376 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ocr., 1901. 
the seed is sown. If the soil is poor in nitrogen, an additional dressing of 54 Ib. 
to 1 ewt. of nitrate may be given when the plants are well above ground, anda 
further application of 1 ewt. when the stem growth is complete and the ears 
are beginning to form. It ix well, in order that the later dressings may haye 
their full effect, to broadcast the nitrate just before rain, which will dissolve it. 
For mangolds, superphosphate is essential, but it gives a poor return unless 
accompanied by a liberal dressing of about 4 ewt. of nitrate of soda to 3 ewt. 
of superphosphate. Twelve tons of stable manure, 4 cwt. basic slag, or 4 ewt. 
nitrate of soda give excellent results. One hundredweight of the nitrate should be 
sown at seed-time,and the remainder put on in successive dressings of 1 ewt. each. 
There is no fear of impoverishing the soil by the growth of heavy mangold 
crops with large dressings of artificials. On the contrary, the condition of the 
soil is raised —partly by the residue of unused manure, partly by the increased 
quantity of mangold rootlets left in the soil, and partly by the ploughing in of 
a more luxuriant crop of leaves or tops, so that the following grain crop is 
benefited by the raising of large mangold crops with liberal dressings. 
Turnips and swedes are gross feeders. They produce a great weight of material 
in a comparatively short space of time, and must therefore have within easy 
reach an abundant supply of readily available plant food. Swedes require a 
well-prepared soil in good condition, and in such a case nitrate of soda will prove 
a very profitable application. 
An experiment was made in England on bronze-topped swedes in a field 
of rather poor loam, manured with 20 loads per acre of farmyard manure 
with and without nitrate of soda, with the following results :-— 
Per Acre. 
Tons cwt, 
No artificial manure 0 xn na sy KO) : 
Half-cwt. nitrate of soda ... my pre Ome 
For potatoes, a large dressing of farmyard manure may be applied with 
advantage, but the dung must be supplemented with an application of a quiek- 
acting nitrogenous manure such as nitrate of soda, and with a little phosphate 
and potash. Sulphate of ammonia should not be used, as 1b causes the produe- 
tion of an undue proportion of small tubers. The manure must not be placed 
in direct contact with the sets, but should be applied some time before planting. 
The method employed by a large grower of potatoes is: 1; ewt. nitrate of soda 
and 23 ewt. of mineral superphosphate per acre sown in the drills or furrows, 
and the soil is then turned onto them with the drill plough, after which the 
ground is rolled, and the sets are planted over the fertilisers with about 4 inches 
of soil intervening. A top-dressing of 100 ewt. of nitrate per acre is applied 
when the plants are getting well away.. 
THE WIRE-WORM. 
Wherever it is noticed that the growth of wheat has been checked, and 
the presence of wire-worm is indicated by the loosening of the plants, remedial 
measures should at once be taken. These consist in top-dressing with a quick- 
acting fertiliser, breaking up and freshening the surface with the grass-harrow, 
and then firmly rolling it. ‘he freshly stirred earth being firmly pressed | 
round the plants assists the roots to get a fresh hold, and greatly aids the 
manurial application in renewing the growth. 
One hundredweight of nitrate of soda and two hundredweight of super 
phosphate, broken up and finely screened, and mixed just previous to spreading 
on the field, will be a suitable dressing per acre. The solubility of the nitrate 
rendering it immediately available, the effect is at once perceptible by the 
deep-green colour and vigorous growth of the plants, which are quickly brought 
