THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Bition of ash,) carefully averaged samples have 
frequently been taken for the determination of 
the botanical composition. In this way on three 
ocoaBiona, at intervals of five years—viz., in 
1862, 1867, and 1872—a sample of the produce 
of each plot was taken, and submitted to oare- 
ful botanical separation, and the percentage by 
weight of each species in the mixed herbage de¬ 
termined. Partial separations have also been 
made in other years. 
ANALYSES OF SOILS. 
Samples of tbe soils of most of the experi¬ 
mental plots have heeu taken from time to time, 
generally to the depth of 9, 18, and 27 inches, 
but sometimes to twice this depth. In this way 
nearly 600 samples have been taken, submitted 
to partial mechanical separation, and portions 
of the mold have beon carefully prepared and 
preserved for analysis. In a large proportion of 
tbe samples the loss on drying at different tem¬ 
peratures and at ignition has been determined. 
In most the nitrogen determinable by burning 
with Boda-limehas been estimated. In some the 
carbon, and in some the uitrogon as nitric acid, 
have been determined. Some experiments have 
also been made on the comparative absorptive 
capacity (for water and ammonia) of different 
soils and subsoils. The systematic investigation 
of the amount and condition of the nitrogen, 
and of some of the more important mineral con¬ 
stituents of the soils of the different plots and 
depths, is now in progress or contemplated. 
RAINFALL. 
Almost from tho commencement of the ex¬ 
periments the rainfall has been measured—for 
twenty-four yearB in a gauge of one-thouBandth 
of an acre area, as well as in an ordinary small 
funnel-gauge of 5 Inches diameter. Prom 
timo to time the nitrogen, as ammonia and as 
nitric acid, has been determined in tho rain 
waters. 
Three “ drain gouges,’’ also of one-thousandth 
of an acre each, for the determination of the 
quantity and composition of the water percolat¬ 
ing respectively through 20 inches, 40 inches, 
and 60 inches depth of soil (with its subsoil in 
natural state of consolidation), have also been 
constructed. A more numerous series of smaller 
“ drain gauges,' 1 arranged for tho investigation 
of the influence of different crops and of differ¬ 
ent roanurcB, are in conrse of construction. 
Eaoh of the differently manured plots of the 
permanent experimental wheat field having a 
separ: to pipe-drain, the drainage waters have 
frequently beon collected and analyzed. Pro¬ 
fessor Fraukl&nd has determined the nitrogen, 
as ammonia, as nitric acid, and as organic uitro-, 
gen, and also soma other oonstituents, in many 
samples both of tho rain and of tho various 
drainage waters collected at Rothamsted; and 
Dr. Yoelcker has determined the combined nitro¬ 
gen, and also tho incombuatible constituents in 
many of the drainage waters. 
AMOUNT OF WATER TRANSPIRED. 
For ,-everal years in succession, experiments 
were made to determine tho amount of water 
given off by plants during their growth. In this 
way various plants, inclnding representatives of 
tho gramineous, the leguminous, and other 
families, have been experimented upon. Simi¬ 
lar experiments have also been made with 
various trees. 
We have no more space to give to the enu- 
eration of the experiments whioh have been 
carried on at Uothamsted. The results of 
all this labor and skill have, to a considerable 
extent, been given in tbe Journals of the 
Royal Agricultural and Itoyal Horticultural 
Societies and in other publications, hut the 
very number of these scattered recordB and 
their prodigious wealth, variety, and complexity 
of detail render them difficult to be grasped by 
an ordinary scientific reader. Life is short, art 
is long. The time scorns to ub to have come 
when tbe directors of this noble experimental 
station should gather together into one har¬ 
monious consecutive treatise the main reBults of 
their labor aud tbe legitimate inferences there¬ 
from. We ore, of course, aware that to some 
extout this has already been done. Moat of tho 
very numerous publications of Messrs. Lawes 
and Gilbert contain summaries, but these 
summaries themselves now require consolidat¬ 
ing, and their mutual relationship made clearly 
evident. 
