BULLETIN OF THE BUSSEY INSTITUTION. S71 
rye as well as in grass. But had I expended an equal outlay in 
compost made from peat-mud and stable-manure, or peat-mud and 
ashes, I have no doubt the immediate crop would have been more 
benefited and the land have received more permanent improvement. 
I have in one instance seen very striking effects produced by the 
use of saltpetre upon a light sandy soil, but the quantity used I 
could not learn any further than that it was much greater than the 
quantity to the acre used by me.” 
I have been assured, however, by Mr. J. H. Adams that in spite 
of its high cost he has found nitrate of potash a profitable manure 
in certain cases where the money value of a crop is large and the 
quality of the crop a matter of paramount importance — as in the 
production of high-grade tobacco,* for example. He tells me that 
he has grown super-excellent potatoes also, for table use, by means 
of nitrate of potash. It is worthy of enquiry, however, since the 
motive in both these instances is manifestly a wish to avoid the . 
hurtful effects of chlorides, whether a mixture of sulphate of pot- 
ash and nitrate of soda, of exceptionally high grades, might not 
answer the same purpose as nitrate of potash and at less cost. 
Mayer admits that brilliant results have been obtained by the use 
of nitrate of potash used as a manure, and he remarks (p. 129) 
that in Holland it has been found to be particularly useful in the 
cultivation of flower-bulbs, which are commonly grown in sandy 
soils. He suggests that the nitrate might probably be profitably 
employed for manuring flax also, and perhaps other crops that are 
cultivated in an extremely intensive manner. Reports of good 
results obtained by the use of saltpetre-waste will be found in Col- 
man’s ‘* Fourth Report of the Agriculture of Massachusetts,” pp. 
335-339. 
F.— Certain forms of silicate and humate of potash have approved 
themselves useful manures. 
In speaking of what is really known with regard to potassic fer- 
tilizers, Mayer urges that it is certain that plants can readily put 
to profit the potash which is contained in some of the less refrac- 
tory silicates that are found naturally in fertile soils. This view is 
manifestly supported by the extended experience of New Jersey 
farmers with their green-sand marls, accounts of which have re- 
peatedly been written — notably by Professor George H. Cook 
(Director of the New Jersey State Agricultural Experiment-Sta- 
* Mayer makes a similar remark on p. 348 of his memoir. 
