The Action of Common Salt as Manure. 
515 
10 ewts. — a difference of 12 cwts. ; and where 10 cwts.' of salt were 
applied there were only 18 tons. Again, as regards tops, where 
there was no salt the produce of . tops was 7 tons 6 cwts., 
where tho smaller quantity was applied it was 8 tons 5 ewts., and 
where the larger quantity was used it was 7 tons 8 cwts. Therefore 
the result was, that where the smaller quantity of salt was used 
there was more top and less hulb, and where the larger quantity was 
used both top and bulb were less. These experiments arc for one 
year only, and therefore I do not rely much upon them. I am 
satisfied that this year salt has checked the growth of mangold wurzel 
rather than promoted it ; and though this may have been because the 
season was a very dry one, the effect was certainly very distinct. 
I have one more set of experiments to bring before you ; they are 
not my own, but were conducted some years ago by Mr. Keary 
on the farm of the Earl of Leicester. Mr. Keary who was a very 
strong advocate for salt, and contended that it did a great deal of 
good, was kind enough to send me the result of some experiments 
which he made upon wheat in the years 1852, 1853, and 1851. His 
practice was, he stated, to put 6 tons of dung, 1 cwt. of nitrate of 
soda, and 2 cwts of salt, mixed together, per acre. In some cases 
his separate experiments are comparable with one another. For 
example, in one case he used only 1 cwt. of nitrate of soda, and in 
another 1 cwt. of nitrate of soda with 2 cwts. of salt. In the first 
year the nitrate of soda with the salt gave 37| bushels, and the 
nitrate without the salt gave 42£ bushels ; in the second year the 
nitrate of soda with the salt gave 33 f bushels, and the nitrate of 
soda without it 35 bushels ; in the third year the nitrate of soda 
with the salt gave 47 bushels, and without it 49 j bushels. In 
the three years there was a difference in favour of the nitrate 
of soda without the salt of 8£ bushels of wheat and 6 cwts. 
of straw. The results of these experiments were sent to me by 
Mr. Keary to. sho^ the great value of salt, whereas I might cite 
him as a witness against salt as a manure. It may be that sufficient 
care was not exercised in making the experiments in the instance 
referred to ; but be that as it may, the result is to show a loss in 
three years of 8? bushels of corn and 6 cwts. of straw, arising from 
the use of 6 cwts. of salt. 
Some years ago a French commission was sent to this country to 
inquire as to the effect of salt on corn. I never saw the Kcport of that 
commission ; but the other day I wrote to Monsieiu- Barral (editor 
of the ' Journal d' Agriculture Pratique ') to make inquiries about it ; 
and in his reply he states as follows : — 
" Pan's, Feb. 8th, 1864. 
" The Eeport you mention is written by Mr. Milne Edwards. It was 
printed at the ' Imprimeris Rationale,' at the expense of the French Govern- 
ment, in January, 1850. Mr. Milne Edwards was then trying his best 
to prove the possibility of restoring the old tax on salt without doing any 
injury whatever to agricultural interests; consequently, he declared most 
readily that salt is useless as a manure, and his opinion may be suspected of 
being tainted by some political prejudices. Nevertheless, I believe in the 
