364 Field Experiments at Wobum in 1889 mid 1890. 
were many ■wet days in June, July, and August. Under these 
circumstances the crop of 1889 was very thin and but little superior 
to that of 1888, nor did that of 1890 show any large increase. The 
crops were cut and harvested Aug. 17-29 in each year. The results 
are given in Table I., page 363. 
The yields of the duplicate unmanured plots agree very closely in 
1889 ; in 1890 plot 7 is rather the higher. Minerals alone have as 
usual given no increase. In 1889 ammonia salts, whether used 
alone or with mineral manures, produced a larger crop than nitrate 
of soda, but in the drier year, 1890, the exact reverse was the case, 
nitrate of soda in each instance then showing the higher return. 
The appearance of the plots on which these nitrogenous top-dress- 
ings are used is, in the earlier stages, very poor and the plant is 
very uneven, nevertheless towards harvest they seem to pull up 
wonderfully, and the yield is much more than it has seemed likely 
to be. The small increase (two bushels) from putting on in 1889 
the double dressing of nitrate of soda is very noticeable, and while 
the omission of ammonia-salts for a single year reduces the corn to 
21 bushels, the effect of leaving out nitrate of soda is to take it as 
low as 11 '4 bushels, which is even below the unmanured yield. This 
greater diminution in the case of nitrate of soda is also very marked 
in 1890. The effect of rape cake, applied so as to give 100 lb. of 
ammonia per acre, is greater than that of farmyard manure esti- 
mated to contain double that amount. Plot 11a still seems to show 
the presence of some unexhausted fertility from the farmyard manure 
put on in former years. 
II. The continuous growth of Barley. 
The duration of these experiments is the same as those on wheat 
growing, so that the results now to be recorded are those of the 
thirteenth and fourteenth years of consecutive barley crops. The 
plan of manuring is the same as with the wheat. Golden Melon 
barley at the rate of nine pecks per acre was drilled in 1889 on 
March 13th, and in 1890 on April 3rd ; the mineral manures were 
applied the day previously and the farmyard manure for plot 11b, 
which had been made during December, was put on as a top-dress- 
ing just after sowing was finished. Rape-cake was given to plot 10 
a few days later, and the nitrogenous top-dressings were made on 
April 29 in 1889 and May 9 in 1890. 1889 was a most unfavourable 
year for barley, and heaN-y storms occurring in July knocked down 
the crop very mucli, especially on tlie liighly manured plots. 1890 
was a more favourable season for barley, and an average yield 
was obtained. 
Cutting and harvesting of the crop took place August 13-29 in 
year. The results are given in Table II. opposite. 
Mineral manures produced no increase in 1889, and only about 
three bushels in \^dO. The results from the use of nitrate of sotla 
or from ammonia -salts when used alone were closely alike both 
yeai-s, but used in combination with minerals, nitrate of sotla gave 
