interest in looking over the results after such a lapse of time. When
this crop was growing, my father, a good practical farmer, but with
little faith in chemical manures, paid me a visit. We went to the
experimental wheat-field. The first two plots, 0 and 1, had been
dressed, the one with superphosphate, the other with potash, soda, and
magnesia. My father did not seem much impressed with this kind of
chemical manuring. Stepping to the next plot, where 14 tons of barn-yard
manure had been used, he remarked, “this is good, what have you here?”
“Never mind,” said I, “we have better crops farther on.”
The next plot, No. 3, was the one continuously unmanured. “I can beat
this myself,” said he, and passed on to the next. “This is better,” said
he, “what have you here?”
“Superphosphate and sulphate of ammonia.”
“Well, it is a good crop, and the straw is bright and stiff.”--It turned
out 30 bushels per acre, 63 lbs. to the bushel.
The next six plots had received very heavy dressings of ammonia-salts,
with superphosphate, potash, soda, and magnesia. He examined them with
the greatest interest. “What have you here?” he asked, while he was
examining 5_a_, which afterwards turned out 37¼ bushels per
acre. --“Potash, soda, epsom-salts, superphosphate, and ammonia--but it
is the ammonia that does the good.”
He passed to the next plot, and was very enthusiastic over it. “What
have you here?” --“Rape-cake and ammonia,” said I. --“It is a grand
crop,” said he, and after examining it with great interest, he passed to
the next, 6_a_. --“What have you here?” --“Ammonia,” said I; and at 6_b_
he asked the same question, and I replied “ammonia.” At 7_a_, the same
question and the same answer. Standing between 7_b_ and 8_a_, he was of
course struck with the difference in the crop; 8_a_ was left this year
without any manure, and though it had received a liberal supply of
mineral manures the year before, and minerals and ammonia-salts, and
rape-cake, the year previous, it only produced this year, 3½ bushels
more than the plot continuously unmanured. The contrast between the
wheat on this plot and the next one might well interest a practical
farmer. There was over 15 bushels per acre more wheat on the one plot
than on the other, and 1,581 lbs. more straw.
Passing to the next plot, he exclaimed “this is better, but not so
good as some that we have passed.” --“It has had a heavy dressing of
rape-cake,” said I, “equal to about 100 lbs. of ammonia per acre, and
the next plot was manured this year in the same way. The only difference
being that one had superphosphate and potash, soda, and magnesia, the
year before, while the other had superphosphate alone.” It turned out,
as you see from the table, that the potash, etc., only gave half a
bushel more wheat per acre the year it was used, and this year, with
2,000 lbs. of rape-cake on each plot, there is only a bushel per acre in
favor of the potash, soda, and magnesia.
The next plot, 9_b_, was also unmanured and was passed by my father
without comment. “Ah,” said he, on coming to the two next plots, 10_a_
and 10_b_, “this is better, what have you here?” --“_Nothing but
ammonia_,” said I, “and I wish you would tell me which is the best of
the two? Last year 10_b_ had a heavy dressing of minerals and
superphosphate with ammonia, and 10_a_ the same quantity of ammonia
alone, without superphosphate or other mineral manures. And this year
both plots have had a dressing of 400 lbs. each of ammonia-salts. Now,
which is the best--the plot that had superphosphate and minerals last
year, or the one without?” --“Well,” said he, “I can’t see any
difference. Both are good crops.”
You will see from the table, that the plot which had the superphosphate,
potash, etc., the year before, gives a peck _less_ wheat this year than
the other plot which had none. Practically, the yield is the same. There
is an increase of 13 bushels of wheat per acre--and this increase _is
clearly due to the ammonia-salts alone_.
The next plot was also a splendid crop.
“What have you here?”
“Superphosphate and ammonia.”
This plot (11_a_), turned out 35 bushels per acre. The next plot, with
phosphates and ammonia, was nearly as good. The next plot, with potash,
phosphates, and ammonia, equally good, but no better than 11_a_. There
was little or no benefit from the potash, except a little more _straw_.
The next plot was good and I did not wait for the question, but simply
said, “ammonia,” and the next “ammonia,” and the next “ammonia.”
--Standing still and looking at the wheat, my father asked, “Joe, where
can I get this ammonia?” He had previously been a little skeptical as to
the value of chemistry, and had not a high opinion of “book farmers,”
but that wheat-crop compelled him to admit “that perhaps, after all,
there might be some good in it.” At any rate, he wanted to know where
he could get ammonia. And, now, as then, every good farmer asks the same
question: “Where can I get ammonia?” Before we attempt to answer the
question, let us look at the next year’s experiments.--The following
is the results of the experiments the _seventh_ year, 1849-50.
Experiments at Rothamsted on the Growth of Wheat, Year After Year,
on the Same Land.
Table VII.--Manures and Produce; 7th Season, 1849-50. After the
Harvest of 1849 the Field Was Tile-Drained in Every Alternate Furrow,
2 to 3 Feet Deep. Manures and Seed (Red Cluster), Sown Autumn, 1849.
Manures
FM Farm-yard Manure.
P-A Pearl-ash.
S-A Soda-ash.
SMg Sulphate of Magnesia.
B-A Bone-ash.
SAc Sulphuric Acid. (Sp. gr. 1.7)
MAc Muriatic Acid.
SAm Sulphate of Ammonia.
MAm Muriate of Ammonia.
RC Rape-cake.
----+----------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| Manures per Acre. |
P +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----------------+-----+-----+----+
l | | | | | Superphosphate | | | |
o | | | | | of Lime. | | | |
t | | | | +-----+-----+-----+ | | |
s | FM | P-A | S-A | SMg | B-A | SAc | MAc | SAm | MAm | RC |
----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+
|Tons.|lbs. |lbs. |lbs. |lbs. |lbs. |lbs. |lbs. |lbs. |lbs.|
0 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 600 | 450 | .. | .. | .. | .. |
1 | .. | 600 | 400 | 200 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
2 | 14 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
3 |Unmanured. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | |
4 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 | .. | 200 | 300 | .. | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | |
5a | .. | 300 | 200 | 100 | 200 | 150 | .. | 250 | 250 | .. |
5b | .. | 300 | 200 | 100 | 200 | 150 | .. | 250 | 250 | .. |
6a | .. | 300 | 200 | 100 | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
6b | .. | *00 | 200 | 100 | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
7a | .. | 300 | 200 | 100 | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | 500|
7b | .. | 300 | 200 | 100 | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | 500|
| | | | | | | | | | |
8a | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
8b | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
9a | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
9b | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
10a | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
10b | .. | 300 | 200 | 100 | 200 | 150 | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | |
11a | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
11b | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
12a | .. | 300 | .. | .. | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
12b | .. | 300 | .. | .. | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
13a | .. | 300 | .. | .. | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
13b | .. | 300 | .. | .. | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
14a | .. | 300 | .. | .. | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
14b | .. | 300 | .. | .. | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | |
15a | .. | 300 | 200 | 100 | 200 | .. | 200 | 300 | .. | .. |
15b | .. | 300 | 200 | 100 | 200 | .. | 200 | 300 | .. | 500|
| | | | | | | | | | |
16a | .. | 300 | 200 | 100 | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
16b | .. | 300 | 200 | 100 | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
17a | .. | 300 | 200 | 100 | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
17b | .. | 300 | 200 | 100 | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
18a | .. | 300 | 200 | 100 | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
18b | .. | 300 | 200 | 100 | 200 | 150 | .. | 200 | 200 | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | |
19 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 | .. | 200 | 300 | .. | 500|
20 |Unmanured. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
21} | | | | | | | | | | |
22} |Mixture of the residue of most of the other manures. | .. |
----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+
Produce
Wt/Bu Weight per Bushel.
OC Offal Corn.
TC Total Corn.
S&C Straw and Chaff.
TP/C&S Total Produce (Corn and Straw.)
C Corn.
TP Total Produce.
OCD Offal Corn to 100 Dressed.
C100 Corn to 100 Straw.
