the Progress of English Agriculture. 825 = 559 
"able III. — Nitrogen as Nitrates and Nitrites, per 100,000 parts 
of Drainage Water from plots differently Manured, in the Ex- 
perimental Wheat-Field at Eothamsted, Wheat every year, com- 
mcncin" 1844. 
Nitrogen as Nitrates and Nitrites, per 100,000 parts 
of Drainage Water. 
Dr. Frankland's 
results. 
Dr. Voelcker's 
results. 
Mean. 
irmyarJ Manure 
ithout Manure 
)mplex Mineral Manure . . 
>mplex jMineral IManure, and^ 
41 lbs. Nitrogen, as Ammonia / 
implex Mineral Manure, and) 
-i! lbs. Nitrogen, as Ammonia / 
plex Mineral Manure, and I 
i -'o lbs. Nitrogen, as Ammonia ) 
-iplex Mineral Manure, and'i 
>- lbs. Nitrogen, as Nitrate ..J 
Kxperi- 
mciiti. 
4 
C. 
1 G 
1 
0-922 
0-316 
0-349 
Experi- 
ments. 
2 
5 
5 
1-606 
0-390 
0-50G 
Experi- 
ments. 
6 
11 
11 
t C 
0-793 
^ 
0-853 
11 
! G 
1-477 
5 
1-400 
11 
G 
1-951 
1-G79 
11 I 
5 
1-039 
5 
1-S35 
10 
i 
1-264 
0-353 
0-42S 
0- 823 
1- 439 
1-815 
1-437 
The quantity of water which passes through the drains in 
? course of the year, as may be readily conceived, varies a 
eat deal in different soils, according to the distribution of the 
in in the year, and the quantity which falls at one period, 
the absence of satisfactory evidence from which might be 
Iculated the probable amount of water which passed annually 
rough the drains of the different plots of the experimental 
leat-field at Rothamsted, it is impossible to determine pre- 
cly the actual loss of nitrogen which the several plots sus- 
led by drainage. The figures in the preceding Table, 
wever, conclusively show that the quantity of nitrogen which 
ssed into the drainage-water in the form of nitrates increased 
proportion to the amounts of ammonia or nitrate put on the 
anured plots. They show how serious may be the loss of 
trogen by drainage when ammonia-salts or nitrates are liberally 
)plied to the land in autumn, if there should be much wet 
father during the winter ; or even when they are applied in 
e spring, if heavy falls of rain should set in. Other experi- 
cnts at Rothamsted lead to the conclusion that, according to 
ason, from one-quarter to nearly one-half of the annual rainfall 
ay descend more than 40 inches below the surface. For every 
ch of rain which passes through the drains and carries with it 
e part of nitrogen per 100,000 of water, there will be a loss of 
lljs. of nitrogen per acre from the manure applied to the land. 
In the drainage-water from the experimental wheat-field at 
Jthamsted, manured in the autumn by an amount of ammonia- 
Carried awaj' 
by drainage. 
