Agriculture of Berkshire. 
17 
ment, often produces prize-stock and roots at the local and 
Sinithfield shows. 
It is almost superfluous to speak of the method of using super- 
phosphate of lime. Ashes are procured sometimes from the 
peat-meadows, but more usually from paring and burning some 
worthless piece of down or rough bank, the labour of which costs 
about one penny per bushel : from 20 to 30 bushels of these ashes 
are mixed with 3 cwt. of superphosphate per acre, and applied 
by drill at a cost of 21s. for the superphosphate, and 2s. 6rf. for 
the ashes, making the total cost less than 25.s. per acre. 
Another method, which is getting into very general use since 
the introduction of the liquid-manure drill, is that of mixing 300 
gallons of Avater, or, better still, the drainings of a farmyard 
tank or pond, with 3 cwt. of superphosphate per acre. The action 
of the cups in the drill macerates this into a creamy fluid, and 
deposits it with the seed along the rows made by the drill ; par- 
ticular care should be taken to allow the harrows to follow 
immediately after the drill to cover up the rows, or the powerful 
sun in the middle of May or June is apt to bake the liquid and 
render it inoperative, until rain or some atmospheric moisture 
succeeds. It is a curious fact that the water or liquid-manure 
drill succeeds best in wet weather ; experience, however, has 
proved such to be the case. Should there be moisture in the 
soil, or a little rain fall after the operations of the field are com- 
pleted, the rapidity of growth is much greater than under any 
other method, and in a space of forty-eight hours the plants may 
be descried along the rows. Guano is used with good effect on 
strong soils, but if ammonia is required, 1 cwt. of guano mixed 
with 2 cwt. of superphosphate of lime is considered the more 
certain application. The use of the water-drill is generally 
restricted to the lower range of turnip-lands, from the difficulty 
at all times of procuring water for the purpose in the higher 
levels : where water is handy, and can be obtained at a moderate 
cost for cartage, it is found by experience to be the best safe- 
guard against the "fly" in a trying season. 
Another considerable source of fertilisers to many parishes 
near the downs, has been found in the establishment of training 
studs lor race-horses. Gentlemen of the Turf find the invigorating 
gallop over the downs so beneficial to the training of their 
horses, that they have located themselves at East Hsley, Comp- 
ton, Chilton, Letcomb, Lambourne, &c., and by these means have 
much benefited a large tract of light soil (much shut out from 
the convenience of railway transit), by the quantities of horse- 
provender of the best description which has consequently been 
consumed, and the large amount of manure restored to the adja- 
cent farms in return for a supply of straw. 
VOL. XXI. C 
