Report of Experiments on the Growth of Wheat. 501 
phosphoric acid and nitrogen in the market and available from 
other sources, is such, that there is not much danger, except in 
isolated cases, of an excess of nitrogenous manure from without 
injuriously deranging that balance of constituents within the soil 
which it is essential to keep up, if not only full, but healthy, 
crops are to be produced. At present, at any rate, the produce 
per acre over the country at large is annually increasing rather 
than diminishing. The probability is, indeed, that any growing 
derangement in the composition of our soils will show itself 
in increasing tendency to abnormal growth, or disease of various 
kinds, rather than in gradual diminution of at the same time 
healthy crops. There is, however, as yet, so far as we are aware, 
no well-established evidence showing any clear connexion between 
the essential conditions of our modern system of cultivation, 
manuring, and cropping, on the one hand, and the prevalence of 
particular forms of faulty growth on the other. 
Indeed, on many of our heavier soils, and even on lighter ones 
if purchased cattle-food be liberally employed, corn crops may 
be grown more frequently than is consistent with what have 
generally been considered the established rules of good farming, 
not only without injury to the soil, but with pecuniary benefit 
to the producer. On heavy soils barley of better quality may be 
obtained after wheat than after a root-crop. But when corn is 
taken after corn, great attention should be paid to the cleaning 
of the land, and manure should be liberally applied. When 
wheat follows another corn-crop, not less than 50 to 60 lbs. of 
ammonia (or its equivalent of nitrogen in some other form) should 
be applied per acre, and when barley or oats follow a corn-crop, 
from 40 to 50 lbs. The quantity of phosphate employed with 
the ammonia should be greater for spring than for autumn sown 
corn-crops. The manures should be applied at the time of sowing 
the seed. 
