4887 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
ridges in rows 26 inches apart and 11 inches 
apart in the rows. Roots removed from the 
land each year. Leaves spread on their re¬ 
spective plots and plowed under for manure. 
The same manures are used every year on 
the same plot. But it will be remembered 
that during the last two years for sugar 
heels (1874 and 1875) the barnyard manure, 
nitrate of soda, ammonia salts and rape cake 
were omitted in all cases. 
The accompanying table shows the results 
of the experiments the first season (1816) the 
eighth season (1883) and the ninth season (1884.) 
have a good crop, and this would seem to in¬ 
dicate that the trouble is not owing so much 
to a lack of plant-food as to some defect in 
the mechanical or hydroscopic condition of 
the land where artificial fertilizers alone hare 
been used continuously for so many years. 
The season of 1884 was unusually dry in 
May, and this probably accounts for the puz¬ 
zling character of the results. 
The 400 pounds of ammonia-salts which are 
sown across all the plots in Series 3, contain 
the same quantity of nitrogen as the 550 
pounds of nitrate of soda sown across all the 
sted, are entirely opposed to the idea that 
farm crops get their nitrogen from the atmos¬ 
phere. But it is probably true that mangel- 
wurzels are greatly benefited by a little avail¬ 
able plant-food, especially of nitrate, in close 
contact to the young plant. It gives the 
plant a “good start’’ and develops the roots, 
which have then a greater capacity for taking 
up nitrogen from the soil. 
Where mangels are dibbled in rows 26 
inches apart and 11 inches apart in the rows 
the plants are thinned to one plant in a place. 
If three or four plants were left instead of 
investigations as to the best method of apply¬ 
ing manures may teach us how to use them 
with less risk of loss. In 1384 it will be seen 
that on several plots the liberal cross-dress¬ 
ings of nitrogen did more harm than good, 
while the small quantity on Plot 7 enabled 
the roots to appropriate an increased quantity 
of nitrogen from the soil, 
The application of superphosphate and sul¬ 
phate of potash on Plot 6 produced little if any 
benefit. And the fact that a cross-dressing of 
nitrate of soda on the No-Manure Plot greatly 
increased the yield, shows that the soil con- 
TABLE 8. MANGEL WURZELS. 
Series 1. 
First Season —1876. Seed dibbled, May 22-26. Crop taken up, Nov. 3-17. 
1. —Farm-yard manure (14 tons), . 
2. —Farm-yard manure (14 tons), and 3}4 cwt superphosphate, _ .... 
3. —Without mauure—1846, and since, " . 
4. —3la cwt superphosphate, 500 lb. sulphate potass, 200 lb. chloride sodium (common 
salt), 200 In. sulphate magnesia, ... 
5. —3V£ cwt, superphosphate, .. . 
6. —3x cwt. superphosphate. 500 lb. sulphate potass, . . 
7. —3 1 o cwt. superphosphate, 500 lb. sulphate potass, 86V£ lb. ammonia salts. 
8. —Uutnanured, 1853, and since; previously part unmanured, part superphosphate, 
9. -Farm-yard manure (14 tons), 8>a cwt. superphosphate, . 
Eighth Season— 1883. Seed dibbled, April 5. Crop taken up Nov. 2-10. 
1. —Farm-yard manure (14 tons), . 
2. —Farm-yard manure (14 tons), and 3>£ cwt. superphosphate, . 
3. —Without manure, 1846, and since, .... .... . 
4. —3J><( cwt. superphosphate, 500 lb. sulphate potass, 200 lb, chloride sodium (common 
salt), 200 lb. sulphate magnesia, .. .... . 
5. —cwt. superphosphate, ... ,. 
6. —3‘a cwt. superphosphate, 500 lb. sulphate potass,... 
7. —3 1 cwt. superphosphate, 500 lb. sulphate potass, 36)lb. ammonia salts, _ 
8. —Unmauuml, 1858, and since; previously part unmauured, part superphosphate, 
9. —Farmyard manure il4 tons), 3>£ cwt. superphosphate, . 
Ninth Season—18S4. 
Seed drilled, April 10, 11. Plot 9 dibbled April 12. Crop 
taken up October 29-31. 
1. —Farm-yard manure 114 tons), . 
2. —Farm-yard manure (14 tons), and 3% cwt. superphosphate, . 
3. —Without manure (1846. and since), . . 
4. —3)a' cwt. superphosphate, 500 lb. sulphate potass, 200 lb. chloride sodium (common 
salt), 200 lb. sulphate magnesia, . . 
5. -3)^ cwt. superphosphate, . 