Tho Gardeners’ Chronicle alluding to the 
descriptive article referred to, finishes a leading 
editorial with the following pertinent remarks: 
“ In what other country would services so splen¬ 
did »nJ eo disinterested be allowed to pass un¬ 
noticed by tho nation? True, such honors as 
science can give have been bestowed, and agri¬ 
culturists have not been unmindful of what has 
been done for them ; but surely this is a case for 
Governmental recognition. Had Messrs. Lawes 
and Gilbert and their several associates in their 
respective degrees been Boldiccs or sailors, they 
need not have effected a tenth part of what they 
have done to have been tho recipients of State 
honors aud rewards. Doubtless their own satis¬ 
faction at the results of thotr labors ia the best 
and sweetest reward they themselves could look 
for; but, as a matter of national honor, it is great- 
1 y to our discredit that services bo long continued 
and bo valuable should have been allowed to pass 
without State recognition." 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 
Our illustrations represent views on the farm 
of Mr. Lawes at Rothamsted, Eng.; the interior 
of the laboratory, with its myriads of analyses 
and records; the rain-guage, one-thousandth of 
an acre in area; other drain-guages of like area, 
hi# filled with soil of various depths, to Bhow the 
quantity of rain that percolates through strata 
of different depths, and others again of smaller 
area arranged in a circle, and destined to show 
the amount of rain penetrating through soils of va¬ 
rious characters, degrees of consistency, in a nat¬ 
ural stato or artificially consolidated, and mixed 
with farm-yard and various artifioi&l manures. 
Further, some of these gangos are intended to 
show the amount of rain that percolates through 
a given art a aud depth of soil when bearing a 
orop of oereals or other plants with different 
root and loaf action, etc. The rain so collected, 
together with the drainage water from some of 
the fields, is not only measured but subjected to 
chemical analysis, to show its constitution. 
SOME IMPORTANT RESULTS. 
Referring now to Prof. Silliman’b communi¬ 
cation to the World: 
The experiments upon pormauent meadow or 
park grass land have been continued over twenty 
years, and have been attended with curiously in¬ 
structive and useful results. It appears from a 
careful botanical scrutiny by actual count of all 
the product cut upon & given area of land whioh 
had been in grass for centuries, and enriohed 
only with barn-yard manure, that the flora con¬ 
tained about fifty Bpecics of plants, whioh were 
tabulated according to their respective abund¬ 
ance by aotual count aud with tbeir systematic 
names. It is found that the more worthless of 
these meadow plants are subordinated by treat¬ 
ment to the more useful in such a way that, in 
case of the continuous treatment by oertain min¬ 
eral manures only, while tho annual average clip 
for twenty years has risen from twenty-one and 
a quarter huudred-weight produce per acre, 
weighted as hay, to sixty-two and a half hun¬ 
dred-weight per aore, the number of species of 
plants bas diminished from fifty to about twenty, 
and these the most useful of the grasses, Ac. 
Not that the other thirty have boon extermi¬ 
nated, but rather that they are smothered and 
subordinated by tho vigor of the more valuable 
plants, although in the oase of some of the most 
noxious weeds, they seem to be exterminated. 
Those curious in snob matters will wish to 
know what tho exact treatment ia this case was, 
and the facts are of sufficient interest 1 , to merit 
tho attention of any thoughtful reader. Tho 
treatment was exclusively by mineral manures, 
without a particle of vegetable or carbonaceous 
substance whatever. For example, in this par¬ 
ticular case the annual quantities per acre em¬ 
ployed were as follows, viz.: 
Pounds. 
9ulptiate of potassa. .. 
Sulphate of Boda... )*( 
8ulphato of magnesia. W 
Superphosphate of lime. 3W cwt.. • 
Ammonia equal parts sulphate and murt- 
ate of ammonia. S00 
Total per aore mineral manure...1,092 
To this quantity was added on another equal 
plot silicate .of soda. 
Total.-. 
