318 Experiments upon Wheat, Barley, and Swedes. 
Mr. Ruck obtained a further increase (beyond that of the 
nitrate alone") of 136 lbs. for every 200 lbs. of superphosphate 
applied. At 6*. per cwt. this 200 lbs. cost IO5. 8d., therefore 
10s. 8d. has produced 136 lbs. = 24^ bushels of wheat, which at 
6s., = 13s. 2d. In this calculation the superphosphate has paid ; 
and if the winter-dressed plot is excluded, and the comparison is 
made with the spring plots alone, it will be seen to have paid 
very fairly. 
Mr. Smith's results, looked at from a money point of view, may 
be thus stated : — 
lbs. 
Average increase of three plots per 100 lbs. of nitrate of soda .. 27y 
„ j 100 lbs. of nitrate .. .. ) 
" (200 lbs. of superphosphate J 
Difference due to 200 lbs. superphosphate 239 
And 239 lbs. — 4 bushels nearly, which, at 6s. per bushel, = 24s. 
As the 200 lbs. of manure only cost 10s. 8c?., the profit is very 
satisfactory in this case, and the addition of superphosphate has 
well nigh doubled the effect of the nitrate. 
Barley Experiments. 
It is not often that barley is top-dressed, the land usually 
being in high condition when it is sown. From the ex- 
periments undertaken last year, as well as in 1868, upon the 
College Experimental Farm, there appears to be a much 
greater uncertainty in the results obtained from applying dress- 
ings to this crop than to wheat. Thus, Mr. lles's experiments 
consisted of two plots manured with superphosphate, 3 cwts. 
per acre, and two plots manured with 1^ cwt. per acre of nitrate 
of soda. These were compared with two unmanured plots, and 
the results can only be spoken of as puzzling in the extreme. 
A nitrate of soda plot and one of the superphosphate plots gave 
the same return as an unmanured plot, while the duplicates 
in each case gave a moderate increase favouring the application 
of superphosphate. Mr. Little of Norcote's experiments upon top- 
dressing barley were also contradictory, and both these indefinite 
results bear out what I had observed in 1868, namely, that top- 
dressings applied to barley after roots are uncertain in their 
effect. Local disturbances (owing to changes of weather while 
the sheep are upon the land ) rendering the soil in some 
cases worse fitted for the reception of the seed, and thus inter- 
fering with the accuracy of the experimental plots, goes far to 
explain this observation. 
