with 
clay, itself restinji^ on oolitic limestone-rock. 
The land is well drained, and the field considered a good one? 
for wheat, which has never been known to ha\e been blighted on 
this spot, but has yielded well when in other fields it was defi- 
cient or attacked by disease. 
A large quantity of the soil from the exjierimental field (fiekl 
Nos. 3 and 5 on the map of the Royal Agricultural College Farm) 
was turned over and well mixed, so as to obtain a fair average 
sample for an analysis, which gave the following results : — 
Composition of Soil in Field No. 3 and 5, Royal Agricultural College 
Farm. 
Calculated Dry.. 
Moisture IT'oO 
Organic matter and water of combination .. 6'')() 8'OZ 
Oxides of iron and alumina 16'07 19'48^ 
Carbonate of lime 12"88 15"61 
Sulphate of lime -22 -27 
Magnesia '57 "GO 
Phosphoric acid "05 "OG- 
Pota.sh -52 -(iS: 
Soda -39 -48 
Insoluble siliceous matter (chiefly clay) .. 45'14 54-71 
100-00 100-00 
This soil scarcely contains any siliceous sand separable hy, 
washing, and consists principally of clay, mixed with a fair pro-^- 
portion of carbonate of lime. It may be described as a goodn. 
friable, calcareous clay-loam. 
The whole field is tolerably level. The part reserved for the - 
experiments was perfectly so, and the soil, as far as could be- 
judged, of uniform depth. Its extent is 29^ acres, and the ])re- 
ceding crop was beans. 
Two acres covered with a very equal plant were measured out, 
and carefully divided into 8 equal plots of J acre each. They 
were surrounded on all sides by a considerable breadth of the 
general wheat-crop. These 8 plots, with the exception of plot 
No. 6, which was left unmanured, were top-dressed on the 27tlv 
of March, as follows : — 
VOL. XXIII. C 
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