----------------------------------+-----------------+----+----+----
| Increase per | | |
Produce per Acre, &c. | Acre By Manure. | | | P
--------------+----+----+----+----+-----+-----+-----+ | | l
Dressed Corn.| | | | | | | | | | o
--------+-----+ | | | TP | | | | | | t
Qty. |Wt/Bu| OC | TC |S&C |C&S | C | S&C | TP |OCD |C100| s
--------+-----+----+----+----+----+-----+-----+-----+----+----+----
Bu. Pks.|lbs. |lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs. |lbs. |lbs. | | |
19 1½ |60.8 | 42 |1220|2037|3257| 218| 318 | 536|3.5 |59.9| 0
.. .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 1
28 2 |61.9 | 98 |1861|3245|5106| 859|1526 | 2385|5.4 |57.3| 2
15 3¼ |60.6 | 44 |1002|1719|2721| .. | .. | .. |4.5 |58.2| 3
| | | | | | | | | | |
27 3 |61.2 | 87 |1785|3312|5097| 783|1593 | 2376|5.1 |53.9| 4
| | | | | | | | | | |
29 3½ |60.4 |171 |1974|4504|6478| 972|2785 | 3757|9.5 |43.8| 5a
30 3 |60.4 |160 |2018|4379|6397| 1016|2660 | 3676|8.6 |46.1| 5b
30 0½ |61.1 |119 |1960|3927|5887| 958|2208 | 3166|6.3 |49.9| 6a
29 3½ |61.3 |148 |1980|3959|5939| 978|2240 | 3218|8.0 |50.0| 6b
32 1 |61.0 |167 |2134|4485|6619| 1132|2766 | 3898|8.4 |47.9| 7a
32 0¼ |61.2 |150 |2112|4280|6392| 1110|2561 | 3671|7.6 |49.4| 7b
| | | | | | | | | | |
28 3 |61.1 |101 |1856|3407|5263| 854|1688 | 2542|5.5 |54.5| 8a
30 1 |61.0 |103 |1948|3591|5539| 946|1872 | 2818|5.6 |54.2| 8b
30 1½ |60.4 |118 |1951|3550|5501| 949|1831 | 2780|6.3 |55.0| 9a
27 2¾ |60.8 | 80 |1762|3165|4927| 760|1446 | 2206|4.7 |55.7| 9b
26 3¾ |60.2 |100 |1721|3089|4810| 719|1370 | 2089|6.1 |55.7| 10a
17 3¾ |61.1 | 76 |1171|1949|3120| 169| 230 | 399|6.8 |60.1| 10b
| | | | | | | | | | |
30 3¼ |61.0 |121 |2001|3806|5807| 999|2087 | 3086|6.4 |52.6| 11a
29 1½ |61.1 |145 |1940|3741|5681| 938|2022 | 2960|8.0 |51.9| 11b
29 3¾ |61.5 | 94 |1935|3921|5856| 933|2202 | 3135|5.1 |49.4| 12a
30 3¾ |61.4 |115 |2013|3905|5918| 1011|2186 | 3197|5.9 |51.5| 12b
31 3¾ |60.2 |105 |2027|4026|6053| 1025|2307 | 3332|5.4 |50.3| 13a
30 1½ |61.0 |111 |1964|4008|5972| 962|2289 | 3251|6.0 |49.0| 13b
31 1¾ |61.1 |102 |2023|4052|6075| 1021|2333 | 3354|5.3 |49.9| 14a
31 1½ |61.5 | 65 |1995|4015|6010| 993|2296 | 3289|3.2 |49.7| 14b
| | | | | | | | | | |
26 0¼ |61.5 | 90 |1693|3321|5014| 691|1602 | 2293|5.7 |51.0| 15a
30 3½ |61.0 | 59 |1942|3926|5868| 940|2207 | 3147|3.0 |49.5| 15b
| | | | | | | | | | |
33 2½ |60.3 |108 |2134|5103|7237| 1132|3384 | 4516|5.3 |41.8| 16a
33 3 |60.4 |122 |2159|4615|6774| 1157|2896 | 4053|6.0 |46.8| 16b
31 1 |61.2 | 73 |1985|4126|6111| 983|2407 | 3390|3.8 |48.1| 17a
29 2½ |61.5 |139 |1961|4034|5995| 959|2315 | 3274|7.7 |48.6| 17b
29 3¼ |61.2 |110 |1934|3927|5861| 932|2208 | 3140|6.1 |49.3| 18a
28 2½ |60.9 |103 |1845|3844|5689| 843|2125 | 2968|5.7 |48.0| 18b
| | | | | | | | | | |
29 0 |60.8 | 88 |1850|3527|5377| 848|1808 | 2656|4.9 |52.4| 19
14 0 |59.1 | 40 | 868|1639|2507| -134| -80 | -214|4.5 |53.0| 20
.. .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |}21
| | | | | | | | | | |}22
--------+---- +----+----+----+----+-----+-----+-----+----+----+----
The summer of 1850 was unusually cool and unfavorable for wheat. It will
be seen that on all the plots the yield of grain is considerably lower
than last year, with a greater growth of straw.
You will notice that 10_b_, which last year gave, with ammonia-salts
alone, 32¼ bushels, this year, with superphosphate, potash, soda, and
sulphate of magnesia, gives less than 18 bushels, while the adjoining
plot, dressed with ammonia, gives nearly 27 bushels. In other words, the
ammonia alone gives 9 bushels per acre more than this large dressing of
superphosphate, potash, etc.
On the three plots, 8_a_, 8_b_ and 9_a_, a dressing of ammonia-salts
alone gives in _each case_, a larger yield, both of grain and straw,
than the 14 tons of barn-yard manure on plot 2. And recollect that this
plot has now received 98 tons of manure in seven years.
“That,” said the Doctor, “is certainly a very remarkable fact.”
“It is so,” said the Deacon.
“But what of it?” asked the Squire, “even the Professor, here, does not
advise the use of ammonia-salts for wheat.”
“That is so,” said I, “but perhaps I am mistaken. Such facts as those
just given, though I have been acquainted with them for many years,
sometimes incline me to doubt the soundness of my conclusions. Still, on
the whole, I think I am right.”
“We all know,” said the Deacon, “that you have great respect for your
own opinions.”
“Never mind all that,” said the Doctor, “but tell us just what you think
on this subject.”
“In brief,” said I, “my opinion is this. We need ammonia for wheat. But
though ammonia-salts and nitrate of soda can often be used with decided
profit, yet I feel sure that we can get ammonia or nitrogen at a less
cost per lb. by buying bran, malt-roots, cotton-seed cake, and other
foods, and using them for the double purpose of feeding stock and making
manure.”
“I admit that such is the case,” said the Doctor, “but here is a plot of
land that has now had 14 tons of manure every year for seven years, and
yet there is a plot along side, dressed with ammonia-salts furnishing
less than half the ammonia contained in the 14 tons of manure, that
produces a better yield of wheat.”
“That,” said I, “is simply because the nitrogen in the manure is not in
an available condition. And the practical question is, how to make the
nitrogen in our manure more immediately available. It is one of the most
important questions which agricultural science is called upon to answer.
Until we get more light, I feel sure in saying that one of the best
methods is, to feed our animals on richer and more easily digested
food.”
The following table gives the results of the _eighth_ season of 1850-51.
Experiments at Rothamsted on the Growth of Wheat, Year After Year,
on the Same Land.
Table VIII.--Manures and Produce; 8th Season, 1850-51. Manures and
Seed (Red Cluster), Sown Autumn, 1850.
Manures
FM Farm-yard Manure.
WSC Cut Wheat-straw and Chaff.
CS Common Salt.
SP Sulphate of Potass.
S-A Soda-ash.
SMg Sulphate of Magnesia.
B-A Bone-ash.
SAc Sulphuric Acid. (Sp. gr. 1.7)
MAc Muriatic Acid.
SAm Sulphate of Ammonia.
MAm Muriate of Ammonia.
RC Rape-cake.
