Continuous Corn Growing. 
49 
total annual outlay for manures did not exceed 500/., being at 
the rate of about 20s. per acre. But as cereals continued to 
follow each other more plant-food had to be provided, and Mr. 
Prout now considers that he requires to expend upwards of 
1200/. annually on portable manures, or between 505. and 60s. 
per acre. During the last seven years the annual expenditure 
has not materially varied ; the annual average is 1269/. 15s. 4(Z., 
or about 55s. per acre. Whilst Mr. Prout anxiously studies 
economy in the use of these expensive fertilisers, he declares 
that it is often the last 10s. worth that brings the best return ! 
Bones, mineral superphosphate, guano, and nitrate of soda are 
the manures generally used. 
A favourite mixture for drilling with the several crops is 
made with equal proportions of J^-inch bones, freely saturated 
with water, and mixed with mineral superphosphate on the floor 
of one of the disused barns. The excess of acid in freshly pre- 
pared superphosphate, and the fermentation produced by the heat 
and moisture, dissolve the bones, and in about three months there 
remains a soluble richly phosphatic manure, which, after spread- 
ing out thinly, dries and, mixed with a few sifted ashes, is readily 
distributed either by hand or drill. Three to five hundred-weight 
of this mixture constitutes the usual dose applied to most of 
the cereals, excepting the wheat-crop on the clover leys, which 
derives pabulum sufficient from the unexhausted dressings applied 
to the clover, and from its gradually disintegrating roots. 
Both Messrs. Prout and Middleditch prefer to apply phos- 
phates as well as guano by drill. Thus, deposited in close 
vicinity to the rootlets, more immediate effects are produced, and 
less waste occurs from valuable soluble matters being washed 
into the subsoil. 
What Mr. Prout chiefly requires in a drill is that seed and 
manure should be deposited from separate tubes, and the manure 
placed fully -J-in. below the seed, from which it is thus separated 
by a thin layer of soil. The concentrated active manure is in 
this manner prevented from doing harm during germination 
when it is not wanted ; but is sufficiently handy, and probably 
more fittingly diluted, when the tender spongioles, having ex- 
hausted their infant stores, are ready to decompose and absorb 
the lood-supplies in the soil. 
Priest and Woolnough's drills are used at Sawbridgeworth, 
and Mr. Middleditch has been in frequent communication with 
Messrs. John Fowler and Co. regarding the perfecting of a steam 
corn and manure drill which they hope to bring out. Mr. Prout 
has found considerable difficulty in getting the makers of drills 
to carry his ideas into practice : he complains that some of them 
have become very independent — they hold themselves aloof 
VOL. XL— S. S. E 