6. —3)* cwt. superphosphate, 500 lb sulphate potass, . 
7. -3).^ cwt.. superphosphate, 500 lb. sulphate potass, 36>^ lb. ammonia salts, _ 
8. —Uumanured, 1853, and since; previously part unnianured, part superphosphate, 
9. —Farm-yard manure (14 tons), 3)4 cwt. superphosphate, . 
Series 2. 
As Series 1. and cross- 
dressed with 550 lbs. 
nitrate soda. 
Series 3. 
As Series 1, and cross- 
dressed with -100 lbs. 
ammonia salts. 
Series 4. 
As Series 1, and cross- 
dressed with 2,000 lbs. 
rape cake and 400 lbs. 
ammonia sabs. 
Series 5. 
As Series 1. and cross- 
dressed with 2,000 lbs. 
rape-cake 
Roots. 
Leaves. 
Roots. 
Leaves. 
Roots. 
Leaves. 
Roots. 
Leaves. 
Roots. 
Leaves. 
Tons. Cwt. 
Tons. Cwt. 
Tons. Cwt. 
Tons. Cwt. 
Tons. Cwt. 
Tons. Cwt. 
Tons. Cwt. 
Tons. Cwt. 
Tons. Cwt. 
Tens. Cwt. 
19 12 
4 9 
25 2 
7 5 
29 19 
7 
12 
31 9 
10 5 
24 9 
5 19 
19 13 
4 6 
27 13 
7 3 
29 8 
7 
10 
30 18 
9 16 
29 19 
6 12 
6 10 
1 14 
20 13 
5 12 
14 3 
4 
10 
19 19 
7 7 
17 4 
4 15 
8 8 
1 15 
25 1 
6 0 
19 19 
4 
9 
30 8 
8 13 
25 8 
5 10 
7 10 
1 14 
21 0 
5 14 
13 10 
5 
1 
17 2 
7 14 
17 17 
5 17 
6 16 
1 12 
21 2 
5 8 
17 15 
4 
13 
26 8 
9 0 
20 10 
5 4 
8 13 
2 3 
22 11 
5 14 
19 2 
5 
11 
27 2 
9 9 
20 12 
5 15 
5 9 
1 10 
15 16 
5 3 
11 17 
4 
16 
18 2 
7 11 
15 12 
4 18 
25 14 
7 
6 
— 
— 
— 
— 
22 12 
3 16 
27 5 
4 7 
24 6 
6 
3 
• 
33 5 
7 7 
33 5 
4 7 
IS 19 
2 16 
28 15 
5 2 
23 5 
6 
10 
32 14 
7 11 
31 2 
3 19 
4 18 
1 1 
18 14 
■ 4 2 
8 6 
4 
0 
13 3 
4 18 
13 13 
2 19 
5 15 
1 1 
23 15 
3 16 
19 18 
3 
2 
33 12 
5 15 
23 10 
3 2 
5 3 
0 18 
21 12 
3 10 
10 15 
3 
9 
14 12 
5 3 
16 4 
3 5 
4 6 
0 16 
21 1 
2 14 
19 4 
2 
17 
33 5 
6 9 
23 9 
2 13 
6 4 
1 1 
22 14 
2 19 
20 12 
2 
17 
33 4 
6 8 
24 17 
3 4 
4 6 
0 18 
17 0 
3 19 
7 11 
3 
0 
13 1 
4 15 
13 10 
4 1 
20 11 
5 
9 
15 19 
2 0 
26 14 
3 12 
22 3 
4 
13 
25 2 
4 3 
26 17 
3 0 
16 8 
2 0 
26 13 
4 3 
22 14 
4 
14 
23 3 
4 8 
25 14 
3 6 
5 11 
0 19 
7 5 
2 S 
5 15 
2 
9 
7 16 
2 15 
10 0 
2 18 
6 7 
1 1 
12 1 
2 19 
13 18 
3 
3 
23 19 
4 14 
19 7 
2 6 
5 19 
0 18 
5 17 
1 15 
4 14 
2 
12 
8 7 
3 5 
9 4 
3 0 
5 9 
0 15 
* 19 
1 7 
9 15 
3 
1 
21 13 
4 19 
17 15 
2 7 
7 9 
1 1 
3 3 
0 15 
8 0 
2 
2 
19 18 
4 6 
19 6 
2 12 
4 15 
0 16 
1 8 
0 18 
3 2 
1 
7 
7 8 
2 12 
7 4 
2 9 
” 
14 8 
3 
8 
— 
— 
— 
— 
Plot 3, which has been cropped every year 
since 1846 without, mauure, produced 6 tons 10 
cwt of mangels per acre in 1*76, and with the 
addition of uitrate of soda, which contains no 
phosphates, no potash, no lime, no magnesia, 
no sulphuric acid and no organic mixture, the 
yield is 20 tons 13 cwt. of roots and 5 tons 12 
cwt. of leaves per acre. 
