312 INFLUENCE OF MANURES ON MUTTON. 

stocking the eleven plots, two have died and six have been 
removed owing to ailment, while one other, although not 
removed, exhibited symptoms ia the last month of the 
experiments in 1900 that made it desirable to exclude it for 
that period from the calculations. In each case animals 
from the reserves fave been at once substituted for those 
that had to be removed. There is no intention of attempting 
to maintain that the sheep thrive as well under the confine- 
ment of these 3-acre plots as on a larger area with occasional] 
changes; all that is asserted is that the restricted feeding- 
range of the animals does not in any way interfere with 
health, and has but little influence on their growth. Of this 
ample proof is furnished by the reserve sheep, which have 
had practically unrestricted grazing ground, and yet they 
exhibit a gain that is but fractionally better than the animals 
on the best of the plots. | 
Manuring—The manures which have been applied to each 
plot from the beginning of the experiment up to the present 
time are specified in detail in Table I. The cost of the 
dressings applied since 1897 is calculated on the basis of 
the prices of that year. 
It will be seen that this season Plot 4, which in 1897 got 
5 cwt. of basic slag per acre, received a further dressing of 
an equal quantity of the same manure, so as to bring up the 
total application of phosphoric acid to 200 lbs. per acre, the 
amount originally given to Plot 3. On Plots 5, 7, 8, and 9 
the superphosphate, and on Plot to the dissolved bones, have 
been similarly repeated, while a supply of nitrogen equal in 
amount to that contained in the bones was given to Plot 9 
in the form of sulphate of ammonia. <A plot, No. 11, hitherto 
held in reserve, was added, and got basic slag at the rate of 
15 cwt. (300 lbs. of phosphoric acid) per acre. 
For 1900 the basic slag was applied onNovember oth, 1899, 
the superphosphate and dissolved bones on March 24th, 1900, 
and the sulphate of ammonia on April zoth of the same year. 
Sheep.—130 half-bred wedders (out of a Cheviot ewe by a 
Border Leicester ram) were purchased in the south of Scot- 
land, and reached the farm in the middle of May. They were 
fasted for a night, weighed, numbered, and divided into 