The Bilioate of soda was commenced only in 
1862, or thirt een yearB after the series of experi¬ 
ments was entered on. Its effects are most 
marked, for wliilo for the first twenty years the 
average of hay cut was about 61 hundred-weight, 
it rose for tbo twenty-second Heasott (1877) to 
the enoromoUB aggregate of 110 hundred-weight! 
But it should be stated that in this year there 
were two cuttings or cropB of 00% and 49% hun¬ 
dred-weight respectively, and that the continu¬ 
ously unmanured ground next adjoining gave in 
the same season also two crops of respectively 
19% and 25% hundred-weight, or a total of 44% 
hundred-weight. In other words, the land con¬ 
tinuously fertilized with mineral manures of the 
above composition gave 5% tons of hay per acre, 
and tho adjacent nnmanured gave 2 1-5 tous. 
It will be seen that tbe only source of nitrogen 
added by this treatment was from the salts of 
ammonia, while tho carbon was evidently ob¬ 
tained by tbe plants from the carbonic acid of 
the atmosphere, since not a particle of carbon¬ 
aceous food was supplied, and the soil had be¬ 
come practioally exhausted of carbon. 
conclusions. 
No single fertilizer, whether mineral or or¬ 
ganic, is capable of produotng the highest attain¬ 
able production of hay; barn-yard manure 
alone will carry the production only to a certain 
point, where It remains stationary at about half 
tho maximum attained by mineral mannres alone, 
as in the example just cited above. This maxi¬ 
mum for barn-yard manure alone is about forty- 
nine hundred-weight of bay per aero. The old 
notion that a certatn amount of humus, or de¬ 
composing organic matter, is essential to enable 
plants to assimilate carbon, is an error, since tbo 
highost results attained have been reached and 
maintained steadily without a particlo of carbon¬ 
aceous substance added to the soil. Nitrogen, 
tho most essential element of fertility, perhaps, 
for both cereals and grasses, is supplied most 
readily by use of ammoniaoal salts, but its high¬ 
est effects are not attainable by the use of such 
salts alone, since the effeot of such nitrogenous 
fertilizers is much enhanced by the use of silicate 
of soda and ammoniacal salts alone do not 
effect the Bame results which are attained when 
they are used in connection with certain alkaline 
salts, whether sulphates or nitrates. Tho same 
or a larger amount of nitrogen in the form of 
nitrate of soda or potassa fails signally to pro¬ 
mote, on grass land, the production attained by 
the use of sulphates of the same alkaline bases 
when ammoniacal salts are used as the source of 
the nitrogen. The question of whether plants 
can assimilate directly free or unoombined nitro¬ 
gen was carefully investigated at Rothamsted by 
our lamented countryman, Dr. Evan Puon, 
many years since, aud was deoided in the nega¬ 
tive. Dr. Pugh’s memory is tenderly cherished 
in the place where he worked so long and so well. 
THE W HEAT FIELD 
called .“ Broadbnlk,” of about thirteen acres, 
offers a most instructive and interesting study, 
as Prof. Silliman saw it on the 8th of June, 
under the guidance of Messrs. Lawes and Gil¬ 
bert.. It needed no skill to see tho immense 
disparity between the several plots of grain 
growing side by side and under treatment for 
over a quarter of a century by different fertiliz¬ 
ers. It is notable that this old Held upon the 
English ohalk, left unmanured continuously for 
tho whole period of time of these experiments 
(there are two such plots upon it.) yields an 
average of 14 bushels of wheat per aore, aud 
this is just about the average of the nnmauured 
wheat, lands of tho United States; tbo total 
wheat lands with us averaging, if we do not 
mistake, about 15 bushels to the acre. At 
Rotliamsted each plot of these 13 acres has its own 
under-drain, and has been subject all those years 
to a separate and distinct treatment. The re¬ 
sults are most instructive and worthy of study. 