On the same plot, continuously cropped 
every year with mangels without manure, we 
have, in 1883, a yield of nearly five tons of 
roots per acre, and with the addition of nitrato 
of soda, 18 tons 14 cwt. of roots and four tons 
two cwt. of loaves per acre. 
These are remarkable facts. This same 
plot 40 years before, would not, without phos¬ 
phate, produce a crop of turnips worth har¬ 
vesting, and clover cannot be grown in the 
adjoining field oftener than once iu eight or 
twelve years and even beans are not uufre¬ 
quently a comparative failure. Evidently, 
beets and mangel-wurzel have a groat capa¬ 
city for taking up plant-food. They are 
what farmers call “gross- feeders.” rt is, 
however, absolutely certain that they cannot 
get phosphoric acid, potash, etc., out of the 
soil unless they are in the soil. They cannot get 
these substances from the atmosphere aud 
they cannot grow without them. Clearly 
there is much more available mineral plant- 
food iu the soil than is usually supposed. The 
great increase of beets aud mangels produced 
year after year for so tunny yours demon¬ 
strates this fact. How long mangels can bo 
grown without a fresh supply of minerals in 
manure is an interesting question which these 
experiments will sooner or later answer. It 
may be thought, that the results iu 1884 have 
already answered this question. Certainly 
there is a great falling oil in the yield on plot 
3, crossed-dressed with nitrate. This plot 
produced nearly IS* 1 , tons of roots in 1.388,anil 
only 7)i tons in 1884; and on plot 5, with su¬ 
perphosphate and nitrate the yield is still less; 
and ou plot 6, with superphosphate, potash 
and nitrate, less still. Comparing plot 3, 
with plot 8, both with nitrate alone, it is seen 
that oue plot yields 7\ tons and the other loss 
than l l .j ton per acre Evidently something 
is wrong, but we must be careful not to corne 
to any hasty conclusion. 
Comparing Plot 4 with Plot 6 it will be seen 
that the addition of common salt and sulphate 
of magnesia great ly increases the yield. In or¬ 
dinary farm practice common salt is frequently 
found to be a very beneficial application to 
mangels. 
With barnyard manure and nitrate we 
plots in Series 2. The only difference is that 
the nitrogen in the nitrate of soda is in condi¬ 
tion to tie immediately taken up by the plants, 
while the anunouia must be converted into 
nitrate before the plants cau use it. This is 
a matter of great practical aud scientific im¬ 
portance and it is quite likely that these ex¬ 
periments when we are able to fully under¬ 
stand them,may throw much light on the sub¬ 
ject. 
For the time being we give the facts and 
leave the explanation to the future. 
These experiments show, what indeed we all 
know, that the preparation of the laud for 
the seed, the method of sowing so as to insure 
germination, aud the time and mode of apply¬ 
ing the fertilizers are matters of great im¬ 
portance, not only in practice but iu experi¬ 
mental investigations. 
Lawes & Gilbert cannot do everything 
and there is great need of experiments to de¬ 
termine the best method of applying man¬ 
ures. 
The records we have access to do not tell us 
how the manures were applied to the beets aud 
mangels. For Norfolk White Turnips the su¬ 
perphosphate and other miueral manures 
were mixed with clay-ashes and drilled in with 
the seed. In other words, the drill sowed the 
seed and the uiauure all at one operation— 
just as we now sow phosphate aud wheat with 
a wheat drill and fertilizer attachment. 
W T e should suppose that the beets and man¬ 
gels were sown m the same way. only that it is 
stated that the seed is “dibbled” 11 inches 
apart iu the rows. 
The cross-dressings of nitrate of soda, salts 
of ammonia aud rape-cake are sown broadcast. 
But whether after the laud is ridged or before 
is not stated. It seems probable that thesem- 
trogeuous manures are sown broadcast, before 
the Jaad is ridged. If so, the manures, when 
the laud is thrown up into ridges, would be 
direetly under the seed and plants, and, in a 
dry season, might prove injurious. In mak¬ 
ing experiments of this kind it is not an easy 
matter to apply all the manure to so roauy 
different plots in the best way. In ordinary 
farm practice we can use the manures iu any 
way desired, aud we ought to be able to get 
more profitable results than the experiments 
indicate. 
