532 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[Jate 27, 1£89. 
superiority in effect of kainit over muriate of potash. The basic 
tinder in previous years appeared to be comparatively inert, but 
this year its beneficial effects are very apparent, and it is evidently 
a “lasting” manure ; and there is no better plot in the series than 
that which received a dressing at the rate of 4 cwt. of basic cinder 
and 2 cwt. of kainit in 1887, and nothing since, at a cost per acre 
of 10s. 6d., the cheapest of all the applications. It has been slow, 
but probably after this season’s crop has been secured and valued 
it will prove remunerative. The guano plots until this year have 
not been profitable, but the reverse ; but this season they will cut 
up well, and in all likelihood show a good return on outlay over the 
three years. Good Peruvian guano thus proves its staying pro¬ 
perty, but it ought to have acted more quickly. In a dry year it 
could not be expected to act, but last year was wet and it still 
remained nearly quiescent. It is something to know, however, that 
its virtues did “remain,” and it shows its power this year in a 
manner which cannot be mistaken. These remarks are the result 
of independent observation, and it may be well perhaps to add 
Mr. Sutton’s summary, not only because it is in general accord, but 
because reasons are suggested for the changes indicated. It is as 
follows :— 
“ For the first time since these experiments were inaugurated we 
have had a moist growing spring, more than an average rainfall, 
and conrilerably more than the average of heat. The changes in 
the behaviour of the various manures, under these circumstances, 
are very marked, especially the nitrogenous and ammoniacal 
manures have less effect than usual, not only producing a smaller 
increase in herbage, but this herbage is this year without the rich 
metallic green colour which nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia 
generally give. This is probably due to the heavy washing rain 
and very porous subsoil, causing the soluble manures to be lost 
before the grasses had time to take advantage of them. The same 
remark applies to muriate of potash, a very soluble form of potash, 
which in other seasons at Dyson's Wood has been far more successful 
than kainit or less concentrated forms of this mineral. The kainit 
plots this season are superior to the muriate of potash plots, whether 
these manures have been applied alone or in combination with 
others. The Peruvian guano plots are interesting, this being the 
first year they have proved remunerative. It is evident that on 
such dry soils as Dyson’s Wood a moist season is required for the 
economical use of Peruvian guano, even when of the best quality 
and in a dissolved form. In previous dry springs the burning 
character of guano has actually injured instead of improved the 
crop, whereas this year, with plenty of moisture and heat, the 
guano plots seem likely to come out amongst the best. 
“ Perhaps the most important lesson which these experiments 
teach is that nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia, however 
great the immediate result they give, cannot be applied to grass 
land for any lengthened period without grave deterioration and 
injury to the herbage and the subsequent crops. Dr. Voelcker, 
who came for a private and exhaustive examination of the plots on 
Friday, June 14th, of this year, gives it as his opinion that ‘ never 
has this fact been actually and scientifically proved before, and that 
if these experiments have done nothing else they have been of 
immense service to agriculture in demonstrating the danger of 
using these stimulating manures on valuable pastures.’ 
“ Thomas’s basic phosphate or basic cinder, now the cheapest 
phosphate available to agriculturists, has this season more than 
borne out its character, and has easily beaten its competitors. 
Here again the season has specially suited this form of phosphate. 
Singularly enough the farmyard manure is not nearly so marked in 
its effect as last year, though the manure used was equally as good 
and made under cover in boxes by animals eating cake and corn. 
The heavy rainfall, as soon as the manure was applied to the plots, 
has apparently dissipated a great part of the ammonia and weakened 
its effects on the plot. It is interesting to observe that, probably 
merely from the.physical effect of the manure lying on the surface 
in the early spring and smothering the young Clover plant, the 
Clover on the plots wherever farmyard manure has been applied is 
absent.” 
In accordance with the general advice of the party of inspection, 
last year a new experiment on another pasture has been com¬ 
menced. Some interesting combinations of manures have been 
specially arranged by Dr. Voelcker, and besides these combinations 
there are different dressings of several manures alone on separate 
plots of very similar value, and interesting results are likely to be 
obtained. The principal combinations are intended to show 
whether kainit, nitrate of potash, superphosphate of lime, or basic 
cinder is the best form in which to apply phosphates and potash in 
conjunction with sulphate of ammonia and nitrate of soda. As re¬ 
gards manures applied alone in separate plots there are salt, lime 
in 2 and 4 tons per acre respectively, farmyard manure 5 and 10 
tons, muriate of potash, kainit, and superphosphate of lime. 
