30 Experiments irith different Top-Dressings upon Wheat. 
<-ircumstanccs over which I had no control, they are, nevertheless, 
practically useful in showing that a liberal outlay in the purchase 
of nitrogenized top-dressings is attended with great profit, parti- 
cularly when the price of wheat is high. Nitrate of soda and 
salt are best adapted to stiffish soils in good condition, and a 
specially prepared mixed mineral and nitrogenized manure 
to the soils which possess rather a lighter character or are natu- 
rally ]K)or. On light land I would recommend the following 
mixture, which I know from experience answers exceedingly well 
in an economical point of view : — 1^ cwt. of nitrate of soda, 
3 cwt. of common salt, 2 cwt. of Peruvian guano, and 40 bushels 
of soot. 
The guano should first be passed through a fine sieve, and all 
hard lumps be broken up, — a work which will be much facilitated 
by the addition of some sharp siliceous sand to the lumps. 
When sharp sand is not at hand, perfectly dry and sifted coal- 
ashes or burnt clay may be used instead. The nitrate of soda and 
salt should be passed in like manner through a fine sieve ; and as 
these salts are always more or less damp, and therefore difficult to 
sift, it is well to mix them previously with a dry substance in the 
same manner as guano. The next step is to mix these sifted and 
finely-powdered manures with a sufficient quantity of burnt clay 
or coal-ashes to make up 20 bushels. These are finally mixed 
with the 40 bushels of soot. Thus we obtain 60 bushels of a 
manure, which will suffice for 3 acres. The 20 bushels which 
have to be used per acre will cost about 25s., and I have no doubt 
will be found a very economical and useful top-dressing for wheat. 
The following table will show the commercial results of the 
experiment, the wheat being valued at 50s. per quarter, the price 
at which it was sold, and the straw at 30s. per ton : — 
Table showing the Money Value of Increase in Corn and Straw per Acre 
over Onmanured Plot, and Clear Profit after deducting the Price paid 
for Manures. 
Plot. 
Money Increase in 
Corn. 
Straw. 
Cost 
of Nanure. 
I. 
11. 
nr. 
IV. 
V. 
VI. 
VII. { 
VIII. !{ 
2^ cwt. Peruvian guano 
4 cwt. of wlieat-maiiure 
IJ cwt. of niti-ate of soda 
Unmanured 
1^ cwt. of nitrate of soda"! 
and cwt. of salt . . / 
3 cwt. of salt 
2 cwt. of sulphate ofl 
ammonia ) 
6 cwt. of ulmate of am-) 
inonia J 
i. s. 
•2 19 
3 0 
i 8 
d. 
8 
5| 
6 
9 11 
2 6 
3 8 
2 10 9 
£. s. 
0 6 
0 2 
0 12 
0 11 10 
0 1 9 
0 9 11 
0 11 3 
£. 
s. 
d. 
£. 
s. 
d. 
1 
12 
6 
1 
13 
6* 
1 
12 
0 
1 
11 
3i 
1 
2 
6 
3 
18 
6 
1 
5 
6 
3 
16 
3 
0 
3 
0 
2 
1 
3 
1 
12 
0 
3 
1 
7 
2 
5 
0 
0 
17 
0 