It has been asserted that if broad leaved 
plants have a small quantity of available 
nitrogen to give them a start, the leaves will 
get all the nitrogen they need from the at¬ 
mosphere. The experiences of practical agri¬ 
culture, as well as the experiments at Rotham- 
one, and the land was in good condition and 
kept well cultivated and hoed, what kind of a 
crop should we have? All the plants have the 
same food, but it will be found that one or 
two plants in each place or hill will get the 
start of the others. They will throw out more 
roots and take the food away from the other 
plants, aud in the end one mangel may be ten 
times as large as the others. So much for a 
good start. What it is that gives one plant a 
better hold of the soil than the others we may 
not know, but we can easily see that when one 
plant gets hold of the soil it does not let go. 
There is just as much food in the soil for one 
plant as another, but the stronger plant gets 
the lion’s share. 
On Plot 7 we have the same mineral manure 
as on Plot 6. But Plot 7 has, in addition, 36}£ 
pounds of arnmouia salts per acre. We do not 
know how the ammonia salts were applied. 
If we assuruethat the object of the experiment 
was to provide a small quantity of nitrogen 
near the seed, to give the plants a good start, 
it is to be regretted that nitrate of soda was 
not used instead of the ammonia salts, which, 
before the plant can take them up, must be 
converted into uitrate. Salts of ammonia, in 
a dry season, if applied near the seed, some¬ 
times prove injurious, but nitrate of soda is 
so readily diffused through the soil that a 
small quautity can be used iu direct contact 
with the seed with little danger. 
Taking the experiment as we find it, it 
would seem that this small dose of ammonia 
salts proves to be a profitable application to 
mangel-wurzel. In 1874 and 1875, the am- 
mouia salts were omitted, so that for the first 
crop of mangels in 1876 there could have been 
no accumulation of nitrogen in the soil from 
this source. And yet, it will be seen that in 
1876, this small quantity of ammonia salt pro¬ 
duced an increase of oue ton 17 cwt. of roots 
and II cwt. of leaves per acre—containing 
more nitrogen than was furnished in the ma¬ 
uure. In other words, this small dressing of 
ammonia salts gave the plauts a good start and 
enabled the roots to take up more nitrogen 
from the soil In 1SS0 the increase was 2) A 
tons of roots per acre. In 1884, the increase 
was two tons of roots per acre. The cross¬ 
dressings on Series 2 and Series3,contain eleven 
times as much nitrogen as the 38 1 a ' pounds of 
ammonia salts used on Plot 7, and though they 
produce a great increase in the crop, the in¬ 
crease is fai less than the supply of available 
nitrogen is capable of producing if the plants 
could take it up and.couvertJit.into|food. 
Theee results may welUead us to hope that 
tained, practically, an abundance of phos¬ 
phoric acid and potash. We may suppose, 
therefore, that if the 36) 7 pounds of ammo¬ 
nia salts had been used aloue, we should have 
obtained as great an increase as was the case 
when superphosphate and potash were added. 
If so, the use of a small quantity of available 
nitrogenous manure for mangels, properly ap¬ 
plied, would be very profitable in ordinary 
farm practice. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name 
and address of the writer to Insure attention. Before 
ashing a question, please see if it Is not answered In 
our advertising columns. Ash only a few questions at 
one time. Put questions on a separate pieee of paper.] 
SEEDS AND MANURING FOR A FARMER’S 
GARDEN. 
“Inquirer," East Essex, Conn .—A late 
Rural asks subscribers what special topics 
they wish to be handled in its columns another 
year. There is one line of information in 
which valuable aid could lie given to many 
readers who are not farmers or professional 
gardeners—po-sibly even to some who are— 
and which I have not yet seen treated in the 
compact form which would render it most 
serviceable. It is an exact list of the varieties 
of seed adapted to the use of one who works a 
garden strictly for family use, with the kind 
of manuring best suited to each and the 
amount of each seed oue should buy to secure 
a fair assortment for summer use. Such a 
list should be so constructed as to apply to 
varying soils. For example, oue has damp, 
clay soil: another rich loam; another (and 
this is my case) an exceedingly light soil, with 
a foundation of sand, porous iu the extreme 
aud so elevated as to give rapid drainage. 
From the multitude of varieties of corn, 
beans, tomatoes,cucumbers, melons, etc., etc., 
given in the seed catalogues, it is a bewilder- 
iug task to select what will grow to the best 
advantage, giving the sweetest and best qual¬ 
ities of fruit; just what manure or artificial 
fertilizer will produce the best results with 
each, and how much seed to purchase; “one 
p’k’t”.being such a variable quantity iu differ- 