As evidence of what may be termed the equability of the 
pasture in which plots have been enclosed, the grass from eleven of 
them to which no manure was applied was cut, and when weighed 
the variation in any of them did not exceed half a pound. The 
mineral dressings were given the first week in March, guano March 
18th, sulphate of ammonia April 8th, and nitrate of soda April 
22nd ; this being the quicker of the two, a fourteen-days handicap 
was considered fair by Dr. Voelcker. Some of the applications 
show good results in the first crop, some showing slight improve¬ 
ment, others nil. Decorticated cotton cake at the rate of 5 cwt. 
per acre produced a good crop of superior herbage. Guano (8 cwt. 
rate) has a marked result in increasing the crop. Basic cinder 
6 cwt. and kainit 2 cwt. produced small Clover, but the plot other¬ 
wise weak. Superphosphate 3 cwt. and kainit 2 cwt. a slight increase 
in yield. Superphosphate 3 cwt. and nitrate of soda 1 cwt. a 
heavy scythe crop ; ditto with 2 cwt. of kainit added a much 
thicker bottom herbage. The lime plots showed that 2 tons per 
acre had effects equal to 4 tons, and the increase not consider¬ 
able. Salt showed no effect whatever; possibly it might if the 
season had been dry instead of showery. Bone plots of boiled, raw, 
and dissolved stood somewhat in the order of merit named. Farm¬ 
yard manure at the rate of 5 tons per acre had no effect, but double 
the quantity increased the crop materially. Passing others it may 
be said in conclusion that about the best plot in the series was pro¬ 
duced with what may be fairly called a “ judicious mixture ”— 
namely, superphosphate of lime 3 cwt., kainit 2 cwt., and sulphate 
of ammonia 1 cwt. Here, to revert to the simile of the horse, we 
have a good feed of corn, say a little more Oats than Peas, and a 
gentle touch of the whip to incite brisk movement yet sustainable 
for a considerable time ; or, in other words, the blend appears 
good ; the crop shows it is good in one year, and a prediction is 
ventured that it will prove useful over two seasons. Beyond that 
we have no right to expect anything from it; and this remark 
leads to a suggestion for the consideration of Mr. Sutton and Dr. 
Voelcker. The experiments up to the present have been most 
valuable, and the whole of the time has been needed, with varying 
seasons, for determining the action of the different ingredients ; but 
is not the period approaching when a few mixtures may be pre¬ 
pared in well balanced proportions, to be applied in such quantities 
as may be decided, every year, with the object of ascertaining to 
what extent the crops may be increased and the profit derivable 
from the investment in increasing them, at the same time fully 
maintaining the fertility of the land ? Perhaps that is the object 
of the new series. It is quite evident that money may be lost in 
the purchase of manures, and few are able and willing to lose it, 
the overwhelming majority desiring to know, with as near approach 
to certainty as circumstances permit, how a little can be gained in 
the enterprise. 
Much interest was manifested in the interesting Grass garden in 
the trial grounds. It was laid out by Mr. Martin Sutton some 
twenty-five years ago, and represents fifty-two genera, consisting of 
170 species and varieties of Grasses, 100 being native of the British 
Isles, 41 continental, 18 species from North America, and the re¬ 
mainder natives of India and the Colonies. Each species occupies 
a plot some 9 feet by G feet, and the garden is so arranged that the 
merits of different agricultural Grasses may be readily compared, 
while admitting of the study of the prominent characters of the 
inferior and worthless kinds. Professor Fream of the Downton 
Agricultural College describes this as the most complete collection 
of its kind in Europe, and he is admittedly a great authority on the 
subject of forage plants. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
OAMDEX SQCARE, LONDOX. 
Lat. 51° 82' 40" N. ; Long. o° 8' 0" W. ; Altitude. Ill feet. 
DATE. | 9 A.M. | IN THE DAY. 
1889. 
o z. 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
a . 
Ot3 
33 3 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
.5 
June. 
a hq j 
Dry. 
Wet. 
mO 
5 pH 
H 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass 
Sunday. 
18 
Inches. 
30.095 
deg. 
62 4 
deg. 
56.2 
K.E. 
deg. 
58 0 
deg. 
74 2 
deg. 
53.0 
deg. 
115.6 
deg. 
49 9 
In. 
Monday. 
17 
30.182 
63 0 
56.6 
S.E. 
59.0 
69.7 
50 9 
117.1 
4J.L 
_ 
Tuesday .... 
18 
30.245 
56.6 
53.5 
N.E. 
59.0 
67.7 
49 0 
119 9 
45.0 
_ 
Wednesday.. 
19 
30.123 
59.9 
54 2 
N.u. 
59 0 
69.9 
47 3 
121.7 
43 4 
_ 
Thursday.... 
20 
80.090 
60.9 
55 7 
N. 
60.0 
76 9 
52.4 
125.9 
41.3 
_ 
Friday . 
21 
30.073 
64.3 
59.0 
N. 
61 7 
75.6 
54.6 
121.6 
51.3 
_ 
Saturday .... 
30.11L 
56.8 
54.2 
H.E. 
62 1 
78 4 
52.7 
121.7 
55.9 
— 
30.131 
60.6 
55.6 
59 8 
73 2 
51.4 
121.6 
46.6 
- 
REMARKS. 
16th.—Bright and fine. 
Fine and bright, with pleasant breeze. 
18th.—Overcast early, fair morniiu, origin afternoon and evening. 
19th.—Frequently cloudy in morning bright afternoon. 
20th.— Fine, bright, and warm. 
2 lat.—Cieudy early, bright in,rning,cloudy at tines,and rather clo e in afternoon and 
evening. 
22nd.—Cloudy early, bright warm dav. 
A fine summer week, without a drop of rain.—G. J, SYMOYF. 