----+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| Manures per Acre. |
P +-----+----+------+----+----+----+---------------+----+----+----+
l | | | | | | | Superphosphate| | | |
o | | | | | | | of Lime. | | | |
t | | | | | | +----+----+-----+ | | |
s | FM |WSC | CS | SP |S-A |SMg |B-A |SAc | MAc |SAm |MAm | RC |
----+-----+----+------+----+----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+
|Tons.|lbs.| lbs. |lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs. |lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|
0 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |600 |450 | .. | .. | .. | .. |
1 | .. | .. | .. |600 |400 |200 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
2 | 14 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
3 |Unmanured.| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
4 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |200 | .. | 200 |400 | .. | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
5a | .. | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. |300 |300 | .. |
5b | .. | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. |300 |300 | .. |
6a | .. | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. |200 |200 | .. |
6b | .. | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. |200 |200 | .. |
7a | .. | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. |200 |200 |1000|
7b | .. | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. |200 |200 |1000|
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
8a | .. |5000| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
8b | .. | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. |100 |100 | .. |
9a | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |200 |200 | .. |
9b | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |200 |200 | .. |
10a | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |200 |200 | .. |
10b | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |200 |200 | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
11a | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |200 |150 | .. |200 |200 | .. |
11b | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |200 |150 | .. |200 |200 | .. |
12a | .. | .. | .. |200 |100 | .. |200 |150 | .. |200 |200 | .. |
12b | .. | .. | .. |200 |100 | .. |200 |150 | .. |200 |200 | .. |
13a | .. | .. | .. |300 | .. | .. |200 |150 | .. |200 |200 | .. |
13b | .. | .. | .. |300 | .. | .. |200 |150 | .. |200 |200 | .. |
14a | .. | .. | .. |200 | .. |100 |200 |150 | .. |200 |200 | .. |
14b | .. | .. | .. |200 | .. |100 |200 |150 | .. |200 |200 | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
15a | .. | .. | .. |200 |100 |100 |200 | .. | 200 |400 | .. | .. |
15b | .. | .. | .. |200 |100 |100 |200 | .. | 200 |400 | .. |500 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
16a | .. | .. |336[1]|200 |100 |100 |200 |150 | .. |300 |300 | .. |
16b | .. | .. | .. |200 |100 |100 |200 |150 | .. |300 |300 | .. |
17a | .. | .. | .. |200 |100 |100 |200 |150 | .. |200 |200 | .. |
17b | .. | .. | .. |200 |100 |100 |200 |150 | .. |200 |200 | .. |
18a | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |200 |200 | .. |
18b | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |200 |200 | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
19 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |200 | .. | 200 |300 | .. |500 |
20} | {| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
21} |Unmanured{| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
22} | {| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
----+----------+------+----+----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+
[Note 1: Top-dressed in March, 1851.]
Produce
Wt/Bu Weight per Bushel.
OC Offal Corn.
TC Total Corn.
S&C Straw and Chaff.
TP/C&S Total Produce (Corn and Straw).
C Corn.
S&C Straw and Chaff.
TP Total Produce.
OCD Offal Corn to 100 Dressed.
C100 Corn to 100 Straw.
----------------------------------+-------------------+----+----+---
| Increase per | | |
Produce per Acre, etc. | Acre By Manure | | | P
--------------+----+----+----+----+------+-----+------+ | | l
Dressed Corn.| | | | | | | | | | o
--------+-----+ | | | TP | | | | | | t
Qty. |Wt/Bu| OC | TC | S&C|C&S | C | S&C | TP |OCD |C100| s
--------+-----+----+----+----+----+------+-----+------+----+----+---
Bu. Pks.|lbs. |lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs. | | |
18 3½ |61.9 |125 |1296|1862|3158| 213 | 235| 448 |10.7|69.6| 0
18 1¼ |61.7 |124 |1251|1845|3096| 168 | 218| 386 |11.0|67.8| 1
29 2½ |63.6 |166 |2049|3094|5143| 966 | 1467| 2433 | 8.8|66.2| 2
15 3½ |61.1 |114 |1083|1627|2710| .. | .. | .. |11.8|66.6| 3
| | | | | | | | | | |
28 0½ |62.6 |159 |1919|2949|4868| 836 | 1322| 2158 | 9.0|65.1| 4
| | | | | | | | | | |
36 0 |63.3 |194 |2473|4131|6604| 1390 | 2504| 3894 | 8.6|59.9| 5a
37 3¾ |63.3 |213 |2611|4294|6905| 1528 | 2667| 4195 | 8.9|60.8| 5b
33 1¾ |63.3 |154 |2271|3624|5895| 1188 | 1997| 3185 | 7.2|62.6| 6a
31 0¼ |62.3 |189 |2119|3507|5626| 1036 | 1880| 2916 | 9.8|60.4| 6b
36 3½ |63.0 |201 |2524|4587|7111| 1441 | 2960| 4401 | 8.7|55.0| 7a
37 1½ |63.0 |178 |2532|4302|6834| 1449 | 2675| 4124 | 7.6|58.8| 7b
| | | | | | | | | | |
26 0¾ |62.8 |141 |1785|2769|4554| 702 | 1142| 1844 | 8.6|64.5| 8a
27 2¼ |62.6 |137 |1863|2830|4693| 780 | 1203| 1983 | 7.9|65.8| 8b
31 1½ |62.4 |182 |2142|3252|5394| 1059 | 1625| 2684 | 9.3|65.9| 9a
29 0¾ |62.0 |170 |1970|2942|4912| 887 | 1315| 2202 | 9.5|67.0| 9b
28 3½ |61.9 |179 |1966|3070|5036| 883 | 1443| 2326 |10.0|64.0|10a
28 2½ |62.5 |149 |1937|3048|4985| 854 | 1421| 2275 | 8.3|63.5|10b
| | | | | | | | | | |
32 2¾ |62.3 |181 |2216|3386|5602| 1133 | 1759| 2892 | 8.9|65.4|11a
31 2¾ |62.5 |181 |2163|3302|5465| 1080 | 1675| 2755 | 9.1|65.5|11b
32 3 |63.1 |165 |2234|3600|5834| 1151 | 1973| 3124 | 8.0|62.0|12a
32 2¼ |62.5 |166 |2203|3581|5784| 1120 | 1954| 3074 | 8.2|61.5|12b
30 2¾ |62.6 |180 |2102|3544|5646| 1019 | 1917| 2936 | 9.4|59.3|13a
30 3¼ |62.3 |160 |2083|3440|5523| 1000 | 1813| 2813 | 8.3|60.5|13b
31 0¼ |62.9 |168 |2120|3605|5725| 1037 | 1978| 3015 | 8.6|58.8|14a
31 0½ |62.8 |165 |2121|3537|5658| 1038 | 1910| 2948 | 8.4|59.9|14b
| | | | | | | | | |
27 0½ |62.7 |138 |1839|3041|4880| 756 | 1414| 2170 | 8.1|60.5|15a
30 2½ |62.9 |148 |2077|3432|5509| 994 | 1805| 2799 | 7.6|60.5|15b
| | | | | | | | | | |
36 3¼ |63.5 |161 |2499|4234|6733| 1416 | 2607| 4023 | 6.9|59.0|16a
36 2¾ |63.4 |176 |2501|4332|6833| 1418 | 2705| 4123 | 7.6|57.7|16b
31 3½ |63.3 |131 |2149|3597|5746| 1066 | 1970| 3036 | 6.5|59.7|17a
30 2¼ |63.1 |152 |2079|3406|5485| 996 | 1779| 2775 | 7.9|61.0|17b
30 3¼ |63.0 |139 |2083|3390|5473| 1000 | 1763| 2763 | 7.2|64.1|18a
31 0¾ |62.4 |143 |2090|3586|5676| 1007 | 1959| 2966 | 7.3|58.3|18b
| | | | | | | | | | |
30 1 |62.4 |144 |2031|3348|5379| 948 | 1721| 2669 | 7.7|60.7|19
14 1 |60.8 | 89 | 956|1609|2565| -127 | -18| -145 |10.2|59.4|20
| | | | | | | | | | |21}
17 3¼ |61.9 |127 |1232|1763|2995| 149 | 136| 285 |11.5|69.9|22}
--------+-----+----+----+----+----+------+-----+------+----+----+---
The plot continuously unmanured, gives about 16 bushels of wheat per
acre.
The plot with barn-yard manure, nearly 30 bushels per acre.
400 lbs. of ammonia-salts _alone_, on plot 9_a_, 31¼ bushels; on 9_b_,
29 bushels; on 10_a_ and 10_b_, nearly 29 bushels each. This is
remarkable uniformity.
400 lbs. ammonia-salts and a large quantity of mineral manures in
addition, on _twelve_ different plots, average not quite 32 bushels per
acre.
“The superphosphate and minerals,” said the Deacon, “do not seem to do
much good, that is a fact.”
You will notice that 336 lbs. of common salt was sown on plot 16_a_. It
does not seem to have done the slightest good. Where the salt was used,
there is 2 lbs. less grain and 98 lbs. less straw than on the adjoining
plot 16_b_, where no salt was used, but otherwise manured alike. It
would seem, however, that the quality of the grain was slightly improved
by the salt. The salt was sown in March as a top-dressing.
