■une 30, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
541 
and securing the crops, screens having been employed to prevent a 
particle of either being blown over the border line, so that the 
outcome of the experiments may be regarded as absolutely 
correct. 
As this season’s crops were not cut at the date of inspection, their 
condition in the growing state could only be noted in connection— 
and this is important—with the manures applied to each plot and the 
value of the produce obtained from it last year. This may be 
fairly represented as follows, taking six plots on a very old pasture 
as an example, one plot unmanured, the others dressed with the in¬ 
gredients mentioned, the yield of produce in each case being the 
actual increase over the returns from the unmanured plot. 
Manures per 
acre. 
At a 
cost of. 
Produced 
an 
increased 
yield of 
hay. 
Net gain 
per acre 
from 
Gain 
per cent. 
manuring. 
on outlay. 
s. 
d. 
cwt. 
9 . 
d. 
Sulphate of ammonia 1 cwt. 
14 
0 
10 
20 
0 
185 
Nitrate of pnda 14 r.wfc. 
1(1 
3 
7 
11 
9 
7*2 
Superphosphate 
of lime) 
3 cwt. 
Kainit 2 cwt. 
Sulphate of 
ammonia') 
15 
9 
11 
28 
3 
179 
1 cwt. 
Kainit 2 cwt. 
Superphosphate 
of lime) 
20 
0 
12 
23 
0 
140 
3 cwt.f 
Nitrate of soda 1 cwt. T 
28 
9 
11 
15 
9 
54 
Kainit 2 cwt. 
- In the first year’s returns from that experiment it will be seen 
that comparing the effects of the two great nitrogenous manures, 
sulphate of ammonia and nitrate of soda, that the former was more 
than twice as profitable as the Latter. It is next observable that as 
regards bulk of produce, it was equal from superphosphate of lime 
and kainit, and from the same quantities of the two with 1 cwt. of 
nitrate of soda added, the cost in the former case being 15s. l Jd., in 
the latter 28s. 9d., showing that the nitrate of soda was ineffective 
and its cost, 13s., thrown away. The mixture of sulphate of am¬ 
monia with kainit was very profitable, but not quite equal to the 
superphosphate of lime and kainit above mentioned. It would 
thus seem that the superphosphate was sufficiently active to enable 
the crop to benefit by the potash without the aid of nitrate of soda. 
Now to the after effects—the condition of this year’s crops without 
any further manuring. The nitrate of soda plot is weak ; the 
sulphate of ammonia plot better ; the sulphate of ammonia and 
kainit crop weak ; also, but to a less extent, is the superphosphate 
4- and kainit plot, the best plot perhaps being that from manures 
• . ..named last in the table, as the least profitable in 1886. The weakness 
~ of what may be termed the two potash (kainit) plots is attributed 
ito the mass of yellow Suckling it induced, choking the graminaceous 
' rherbage, potash being a great promoter of Clover growth and legu- 
.’-vffiinous crops generally. It will be interesting to observe the rela¬ 
tive values of the crops of this year, but it will be seen that the 
gain in three of them last year was thereabouts equal to the rent 
for an impoverished pasture on brashy soil resting on chalk, and it 
will be conceded, perhaps, that saving the whole rent by improved 
management is better than an abatement of 25 or even 50 per cent, 
as compensation for unremunerative crops. The former is a proud 
achievement due to enterprise founded on good judgment ; the 
latter, while it may be a fair restitution, still has the savour of a 
charitable dole. 
In this group of plots were several manured for the first time 
this year and still uncut. They appear to have been instituted 
mainly for comparing the value of the new basic cinder with other 
phosphatic manures ; muriate of potash with sulphate (kainit) ; the 
different forms of bone manure, and the whole with the best farm¬ 
yard manure, prepared under cover, and applied at the rate of 
10 tons per acre. The results remain to be proved, but when 
inspected the farmyard manure plot was the greenest, latest, and 
most succulent, but it is doubtful if it will be the most profitable. 
The ground coprolite plot with kainit appeared better than the 
basic cinder with kainit. Of the three forms of bone manure— 
dissolved, boiled, and raw meal—the advantage (in none very 
marked) appeared to rest with the latter. The muriate of potash 
plot (with nitrate of soda) was promising. Gypsum, 10 cwt. per 
acre, appeared to have little or no effect, and the plot was much 
inferior to one that had been dressed with decorticated cotton cake, 
5 cwt. per acre; crop excellent. The potash again brought 
Clover in all the plots to which it was applied. 
Passing to another field—a four-year-old pasture containing a 
good proportion of Perennial Rye Grass and a superabundance of 
Cocksfoot, though only 2 lbs, per acre were sown, Mr. Sutton 
finding that ample for chalky uplands, we find still more remark¬ 
able results from manuring. 