Many cherished notions of certain theorists are 
now completely demolished by the quiet logic of 
facts, while others are confirmed. Thus 14 tons 
per aore of farm-yard mannre have raised tho 
average yield of this land from 14 to 35 bushels 
of wheat to the acre. The addition of 200 
pounds of sulphate of potassa, 100 pounds each 
of sulphate of Boda and magnesia and of 3% 
hundred-weights of superphosphate of lime re¬ 
sulted in raising the average yield of this land 
to only 16 bushels to tho acre, a result quite in¬ 
significant, and discouraging, it would seem, to 
agricultural chemistry. But tho one element of 
success was wanting, namely, ammonia, and 
consequently it was found when this is added to 
the Bame mixture just enumerated, a quantity 
of 200, 400 and 600 pounds respectively of am¬ 
monia salts, there was an increase of yield to 
25%, 31% and 37% bushels of wheat respectively. 
-That it was the nitrogen of the ammonia which 
did tho work was most evident, since it appeared 
when an equivalent of nitrogen was used ia the 
form of nitrate of soda in place of the ammonia 
there was almost an Identical maximum yield of 
wheat, all other things remaining quite the 
same. Nor was It. sufficient to use the ammonia 
salts alone, for then the best result attained was 
the production of nndor 22 bushels of wheat. 
Even the addition of tbo superphosphate to the 
ammonia salts raised the product only to 27% 
bushels, and it is clear from all the experiments 
that a combination of mineral manure with 
superphosphate of lime and ammoniacal salts is 
ossential to the production of tho highest condi¬ 
tion of fertility. 
---- -»■»♦ -- 
NOTES FROM MAPLEWOOD FARM. 
HECTOR BERTRAM. 
The buckwheat is all bowii —finished July 8th. 
Pretty late, some may Bay, and it may be, one 
season in six ; but, as a general thing, the later 
buckwheat cau be sown and avoid tbe Fall frost 
the better tbe yield. Tho hot glare of the sun 
causes the blossoms to wither before the grain is 
formed when sown early, in tbe majority of 
cases, while the cooler days of the later months 
are moro congenial to its formation. It iB a gen¬ 
erally accepted idea among some farmers that 
buckwheat requires—yes, really requires poor 
soil for its successful growth. Thiti, like many 
others that creep into the minds of many of us, 
is a very erroneous one. While it will, without 
doubt, yield larger returns from an impoverished 
soil than most grains, it cau be grown to much 
better advantage on rich soil. The ground must 
be well shaded if satisfactory results are to bo ob¬ 
tained, and if the ground is not in condition to 
produce sufficient straw for this purpose, tho 
orop will be far from good. 
Our grandfathers iiBed to consider a half 
bushel of seed to the acre a great plenty; now, 
most farmers sow a busheL Why the greater 
quantity of seed required now than then ? Then 
the land was rich from the manurial deposits of 
ages, in the shape of decayed vegetation, leaves, 
and timber; now onr soil, in many cases, is im¬ 
poverished by constant cropping, and actually 
requires tbe extra amount of seed in order to 
produce a sufficient growth, to shade the land 
from the searching rays of an August sun. If 
our land were sufficiently rich, we would require 
no more than then. I remember my grand¬ 
father once sowed a field of buckwheat, using 
only a little over a peck of seed per acre. Of 
course, when the plants appeared they were far 
apart, hardly near enough to be neighborly. A 
neighbor passing exclaimed: “ Why, man what 
were you thinking of? That is an excellent 
piece of ground, and would have given you an 
immense crop if you had only sown it thick 
enough.” 
Tho season was favorable and the grain grew 
finely, sending out numerous branches until it 
became a perfect mass all over the ground. 
Tho noiglibor passing again just as the grain 
waB forming, paused where the old gentleman 
was at work, and with an air of superior knowl¬ 
edge suggested, “ Yon would bare had an awful 
crop, Dr., if yon hadn’t sown it so thick." The 
trouble is this:—Farmers do not consider buck¬ 
wheat a profitable crop, aud only bow their poor¬ 
est land with it, when, in reality, it is as much so 
as oats, and much better for subduing rough or 
new land. Mr. Morey advances an idea which 
I can hardly accept in regard to tho time of 
sowing. It is this—that the grain is formed at 
the same hour in the day that the crop is sown, 
and always bows his buckwheat after sundown, 
in order to avoid the blasting effects of the sun 
upon the embryo grain, when it is changing 
from the ideal to the real. There may be some¬ 
thing worthy of consideration in the thought, yet 
I think most men will Bet it down as Bimply 
“ an old woman's whim." 