“It would have been better,” said the Deacon. “to have sown it in autumn
with the other manures.”
“The Deacon is right,” said I, “but it so happens that the next year and
the year after, the salt _was_ applied at the same time as the other
manures. It gave an increase of 94 lbs. of grain and 61 lbs. of straw in
1851, but the following year the same quantity of salt used on the same
plot did more harm than good.”
Before we leave the results of this year, it should be observed that on
8_a_, 5,000 lbs. of cut straw and chaff were used per acre. I do not
recollect seeing anything in regard to it. And yet the result was very
remarkable--so much so indeed, that it is a matter of regret that the
experiment was not repeated.
This 5,000 lbs. of straw and chaff gave an increase of more than 10
bushels per acre over the continuously unmanured plot.
“Good,” said the Deacon, “I have always told you that you
under-estimated the value of straw, especially in regard to its
_mechanical_ action.”
I did not reply to this remark of the good Deacon. I have never doubted
the good effects of anything that lightens up a clay soil and renders it
warmer and more porous. I suppose the great benefit derived from this
application of straw must be attributed to its ameliorating action on
the soil. The 5,000 lbs. of straw and chaff produced a crop within
nearly 3 bushels per acre of the plot manured every year with 14 tons of
barn-yard manure.
“I am surprised,” said the Doctor, “that salt did no good. I have seen
many instances in which it has had a wonderful effect on wheat.”
“Yes,” said I, “and our experienced friend, John Johnston, is very
decidedly of the opinion that its use is highly profitable. He sows a
barrel of salt per acre broadcast on the land at the time he sows his
wheat, and I have myself seen it produce a decided improvement in the
crop.”
We have now given the results of the first _eight_ years of the
experiments. From this time forward, the _same manures_ were used year
after year on the same plot.
The results are given in the accompanying tables for the following
twelve years--harvests for 1852-53-54-55-56-57-58-59-60-61-62 and 1863.
Such another set of experiments are not to be found in the world, and
they deserve and will receive the careful study of every intelligent
American farmer.
“I am with you there,” said the Deacon. “You seem to think that I do not
appreciate the labors of scientific men. I do. Such experiments as these
we are examining command the respect of every intelligent farmer. I may
not fully understand them, but I can see clearly enough that they are of
great value.”
Experiments at Rothamsted on the Growth of Wheat, Year After Year,
on the Same Land.
Table IX.--Manures per Acre per Annum (with the exceptions explained
in the Notes on p. 203), for 12 Years in succession--namely, for the
9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, and
20th Seasons: that is, for the crops of Harvests 1852- 53- 54- 55- 56-
57- 58- 59- 60- 61- 62 and 1863.*
Manures
FM Farm-yard Manure.
CS Common Salt.
SP Sulphate of Potass.[1]
SS Sulphate of Soda.[1]
SMg Sulphate of Magnesia.[1]
B-A Bone-ash.
SAc Sulphuric Acid. (Sp. gr. 1.7)
MAc Muriatic Acid.
SAm Sulphate of Ammonia.
MAm Muriate of Ammonia.
NS Nitrate of Soda.
RC Rape-cake.
--------+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| Manures per Acre per Annum for 12 Years, 1851-2 to |
| 1862-3 inclusive, except in the cases explained in the |
| Notes on p. 203. |
P +-----+-----+----+----+----+----+---------------+----+----+----+
l | | | | | | | Superphosphate| | | |
o | | | | | | | of Lime. | | | |
t | | | | | | +----+----+-----+ | | |
s | FM | CS | SP | SS |SMg |B-A |SAc |MAc | SAm |MAm | NS | RC |
--------+-----+-----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+
|Tons.| lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs. |lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|
0 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |600 |450 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
1 | .. | .. |600 |400 |200 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
2 | 14 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
3 |Unmanured | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
4 |Unmanured | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
5a | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
5b | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
6a | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | 100 |100 | .. | .. |
6b | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | 100 |100 | .. | .. |
7a | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. |
7b | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. |
8a | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | 300 |300 | .. | .. |
8b | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | 300 |300 | .. | .. |
[2] 9a | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | .. | .. |550 | .. |
[3] 9b | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |550 | .. |
10a | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. |
10b | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. |
11a | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. |
11b | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. |
12a | .. | .. | .. |550 | .. |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. |
12b | .. | .. | .. |550 | .. |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. |
13a | .. | .. |300 | .. | .. |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. |
13b | .. | .. |300 | .. | .. |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. |
14a | .. | .. | .. | .. |420 |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. |
14b | .. | .. | .. | .. |420 |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. |
15a | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 | .. |200 | 400 | .. | .. | .. |
15b | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 | .. |200 | 300 | .. | .. |500 |
16a | .. |336[4]|300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | 400 |400 | .. | .. |
16b | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | 400 |400 | .. | .. |
[5]{17a | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. |
{17b | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. |
[5]{18a | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
{18b | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
19 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |200 | .. |200 | 300 | .. | .. |500 |
20 |Unmanured | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
21 | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 | .. | .. | .. | .. |100 | .. | .. |
22 | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 | .. | .. | .. | 100 | .. | .. | .. |
--------+-----+-----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+
* For the particulars of the produce of each separate season,
see Tables X.-XXI. inclusive.
[Note 1: For the _16th and succeeding seasons_--the sulphate of
potass was reduced from 600 to 400 lbs. per acre per annum on Plot 1,
and from 300 to 200 lbs. on all the other Plots where it was used; the
sulphate of soda from 400 to 200 lbs. on Plot 1, to 100 lbs. on all
the Plots on which 200 lbs. had previously been applied, and from 550
to 336½ lbs. (two-thirds the amount) on Plots 12_a_ and 12_b_; and the
sulphate of magnesia from 420 to 280 lbs. (two-thirds the amount) on
Plots 14_a_ and 14_b_.]
[Note 2: _Plot 9a_--the sulphates of potass, soda, and magnesia,
and the superphosphate of lime, were applied in the 12th and
succeeding seasons, but not in the 9th, 10th, and 11th; and the amount
of nitrate of soda was for the 9th season only 475 lbs. per acre, and
for the 10th and 11th seasons only 275 lbs.]
[Note 3: _Plot 9b_--in the 9th season only 475 lbs. of nitrate of
soda were applied.]
[Note 4: _Common salt_--not applied after the 10th season.]
[Note 5: _Plots 17a and 17b, and 18a and 18b_--the manures on
these plots alternate: that is, Plots 17 were manured with
ammonia-salts in the 9th season; with the sulphates of potass, soda,
and magnesia, and superphosphate of lime, in the 10th; ammonia-salts
again in the 11th; the sulphates of potass, soda, and magnesia, and
superphosphate of lime, again in the 12th, and so on. Plots 18, on the
other hand, had the sulphates of potass, soda, and magnesia, and
superphosphate of lime, in the 9th season; ammonia-salts in the 10th,
and so on, alternately.]
Table X.--Produce of the 9th Season, 1851-2. Seed (Red Cluster)
sown November 7, 1851; Crop cut August 24, 1852.
Table XI.--Produce of the 10th Season, 1853. Seed (Red Rostock)
sown March 16; Crop cut September 10, and carted September 20, 1853.
Qty. Quantity.
Wt/Bu. Weight per Bushel.
TC Total Corn.
TP/C&S Total Produce (Corn and Straw).
-----+----------------------------||-----+----------------------------
| Produce per Acre, || | Produce per Acre,
| etc. (For the Manures || | etc. (For the Manures
P | see pp. 202 and 203.) || P | see pp. 202 and 203.)
l +----------------+-----+-----|| l +----------------+-----+-----
o | Dressed Corn. | | || o | Dressed Corn. | |
t +---------+------+ | TP || t +---------+------+ | TP
s | Qty. |Wt/Bu.| TC | C&S || s | Qty. |Wt/Bu.| TC | C&S
-----+---------+------+-----+-----||-----+---------+------+-----+-----
| Bu. Pks.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs.|| | Bu. Pks.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs.
