67

E.—sb

Additional Information. —Notes on the following points may be entered in the space below : (1) Date of sowing manure, (2) any peculiarity in appearance of the plots during summer, (3) character of the hay, (4) any peculiarities in the " making" of the hay on each plot, (5) any other information that may lead to a correct interpretation of the results. Experiments on Turnips and Swedes (1898). —Under Supervision of Mr. J. B. Campbell, B.Sc, Harris Institute, Preston. Twelve plots are required for each experiment. Each plot is to consist of one-tenth part of an acre. If the drills be made 27 in. apart, the area required will be contained in twelve drills 161 ft. 4 in. long, eight drills of a length 242 ft., or six drills 322 ft. Bin. long. Each plot must be divided into two —one-half to be dressed with dung of even quality at the rate of 12 tons per acre or 12 cwt. per half-plot. Special care must be taken to secure that the dunged plots receive exactly the same quantity and quality of dung. The land selected for the experiment should be of uniform character. It ought to be free from weeds, and it is desirable that it should be in somewhat poor condition. The previous cropping and treatment of the land all over the area set apart for experiment should have been the same. The plots are better to be all at some distance from fences or ditches, and no part of a head-land ought to be included in them. The drills should be made, if possible, to run directly across previously existing ridges to avoid any inequality caused by the previous ridging and furrowing. It is essential to the success of the experiment that the utmost care be taken in the application of the manures to the plots. All the artificial manures should be applied on a calm day. The best method is to empty the bags of manure on a sheet set down in the field close to the plots, and any lumps should then be carefully broken down. After the drills are opened and the dung applied to half of each plot, the artificial manures are to be sown broadcast over the whole plot, dunged and undunged alike, and the drills immediately covered. It will be advantageous to mix the manures, before sowing, with such a quantity of earth or sand (not lime or ashes) as will make the whole quantity equal for each plot, and such as will enable the sower to broadcast the manure at least twice uniformly over each. The artificial manures will be sent free of charge to the farmer making the experiment; he, however, will supply the farmyard manure from his own farm, free of charge. The farmer will be remunerated for time lost in weighing the farmyard manure and the crops. The empty bags are to be returned as soon as convenient, unwashed and unpaid, addressed to Superintendent of Experiments, County Council Farm, Longton Bridge Station (L. & V.8.). It would be advisable that the secretary or one or more members of the committee, society, or association applying for grants in aid of this experiment should be in attendance to assist the farmer in seeing that the measuring of the land, the sowing of the manures, and cutting and weighing of the crop be done accurately. All particulars of the experiment must' be entered on this sheet in the space provided, and, when the experiment is completed, sent to the Director of Technical Instruction, Agricultural Department, County Offices, Preston, to whom applications for grants in aid of this and other experiments should be made.

Kinds and Quantities of Bagged Manures Supplied.

* A quantity containing phosphate equal to that applied on Plot 2. t A quantity containing nitrogen equal to that applied on Plot 5. The County Council for the County Palatine of Lancaster. Experiment with Manures on Turnips and Swedes (1898). Name of Experimenter; Postal Address :

No. o: Plot. Kind of Manure. luantity per Acre. 1 2 3 4 5 6 No artificial manure. Superphosphate ... Bone flour Basic slag Superphosphate ... Nitrate of soda Superphosphate Sulphate of ammonia Superphosphate Nitrate of soda Sulphate of potash Superphosphate ... Sulphate of ammonia Sulphate of potash General mixture ... • *f 5 cwt. * 5 cwt. 1 ewt. 5 owt. t 5 cwt. 1 cwt. 1 cwt. 5 cwt. t 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 cwt. 5 cwt. 7 cwt. 9 cwt. it '" n ' • • No artificial manure.