Farmhif) of Yorkshire. 
109 
instance, and next tlio failure of the crop intended to be benefited ; 
whilst the alternative suggested is not a costly one, when for a 
fee of 10s. our members may procure an analysis by the chemist 
retained expressly for this purpose by the Society. Let a vigorous 
stand be made against adulterations and adulterators, and let it 
be maintained till the tribe of them cease to be found in the 
land. 
Guano is not so extensively used in the county as it was a few 
years ago, principally on account of its present high price, 
though a few still employ it when planting potatoes, or as a top- 
dressing for wheat, and sometimes for spring corn. Nitrate of 
soda is also used when its price has not, as of late, been too high 
to yield a profit. Both the guano and nitrate of soda are mixed 
with an equal weight of common salt. Guano is very exten- 
sively used for potatoes in the marsh-lands. Phosphate of lime 
is much approved of for most crops ; its influence is less impaired 
by a dry season, its action is more enduring in the land, and its 
effects never disappointing, but to ensure these it ouglit always to 
contain from 50 to 60 per cent, of phosphate of lime. The best 
is made fi'om bone-ash, which in the state it is imported gives on 
analysis 80 per cent., or seldom less than 70 per cent., whilst 
ground bones seldom yield more than 50 per cent, of phosphate. 
Kape-cake, besides being extensively used for feeding cattle — a 
use which is every year increasing the consumption — is applied 
with great advantage for grass-land as a top-dressing. Wherever 
guano is used with benefit, there also may rape-cake at a 
cost of 5/. to 5Z. \0s. per ton be economically applied ; a large 
quantity is now annually manufactured in the county both 
from German and East India seed, the latter being most in 
request for manure, as being equally efiicacious and rather 
cheaper than green cakes. 
We must now consider the recent improvements made on the 
low lands, and first on pastures. The want of drainage and 
manure, combined with constant cropping or eating off, had 
reduced the quality of a large proportion of grass-land to the 
lowest point, and improvement became imperative. An un- 
founded prejudice long prevailed against deep draining on grass- 
land, and on most farms the arable land was first taken in hand 
as being the most important ; whereas no part of a farm yielded 
a greater return or sooner repaid the cost of draining than the 
grass. A four feet drainage, followed the succeeding year by a 
dressing of lime and compost, with either 5 cwt. of phosphate of 
lime or an equivalent in bones, has been proved to double the 
value of the land, and it is with much satisfaction we record that 
a great number of acres have been so treated since deep drainage 
became general. An improving tenant farmer showed us a 