0 | 15 0¾ | 55.8 | 919| 2625|| 0 | 9 0¾ | 49.1 | 599| 2406
1 | 13 1 | 56.9 | 825| 2322|| 1 | 6 1¾ | 46.1 | 404| 2036
2 | 27 2¼ | 58.2 | 1716| 5173|| 2 | 19 0½ | 51.1 | 1120| 4492
3 | 13 3¼ | 56.6 | 860| 2457|| 3 | 5 3¼ | 45.1 | 359| 1772
4 | 13 1¼ | 57.3 | 870| 2441|| 4 | 7 1 | 46.1 | 446| 2116
| | | | || | | | |
5a | 16 3 | 57.5 | 1038| 2941|| 5a | 10 0 | 48.9 | 587| 2538
5b | 17 0¼ | 57.3 | 1065| 3097|| 5b | 10 1 | 48.9 | 611| 2741
6a | 20 3 | 57.6 | 1288| 3869|| 6a | 16 3¼ | 51.8 | 978| 3755
6b | 20 3½ | 57.5 | 1300| 3904|| 6b | 19 1 | 51.8 | 1072| 3870
7a | 26 2½ | 56.0 | 1615| 5465|| 7a | 23 2½ | 52.2 | 1369| 5110
7b | 26 3¾ | 55.8 | 1613| 5415|| 7b | 23 2¼ | 51.1 | 1357| 5091
8a | 27 3½ | 55.9 | 1699| 5505|| 8a | 22 1¼ | 51.1 | 1346| 5312
8b | 27 0½ | 55.9 | 1651| 5423|| 8b | 24 2¼ | 51.1 | 1425| 5352
| | | | || | | | |
9a | 25 2 | 55.6 | 1591| 5305|| 9a | 11 1 | 47.7 | 691| 3090
9b | 24 1¾ | 55.3 | 1509| 4883|| 9b | 10 1¾ | 46.1 | 649| 2902
| | | | || | | | |
10a | 21 3½ | 55.9 | 1320| 4107|| 10a | 9 3¾ | 48.9 | 642| 2691
10b | 22 0¼ | 57.3 | 1343| 4162|| 10b | 15 2 | 49.8 | 896| 3578
11a | 24 0¾ | 55.6 | 1472| 4553|| 11a | 17 2 | 50.1 | 1015| 3539
11b | 22 1½ | 55.9 | 1387| 4299|| 11b | 18 2¾ | 51.1 | 1073| 3780
12a | 24 1¾ | 57.4 | 1503| 4760|| 12a | 22 0 | 52.0 | 1283| 4948
12b | 24 1¼ | 57.3 | 1492| 4721|| 12b | 23 3¼ | 51.1 | 1375| 5079
13a | 24 0 | 57.5 | 1480| 4702|| 13a | 22 1¼ | 52.1 | 1341| 5045
13b | 23 3¾ | 57.1 | 1476| 4765|| 13b | 23 2½ | 51.1 | 1396| 5308
14a | 24 1¾ | 56.9 | 1507| 5054|| 14a | 21 2 | 51.2 | 1322| 4793
14b | 25 0¼ | 56.7 | 1530| 5137|| 14b | 23 0¾ | 52.6 | 1347| 5108
| | | | || | | | |
15a | 23 1¼ | 57.4 | 1451| 4663|| 15a | 19 0 | 51.1 | 1143| 4504
15b | 25 0½ | 56.8 | 1520| 4941|| 15b | 23 2½ | 51.1 | 1351| 5107
| | | | || | | | |
16a | 28 3½ | 55.0 | 1794| 6471|| 16a | 24 1½ | 52.5 | 1496| 6400
16b | 28 0 | 54.5 | 1700| 6316|| 16b | 25 3¼ | 52.5 | 1537| 6556
| | | | || | | | |
17a | 25 2 | 56.5 | 1577| 5311|| 17a | 8 1¾ | 49.8 | 520| 2516
17b | 24 1½ | 56.9 | 1520| 4986|| 17b | 8 3¾ | 48.9 | 539| 2551
18a | 13 3 | 57.0 | 869| 2556|| 18a | 17 3¼ | 52.9 | 1111| 4496
18b | 14 3¾ | 56.7 | 921| 2685|| 18b | 20 3 | 52.1 | 1256| 5052
| | | | || | | | |
19 | 24 3¾ | 56.1 | 1582| 4979|| 19 | 19 1¼ | 52.6 | 1160| 4373
| | | | || | | | |
20 | 14 0¾ | 56.6 | 875| 2452|| 20 | 5 3¼ | 47.8 | 425| 2084
21 | 19 1¾ | 56.9 | 1177| 3285|| 21 | 12 3¾ | 50.4 | 753| 2934
22 | 19 2¼ | 55.9 | 1176| 3355|| 22 | 10 1 | 49.4 | 592| 2452
-----+---------+------+-----+-----||-----+---------+------+-----+-----
Table XII.--Produce of the 11th Season, 1853-4. Seed (Red Rostock)
sown November 12, 1853; Crop cut August 21, and carted August 31,
1854.
Table XIII.--Produce of the 12th Season, 1854-5. Seed (Red Rostock)
sown November 9, 1854; Crop cut August 26, and carted September 2,
1855.
Qty. Quantity.
Wt/Bu. Weight per Bushel.
TC Total Corn.
TP/C&S Total Produce (Corn and Straw).
-----+----------------------------||-----+----------------------------
| Produce per Acre, || | Produce per Acre,
| etc. (For the Manures || | etc. (For the Manures
P | see pp. 202 and 203.) || P | see pp. 202 and 203.)
l +----------------+-----+-----|| l +----------------+-----+-----
o | Dressed Corn. | | || o | Dressed Corn. | |
t +---------+------+ | TP || t +---------+------+ | TP
s | Qty. |Wt/Bu.| TC | C&S || s | Qty. |Wt/Bu.| TC | C&S
-----+---------+------+-----+-----||-----+---------+------+-----+-----
| Bu. Pks.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs.|| | Bu. Pks.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs.
0 | 26 1¾ | 61.0 | 1672| 3786|| 0 | 17 0 | 60.7 | 1096| 2822
1 | 24 1½ | 60.2 | 1529| 4060|| 1 | 18 2 | 60.5 | 1179| 3069
2 | 41 0½ | 62.5 | 2675| 7125|| 2 | 34 2½ | 62.0 | 2237| 6082
3 | 21 0¼ | 60.6 | 1359| 3496|| 3 | 17 0 | 59.2 | 1072| 2859
4 | 23 3½ | 61.1 | 1521| 3859|| 4 | 18 2½ | 59.5 | 1168| 3000
| | | | || | | | |
5a | 24 1½ | 61.0 | 1578| 4098|| 5a | 18 2 | 59.9 | 1157| 2976
5b | 24 0 | 61.6 | 1532| 4035|| 5b | 18 0½ | 60.1 | 1143| 2943
6a | 33 2¾ | 61.8 | 2186| 6031|| 6a | 27 3 | 60.3 | 1753| 4590
6b | 34 2¼ | 61.8 | 2239| 6294|| 6b | 28 1 | 60.9 | 1811| 4848
7a | 45 2¼ | 61.9 | 2950| 8553|| 7a | 32 2¾ | 59.4 | 2084| 5995
7b | 45 1½ | 61.8 | 2944| 8440|| 7b | 33 1¼ | 59.5 | 2138| 6296
8a | 47 1¾ | 61.4 | 3065| 9200|| 8a | 29 3 | 58.8 | 1909| 5747
8b | 49 2½ | 61.8 | 3208| 9325|| 8b | 33 0¾ | 58.7 | 2153| 6495
| | | | || | | | |
9a | 38 3 | 60.7 | 2456| 6598|| 9a | 29 2½ | 58.3 | 1932| 5878
9b | 38 3½ | 60.7 | 2480| 6723|| 9b | 25 1½ | 57.3 | 1605| 4817
| | | | || | | | |
10a | 34 1½ | 60.5 | 2211| 5808|| 10a | 19 3¾ | 57.1 | 1285| 3797
10b | 39 0¾ | 61.6 | 2535| 7003|| 10b | 28 0½ | 58.9 | 1805| 5073
11a | 44 2 | 61.1 | 2859| 8006|| 11a | 18 3 | 55.3 | 1210| 3694
11b | 43 0½ | 61.2 | 2756| 7776|| 11b | 24 2½ | 56.3 | 1580| 4733
12a | 45 3¼ | 62.2 | 2966| 8469|| 12a | 30 0¼ | 59.5 | 1940| 5478
12b | 45 1½ | 62.2 | 2939| 8412|| 12b | 33 2 | 60.2 | 2172| 6182
13a | 45 0½ | 62.2 | 2913| 8311|| 13a | 29 0 | 59.9 | 1924| 5427
13b | 43 3½ | 62.2 | 2858| 8403|| 13b | 32 2 | 60.4 | 2110| 5980
14a | 45 1¼ | 62.2 | 2946| 8498|| 14a | 29 3 | 60.0 | 1954| 5531
14b | 44 0½ | 62.2 | 2863| 8281|| 14b | 33 1¾ | 60.0 | 2158| 5161
| | | | || | | | |
15a | 43 1¼ | 62.1 | 2801| 7699|| 15a | 31 3¼ | 60.0 | 2030| 5855
15b | 43 1 | 62.4 | 2810| 8083|| 15b | 33 3 | 60.6 | 2193| 6415
| | | | || | | | |
16a | 49 2¼ | 61.7 | 3230| 9932|| 16a | 33 1¼ | 58.2 | 2100| 6634
16b | 50 0¾ | 61.7 | 3293| 9928|| 16 | 32 2 | 58.2 | 2115| 7106
| | | | || | | | |
17a | 45 3 | 62.1 | 2948| 8218|| 17a | 18 3¾ | 60.8 | 1227| 3203
17b | 42 2¼ | 62.2 | 2732| 7629|| 17b | 17 0½ | 60.3 | 1110| 2914
18a | 24 0 | 61.2 | 1526| 3944|| 18a | 32 3¾ | 60.9 | 2127| 6144
18b | 23 2¾ | 61.0 | 1511| 3888|| 18b | 33 1¾ | 60.8 | 2170| 6385
| | | | || | | | |
19 | 41 0¾ | 61.7 | 2666| 7343|| 19 | 30 0½ | 58.7 | 1967| 5818
| | | | || | | | |
20 | 22 3 | 60.8 | 1445| 3662|| 20 | 17 2½ | 61.1 | 1155| 2986
21 | 32 0½ | 61.2 | 2030| 5470|| 21 | 24 1¾ | 60.8 | 1533| 3952
22 | 31 3 | 61.0 | 1994| 5334|| 22 | 24 2½ | 60.1 | 1553| 4010
-----+---------+------+-----+-----||-----+---------+------+-----+-----
Table XIV.--Produce of the 13th Season, 1855-6. Seed (Red Rostock)
sown November 13, 1855; Crop cut August 26, and carted September 3,
1856.