Manure per acre. 
At a 
coat of 
Pioduced 
an 
increased 
yield of 
h ly. 
Net gain 
per acre 
from 
manuring. 
Gain 
per cent, 
on 
outlay. 
s. 
d. 
cwt. 
9 . 
d. 
Sulphate of ammonia, 1 cwt. 
14 
0 
14 
42 
0 
300 
Nitrate of soda, 1^ cwt. 
16 
3 
19 
59 
9 
367 
Superphosphate of lime,) 
3 cwt. > 
Kainit, 2 cwt.J 
15 
9 
13 
36 
3 
230 
Sulphate of ammonia, 1 cwt.) 
Kainit, 2 cwt.} 
20 
0 
15 
40 
0 
200 
Superphosphate of lime,) 
3 cwt..’ ( 
Nitrate of soda, 1 cwt.( 
28 
9 
20 
53 
3 
143 
Kainit, 2 cwt. ) 
Here we find in this stronger pasture of stronger Grasses nitrate 
of soda taking the lead of sulphate of ammonia, and we also find 
that every shilling expended in this latter brought an extra cwt. 
of hay. The mixture of superphosphate and kainit was again 
rather better than sulphate of ammonia and kainit ; also that, as 
before, the nitrate of soda in the last plot tabulated was super¬ 
fluous. Regarding the after results—that is, this year’s crop from 
last year’s manuring, we find that Clover is practically driven out of 
the sulphate of ammonia and nitrate of soda plots ; but in the 
superphosphate and kainit plot it abounds, this plot being slightly 
better than the one in which nitrate of soda was added to those 
ingredients, again showing that the rather costly addition was not 
wanted. The condition of the sulphate of ammonia and kainit 
plot has fallen off considerably, suggesting, or rather proclaiming, 
that superphosphate was required for the continuous support of the 
herbage in this field. The exact results of this year’s manuring 
remain to be ascertained, the relative condition of the crops being 
practically the same as in those in the field referred to—farmyard 
manure, decorticated cotton cake, and a mixture of muriate of 
potash and nitrate of soda producing the best plots ; gypsum, nil ; 
bone manured plots (without any addition) somewhat disappoint¬ 
ing, and ground coprolites promising to surpass the basic cinder 
manure. 
We next entered a field sown down for permanent pasture on 
an Oat stubble in August, 1884, the seed being harrowed in and 
rolled in the same way as Trifolium is sown. As an experiment 
half the field was sown with a mixture recommended by an 
agricultural authority, from which Rye Grass was excluded, Cocks¬ 
foot and Meadow Fescue being inci-eased in its stead. From this 
part of the field there was nothing to cut the following year, while 
the part in which a suitable proportion of Rye Grass was included 
gave a ton of hay to the acre. The difference of the two halves of 
the field is very apparent now. It can be both seen and felt, the 
part in which no Rye Grass was sown being thin and a poor 
pasture ; that containing Rye Grass being full and close to the 
tread. The soil is light and apparently thin. Whatever the results 
of excluding Rye Grass may be elsewhere, there can be no two 
opinions as to the superiority of that half of Mr. Sutton’s field that 
contains it, and which was laid down nearly three years ago. The 
experimental plots in this field on the part containing no Rye Grass 
may be summarised thus : An outlay of 16s. 3d. in nitrate of soda 
gave a net gain of 21s. 9d. per acre, and of 14s. in sulphate of 
ammonia 21s. an acre. Kainit added to the sulphate only brought 
a net increase of 8s. per acre, while a small loss was incurred from 
using superphosphate and kainit, also with 1 cwt. of nitrate of soda 
added to the two minerals. It would seem that on this poor, thin 
pasture the superphosphate and kainit counteracted the effects of the 
1 cwt. of nitrate of soda, seeing that 1{ cwt. of this salt alone gave 
a very handsome profit indeed. On the part of the field containing 
Rye Grass loss was incurred after an outlay of 15s. 9d. in super¬ 
phosphate of lime and kainit, also on 14s. in sulphate ammonia 
alone ; but 20s. expended in 1 cwt. of the latter manure and 2 cwt. 
of kainit gave a net gain per acre of 35s., or 175 per cent, on 
outlay. The mineral manures appear to have had little effect on 
the first crop in this light soil, but are telling on the after crop, 
there being pi'actically no Clover where they have not been applied. 
Speaking of Clover reminds of a sheep experiment in this field. 
A flock was turned into it last autumn, and remained for about a 
month, the weather being dry ; but a few small 100th part of an 
acre squares were hurdled round. It is only in these squares from 
which the sheep were excluded that there is any Clover—a mode- 
