was taken, and which shows a good deal of ‘ Tulip-root ’ this year too. 
The other portion of the same knoll, from which No. 2 was taken, 
had an application of town-manure before ploughing, and, though a 
few plants show the symptoms of ‘ Tulip-root,’ the general luxuriance 
is so good that a full crop is promised. The only other portion showing 
damage is where No. 8 was taken from (the portion not very well 
drained). It is not so bad as No. 1, and is now mending every day.” 
The following detailed note of experiment on special Oat-plants, 
also sent me by Mr. Elder on June 15th, shows that, at that date, 
the unmanured land was giving the most unhealthy crop ; that with 
steamed bone-flour came next; the plot treated with sulphate of 
ammonia had a number of unhealthy plants, but was better than what 
was unmanured ; and of the two others, both were doing very well on 
the whole, but that treated with the mixture of sulphates and 
phosphates was better than that treated with sulphate of potash 
alone. 
“ No. 1. Steamed Bone-flour , 3 civt. per acre , got very yellow for a 
while, but has now taken on a growth ; a number of unhealthy plants 
on this plot. 
“ No. 2. Sulphate of Potash, 55 per cent., 3 cwt. per acre, was always 
fresh and green, and not an unhealthy plant on the whole plot; it is 
now, however, losing growth a little. 
“No. 3. No manure, has always been the worst, having a great 
number of unhealthy plants, and a sickly yellow appearance. It is 
now mending a bit. 
“ No. 4. Sulphate of Ammonia, 1^ cwt. per acre , has also a number 
of unhealthy plants, though not so bad as No. 3. It has now taken 
on a luxuriant growth. 
“No. 5. Mixture applied to general crop without top-dressing 
after ” (the mixture consisted of about 2 parts of sulphate of potash, 
55 per cent. ; 3 parts of sulphate of ammonia, 25 per cent. ; and 
4 parts of phosphates, 48 per cent.) “ has been similar to No. 2 all 
spring, perhaps not quite so dark a green. Plants healthy, with few 
exceptions. Gives promise of being the largest crop of any of the 
plots.” 
On July 14th Mr. Elder, according to promise, wrote me a further 
report, and mentioned—“ ‘ Tulip-root ’ appears to be more widespread 
this year than ever, a very great deal of fine land between this and 
Edinburgh being infested, probably causing a loss of hundreds of acres 
of Oat-crops. 
With regard to his own farm, Mr. Elder mentioned that it was not 
free from this attack, but that he appeared to have lessened it very 
considerably on one field which suffered very badly two years ago, 
which now had a very fair crop; and also that he had a fair crop on 