Table XV.--Produce of the 14th Season, 1856-7. Seed (Red Rostock)
sown November 6, 1856; Crop cut August 13, and carted August 22, 1857.
Qty. Quantity.
Wt/Bu. Weight per Bushel.
TC Total Corn.
TP/C&S Total Produce (Corn and Straw).
-----+----------------------------||-----+----------------------------
| Produce per Acre, || | Produce per Acre,
| etc. (For the Manures || | etc. (For the Manures
P | see pp. 202 and 203.) || P | see pp. 202 and 203.)
l +----------------+-----+-----|| l +----------------+-----+-----
o | Dressed Corn. | | || o | Dressed Corn. | |
t +---------+------+ | TP || t +---------+------+ | TP
s | Qty. |Wt/Bu.| TC | C&S || s | Qty. |Wt/Bu.| TC | C&S
-----+---------+------+-----+-----||-----+---------+------+-----+-----
| Bu. Pks.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs.|| | Bu. Pks.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs.
0 | 18 1½ | 56.8 | 1179| 3148|| 0 | 18 2¼ | 59.0 | 1181| 2726
1 | 17 0¾ | 56.3 | 1102| 3035|| 1 | 17 2½ | 59.0 | 1118| 2650
2 | 36 1¼ | 58.6 | 2277| 6594|| 2 | 41 0¾ | 60.4 | 2587| 5910
3 | 14 2 | 54.3 | 892| 2450|| 3 | 19 3¾ | 58.3 | 1236| 2813
4 | 16 1½ | 55.5 | 1026| 2757|| 4 | 22 1¾ | 58.8 | 1386| 2958
| | | | || | | | |
5a | 18 3¼ | 56.5 | 1167| 3179|| 5a | 22 3¾ | 59.0 | 1409| 3026
5b | 20 1¼ | 56.2 | 1247| 3369|| 5b | 24 2¼ | 58.8 | 1512| 3247
6a | 27 1¼ | 58.2 | 1717| 4767|| 6a | 35 1½ | 59.9 | 2211| 4968
6b | 28 0½ | 58.5 | 1755| 4848|| 6b | 35 1¼ | 59.8 | 2193| 4950
7a | 37 1 | 58.0 | 2312| 6872|| 7a | 43 1¼ | 60.5 | 2782| 6462
7b | 36 2¼ | 57.6 | 2244| 6642|| 7b | 46 1½ | 60.3 | 2902| 6793
8a | 40 0½ | 56.8 | 2507| 7689|| 8a | 47 3 | 60.8 | 3058| 7355
8b | 37 3¾ | 57.1 | 2400| 7489|| 8b | 48 3¼ | 60.6 | 3129| 7579
| | | | || | | | |
9a | 32 1½ | 57.2 | 2019| 5894|| 9a | 43 3 | 60.1 | 2767| 6634
9b | 26 0 | 56.3 | 1679| 4831|| 9b | 36 0¾ | 58.0 | 2220| 5203
| | | | || | | | |
10a | 24 0¾ | 55.6 | 1505| 4323|| 10a | 29 0½ | 58.0 | 1816| 4208
10b | 27 2¾ | 57.2 | 1727| 4895|| 10b | 34 2 | 58.6 | 2185| 5060
11a | 31 3½ | 57.3 | 2001| 5518|| 11a | 39 0 | 58.5 | 2432| 5375
11b | 30 2½ | 57.5 | 1946| 5389|| 11b | 39 0¾ | 58.0 | 2397| 5317
12a | 33 3½ | 58.7 | 2102| 5949|| 12a | 43 3½ | 60.4 | 2747| 6394
12b | 32 3½ | 58.8 | 2079| 5804|| 12b | 43 2 | 60.4 | 2729| 6312
13a | 32 1¾ | 58.6 | 2036| 5779|| 13a | 42 3 | 60.6 | 2714| 6421
13b | 30 3¼ | 58.9 | 2008| 5659|| 13b | 43 2 | 60.5 | 2739| 6386
14a | 35 0¼ | 58.6 | 2195| 6397|| 14a | 43 3 | 60.5 | 2781| 6439
14b | 34 0¾ | 59.0 | 2162| 6279|| 14b | 42 3½ | 60.3 | 2699| 6351
| | | | || | | | |
15a | 30 0½ | 59.1 | 1923| 5444|| 15a | 42 1¼ | 60.4 | 2681| 6368
15b | 32 0 | 59.4 | 2045| 5797|| 15b | 44 1¾ | 60.0 | 2765| 6543
| | | | || | | | |
16a | 38 0½ | 58.5 | 2426| 7955|| 16a | 48 3¼ | 60.5 | 3131| 7814
16b | 37 3 | 58.7 | 2450| 7917|| 16b | 50 0 | 60.5 | 3194| 7897
| | | | || | | | |
17a | 31 2½ | 59.0 | 1983| 5541|| 17a | 26 2¾ | 59.1 | 1642| 3700
17b | 30 1½ | 59.1 | 1935| 5400|| 17b | 25 3¾ | 58.8 | 1583| 3523
18a | 17 3½ | 57.8 | 1140| 3152|| 18a | 41 0¼ | 59.7 | 2566| 6009
18b | 18 0 | 57.7 | 1131| 3069|| 18b | 40 0¼ | 59.8 | 2519| 5884
| | | | || | | | |
19 | 32 1 | 58.9 | 2059| 5621|| 19 | 41 2½ | 59.5 | 2600| 5793
| | | | || | | | |
20 | 17 0¾ | 57.7 | 1075| 2963|| 20 | 19 2¾ | 58.4 | 1213| 2777
21 | 22 1½ | 58.0 | 1398| 3927|| 21 | 24 0 | 60.6 | 1538| 3353
22 | 21 1¾ | 57.8 | 1351| 3849|| 22 | 23 0½ | 60.6 | 1491| 3298
-----+---------+------+-----+-----||-----+---------+------+-----+-----
Table XVI.--Produce of the 15th Season, 1857-8. Seed (Red Rostock)
sown November 3 and 11, 1857; Crop cut August 9, and carted August 20,
1858.