Haying is here again, and coming with wheat 
harvest in Ibis locality, will make busy times un¬ 
til tho crop is all secured, which, judging by tbe 
present condition of the weather, will bo for a 
considerable length of time. Our forty acres of 
meadow was never better. Much of it, owing to 
tbo'hoavy showers of the past week, lies nearly 
as fiat as though it had boon rolled. Ab a gen¬ 
eral thing, we do not begin our baying early 
enough. Judge Balcom advocates cutting tho 
timothy as soon aH the hoads are Formed, before 
the blossoms appear. This I consider too early. 
The grass requires much more care iu curing, 
and when obtained, is tough and wiroy. The 
cattle oannot masticate it sufficiently to obtain 
from it the full benefit. Besides, as old farmers 
say, there is not so much “ heart ’’ in it as when 
cut at maturity. However, I think this not so 
bad a fault as leaving it until over-ripe. 
Three men aud three horses, with the present 
improved machinery, can securo a large amount 
of hay in a short time when the iveather is 
favorable, and there cau be no excuse for the 
black timothy straw stripped of half the seed 
aud offered in our markets as hay. Grass should 
never be left until it can bo cut in tbe forenoon 
and drawn after dinner. And it gives bay of 
much better quality and bettor appearance if 
put up and cured in tbo cock than if left spread 
over the field until tbe sun’s rays have drawn 
from it all moisture—the juicoof tbe grass— 
which possesses its most nourishing qualities, and 
must bo retained in order to constitute it ‘ good 
hay." In outting wheat, wo prefer to leave it 
standing until it is sufficiently ripe, to bind and 
shock immediately. Loft in the swath, there is 
much danger of the grain sprouting, especially 
when we have warm showers and hot sun alter¬ 
nately, as at present. In iny own experience 
I have found few men who did not consider it 
better to let wheat cure iu the shook. 
Put up in round shocks, a dozen in a place, 
two of them placed crosswise for caps, wheat 
will remain uninjured for weeks in the field and 
cure out perfectly, withstanding sovero storms, 
provided the caps aro kopt in place until settled. 
Michigan farmers have a rule by which to set up 
their wheat, and scarcely over deviate from it. 
Four sheaves are Bet in a row, north and south at 
first, then three on each side. This makes ten 
sheaves, and tho Bhock is perfectly round, with 
no place for another Bhoaf without marring its 
proportions. The two caps aro then broken 
down at the ends and placed crosswise on top. 
forming a completo roof for the ten standing 
upright. They claim they Btand much better in 
this manner than when the first sheaves are set 
east and west. 
$arm toitomji. 
DRAINAGE. 
PROFESSOR U. O. CARPENTER.’ 
USE OF SYSTEM. 
It is probable that most of you have seen 
drains put down without all this preliminary 
work, and very likely a groat many of these 
drains have worked well, and you will raise the 
question at once, “ Is all this preliminary work 
necessary ? Why not begin at onco with the tile 
laying, aud lay by the eye, iustoad of by tbo 
string, which requires considerable patience to 
sot ?’’ Your attention has been already called to 
the probability of mistakes, especially when the 
laud is nearly level. If you practice much with 
tho level you will soon find that although the 
eye can see straight it oannot see level. I will 
mention one instance of this : In tbe west por¬ 
tion of tbe College grounds is a valley, which, 
lying as it does, ut tho foot of quite a hill, seems 
very deep; separated from tbia by a small rise 
of ground, is a piece of land whioh gently slopes 
iu tbe opposite direction. The valley was drain¬ 
ed several yearB ago, an expensive outlet was 
built and a thorough BjBtem of drains was put 
in. More recently it became necessary to drain 