Table XVII.--Produce of the 16th Season, 1858-9. Seed (Red Rostock)
sown November 4, 1858; Crop cut August 4, and carted August 20, 1859.
Qty. Quantity.
Wt/Bu. Weight per Bushel.
TC Total Corn.
TP/C&S Total Produce (Corn and Straw).
-----+----------------------------||-----+----------------------------
| Produce per Acre, || | Produce per Acre,
| etc. (For the Manures || | etc. (For the Manures
P | see pp. 202 and 203.) || P | see pp. 202 and 203.)
l +----------------+-----+-----|| l +----------------+-----+-----
o | Dressed Corn. | | || o | Dressed Corn. | |
t +---------+------+ | TP || t +---------+------+ | TP
s | Qty. |Wt/Bu.| TC | C&S || s | Qty. |Wt/Bu.| TC | C&S
-----+---------+------+-----+-----||-----+---------+------+-----+-----
| Bu. Pks.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs.|| | Bu. Pks.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs.
0 | 20 3 | 61.2 | 1332| 3234|| 0 | 21 2¼ | 54.0 | 1254| 3564
1 | 16 1¼ | 60.7 | 1055| 2685|| 1 | 19 3 | 55.0 | 1189| 3489
2 | 38 3¼ | 62.6 | 2512| 6349|| 2 | 36 0¾ | 56.5 | 2263| 7073
3 | 18 0 | 60.4 | 1141| 2811|| 3 | 18 1¼ | 52.5 | 1051| 3226
4 | 19 0½ | 61.1 | 1206| 2879|| 4 | 19 0¾ | 55.0 | 1188| 3418
| | | | || | | | |
5a | 18 2¾ | 61.5 | 1187| 2719|| 5a | 20 2¼ | 56.0 | 1277| 3600
5b | 19 1 | 61.4 | 1227| 2870|| 5b | 20 2½ | 56.0 | 1273| 3666
6a | 28 2¼ | 62.1 | 1818| 4395|| 6a | 29 2½ | 56.5 | 1808| 5555
6b | 29 0½ | 62.1 | 1850| 4563|| 6b | 30 0½ | 56.5 | 1855| 5708
7a | 38 2¼ | 61.9 | 2450| 6415|| 7a | 34 2¾ | 55.9 | 2097| 6774
7b | 39 2¼ | 62.3 | 2530| 6622|| 7b | 34 2½ | 55.9 | 2089| 6892
8a | 41 3¾ | 61.8 | 2680| 7347|| 8a | 34 3¼ | 54.0 | 2068| 7421
8b | 41 3¼ | 61.7 | 2675| 7342|| 8b | 34 0¾ | 53.4 | 2007| 7604
| | | | || | | | |
9a | 37 2¼ | 60.8 | 2384| 6701|| 9a | 30 0 | 54.5 | 1806| 7076
9b | 23 2 | 58.8 | 1470| 4158|| 9b | 24 2¼ | 50.5 | 1412| 5002
| | | | || | | | |
10a | 22 3½ | 59.6 | 1439| 3569|| 10a | 18 3¾ | 51.5 | 1207| 3937
10b | 27 3 | 61.4 | 1775| 4390|| 10b | 25 2 | 52.5 | 1500| 4920
11a | 30 3½ | 60.5 | 1977| 4774|| 11a | 26 3½ | 51.4 | 1628| 5155
11b | 33 0¼ | 60.4 | 2099| 5117|| 11b | 27 3¼ | 51.3 | 1698| 5275
12a | 37 3¾ | 62.1 | 2437| 6100|| 12a | 34 2½ | 54.5 | 2060| 6610
12b | 37 0¾ | 62.1 | 2387| 6060|| 12b | 34 3½ | 54.8 | 2115| 6858
13a | 37 0¾ | 62.1 | 2384| 6077|| 13a | 34 0¾ | 55.0 | 2037| 6774
13b | 37 0¾ | 62.7 | 2397| 6074|| 13b | 34 3½ | 55.0 | 2087| 6894
14a | 37 3¼ | 62.1 | 2413| 6150|| 14a | 34 1¾ | 54.5 | 2054| 6817
14b | 38 1¼ | 62.0 | 2436| 6146|| 14b | 34 2¼ | 54.5 | 2074| 6774
| | | | || | | | |
15a | 35 1½ | 62.6 | 2285| 5800|| 15a | 34 0¾ | 55.0 | 2053| 6826
15b | 37 2 | 62.8 | 2436| 6134|| 15a | 35 0¼ | 55.0 | 2095| 7088
| | | | || | | | |
16a | 41 3 | 62.1 | 2702| 7499|| 16a | 34 3¾ | 52.6 | 2026| 7953
16b | 42 0½ | 62.1 | 2717| 7530|| 16b | 34 1¾ | 52.6 | 2005| 7798
| | | | || | | | |
17a | 33 1¼ | 62.5 | 2150| 5353|| 17a | 21 1¼ | 55.0 | 1247| 3730
17b | 33 3¼ | 62.5 | 2181| 5455|| 17b | 19 3 | 54.5 | 1168| 3541
18a | 22 3¾ | 62.3 | 1472| 3480|| 18a | 32 3¼ | 55.5 | 1973| 6506
18b | 20 2¾ | 62.4 | 1338| 3305|| 18b | 32 2 | 56.0 | 1980| 6630
| | | | || | | | |
19 | 33 1¼ | 62.5 | 2177| 5362|| 19 | 30 2 | 55.5 | 1903| 5926
| | | | || | | | |
20 | 17 0 | 60.3 | 1089| 2819|| 20 | 17 3¼ | 52.5 | 1039| 3256
21 | 24 1¾ | 61.5 | 1574| 3947|| 21 | 26 1½ | 54.0 | 1538| 4723
22 | 22 0 | 61.5 | 1412| 3592|| 22 | 24 0¾ | 55.0 | 1460| 4440
-----+---------+------+-----+-----||-----+---------+------+-----+-----
Table XVIII.--Produce of the 17th Season, 1859-60. Seed (Red Rostock)
sown November 17, 1859; Crop cut September 17 and 19, and carted
October 5, 1858.
Table XIX.--Produce of the 18th Season, 1860-1. Seed (Red Rostock)
sown November 5, 1860; Crop cut August 20, and carted August 27, 1861.
Qty. Quantity.
Wt/Bu. Weight per Bushel.
TC Total Corn.
TP/C&S Total Produce (Corn and Straw).
-----+----------------------------||-----+----------------------------
| Produce per Acre, || | Produce per Acre,
| etc. (For the Manures || | etc. (For the Manures
P | see pp. 202 and 203.) || P | see pp. 202 and 203.)
l +----------------+-----+-----|| l +----------------+-----+-----
o | Dressed Corn. | | || o | Dressed Corn. | |
t +---------+------+ | TP || t +---------+------+ | TP
s | Qty. |Wt/Bu.| TC | C&S || s | Qty. |Wt/Bu.| TC | C&S
-----+---------+------+-----+-----||-----+---------+------+-----+-----
| Bu. Pks.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs.|| | Bu. Pks.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs.
0 | 14 1¼ | 53.5 | 826| 2271|| 0 | 15 1½ | 57.6 | 1001| 2769
1 | 12 1¾ | 52.8 | 717| 2097|| 1 | 12 3¾ | 57.6 | 828| 2215
2 | 32 1¼ | 55.5 | 1864| 5304|| 2 | 34 3½ | 60.5 | 2202| 5303
3 | 12 3½ | 52.6 | 738| 2197|| 3 | 11 1¼ | 57.4 | 736| 1990
4 | 14 2 | 53.0 | 832| 2352|| 4 | 11 3½ | 58.0 | 863| 2193
| | | | || | | | |
5a | 15 2¾ | 54.0 | 903| 2483|| 5a | 15 1¾ | 59.1 | 1047| 2540
5b | 16 0½ | 53.1 | 935| 2595|| 5b | 15 1½ | 59.0 | 1082| 2692
6a | 21 0½ | 53.7 | 1210| 3393|| 6a | 27 1¼ | 59.5 | 1755| 4328
6b | 22 3¼ | 54.2 | 1326| 3719|| 6b | 27 3¼ | 59.4 | 1818| 4501
7a | 27 3½ | 54.3 | 1612| 4615|| 7a | 35 2¼ | 59.0 | 2263| 5764
7b | 27 2¼ | 54.3 | 1597| 4734|| 7b | 34 1¼ | 59.0 | 2183| 5738
8a | 30 3 | 52.8 | 1759| 5639|| 8a | 36 0 | 58.3 | 2290| 6203
8b | 31 2¾ | 52.3 | 1787| 5600|| 8b | 34 0¼ | 58.5 | 2190| 5985
| | | | || | | | |
9a | 32 2½ | 51.5 | 1858| 6635|| 9a | 33 3 | 56.8 | 2162| 6607
9b | 19 2¼ | 48.5 | 1155| 4285|| 9b | 13 3 | 53.9 | 909| 3079
| | | | || | | | |
10a | 15 0½ | 49.5 | 905| 3118|| 10a | 12 3½ | 55.0 | 854| 2784
10b | 18 2½ | 51.0 | 1060| 3420|| 10b | 15 3¾ | 55.5 | 1033| 3196
11a | 22 1½ | 51.0 | 1270| 3773|| 11a | 23 1¾ | 55.3 | 1455| 4032
11b | 22 1½ | 51.2 | 1307| 4000|| 11b | 25 0¾ | 55.8 | 1578| 4223
12a | 28 0½ | 53.4 | 1648| 4878|| 12a | 32 1¼ | 58.1 | 2009| 5201
12b | 26 2¼ | 53.5 | 1577| 4664|| 12b | 33 1¾ | 58.7 | 2144| 5481
13a | 26 0¾ | 54.3 | 1575| 4568|| 13a | 33 1¼ | 59.9 | 2168| 5486
13b | 27 0½ | 53.8 | 1600| 4637|| 13b | 35 0 | 60.0 | 2304| 5794
14a | 27 1½ | 53.7 | 1583| 4636|| 14a | 33 0¼ | 59.1 | 2125| 5502
14b | 27 0¼ | 53.2 | 1563| 4666|| 14b | 33 3¾ | 59.3 | 2173| 5476
| | | | || | | | |
15a | 25 1½ | 53.8 | 1510| 4387|| 15a | 34 1¾ | 60.0 | 2188| 5506
15b | 28 0 | 54.0 | 1614| 4704|| 15b | 34 3 | 60.2 | 2249| 5727
| | | | || | | | |
16a | 32 2 | 52.0 | 1856| 5973|| 16a | 36 1¾ | 58.0 | 2338| 6761
16b | 32 3 | 51.7 | 1889| 6096|| 16b | 37 2 | 58.6 | 2432| 6775
| | | | || | | | |
17a | 24 0¼ | 54.1 | 1409| 4109|| 17a | 19 1 | 59.3 | 1229| 2982
17b | 26 1½ | 54.3 | 1548| 4518|| 17b | 18 0¾ | 59.1 | 1166| 2829
18a | 15 1¼ | 54.5 | 929| 2649|| 18a | 32 1½ | 59.6 | 2650| 5144
18b | 16 1¼ | 54.6 | 963| 2706|| 18b | 33 1½ | 59.5 | 2122| 5446
| | | | || | | | |
19 | 24 0½ | 53.0 | 1435| 4178|| 19 | 32 2 | 58.8 | 2107| 5345
| | | | || | | | |
20 | 12 0¼ | 51.5 | 722| 2155|| 20 | 13 0½ | 57.9 | 872| 2340
21 | 15 2 | 52.5 | 893| 2639|| 21 | 16 1¾ | 58.2 | 1109| 2749
22 | 13 3¼ | 53.8 | 847| 2414|| 22 | 19 2¾ | 58.5 | 1306| 3263
-----+---------+------+-----+-----||-----+---------+------+-----+-----
Table XX.--Produce of the 19th Season, 1861-2. Seed (Red Rostock) sown
October 25, 1861; Crop cut August 29, and carted September 12, 1862.
Table XXI.--Produce of the 20th Season, 1862-3. Seed (Red Rostock)
sown November 17, 1862; Crop cut August 10, and carted August 18,
1863.
Qty. Quantity.
Wt/Bu. Weight per Bushel.
TC Total Corn.
TP/C&S Total Produce (Corn and Straw).
-----+----------------------------||-----+----------------------------
| Produce per Acre, || | Produce per Acre,
| etc. (For the Manures || | etc. (For the Manures
P | see pp. 202 and 203.) || P | see pp. 202 and 203.)
l +----------------+-----+-----|| l +----------------+-----+-----
o | Dressed Corn. | | || o | Dressed Corn. | |
t +---------+------+ | TP || t +---------+------+ | TP
s | Qty. |Wt/Bu.| TC | C&S || s | Qty. |Wt/Bu.| TC | C&S
-----+---------+------+-----+-----||-----+---------+------+-----+-----
| Bu. Pks.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs.|| | Bu. Pks.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs.
0 | 19 3½ | 58.5 | 1228| 3258|| 0 | 22 0½ | 62.6 | 1429| 3254
1 | 16 2¾ | 58.0 | 1024| 2772|| 1 | 20 3 | 62.8 | 1334| 3079
2 | 38 1½ | 61.0 | 2447| 6642|| 2 | 44 0 | 63.1 | 2886| 7165
3 | 16 0 | 57.8 | 996| 2709|| 3 | 17 1 | 62.7 | 1127| 2727
4 | 16 2½ | 58.5 | 1049| 2711|| 4 | 20 1 | 62.3 | 1303| 2957
| | | | || | | | |
5a | 17 3¾ | 59.0 | 1119| 2959|| 5a | 19 2½ | 63.0 | 1283| 2970
5b | 17 2½ | 59.0 | 1101| 2961|| 5b | 19 3 | 63.0 | 1296| 3064
6a | 27 2 | 59.5 | 1715| 4554|| 6a | 39 1½ | 62.3 | 2522| 6236
6b | 28 3¼ | 59.8 | 1797| 4897|| 6b | 39 3 | 62.3 | 2534| 6250
7a | 35 2¼ | 59.3 | 2200| 6106|| 7a | 53 1¼ | 62.6 | 3477| 9330
7b | 36 0¾ | 59.5 | 2265| 6178|| 7b | 54 0 | 62.5 | 3507| 9385
8a | 39 3 | 59.2 | 2477| 7200|| 8a | 56 2¼ | 62.3 | 3668|10383
8b | 39 0½ | 59.0 | 2452| 7087|| 8b | 54 3¼ | 62.3 | 3559|10048
| | | | || | | | |
9a | 43 1¾ | 59.5 | 2688| 8738|| 9a | 55 2¼ | 62.1 | 3576| 9888
9b | 25 3½ | 56.3 | 1641| 4897|| 9b | 41 1¾ | 62.5 | 2723| 6920
| | | | || | | | |
10a | 23 0¼ | 56.5 | 1457| 4050|| 10a | 39 0½ | 62.6 | 2587| 6068
10b | 24 3¼ | 57.5 | 1600| 4443|| 10b | 43 2¼ | 62.8 | 2858| 6914
11a | 26 2¾ | 58.0 | 1706| 4548|| 11a | 45 0 | 62.5 | 2979| 7212
11b | 27 0¼ | 58.0 | 1734| 4607|| 11b | 46 2 | 62.1 | 3060| 7519
12a | 34 1¼ | 58.0 | 2096| 5745|| 12a | 54 2¾ | 62.1 | 3533| 8976
12b | 33 0¾ | 58.0 | 2025| 5634|| 12b | 53 1 | 62.2 | 3454| 8819
13a | 31 3¾ | 58.0 | 1953| 5542|| 13a | 53 1 | 62.6 | 3453| 9192
13b | 32 2¾ | 58.0 | 2019| 5691|| 13b | 53 1¼ | 62.5 | 3439| 9238
14a | 30 1¾ | 58.0 | 1886| 5283|| 14a | 54 1¾ | 62.5 | 3527| 8986
14b | 32 0¼ | 58.1 | 2008| 5558|| 14b | 53 1¾ | 62.5 | 3450| 8749
| | | | || | | | |
15a | 30 1¾ | 58.3 | 1872| 5268|| 15a | 48 1¼ | 62.5 | 3114| 8276
15b | 32 2¾ | 58.3 | 2029| 5787|| 15b | 48 0 | 62.9 | 3127| 8240
| | | | || | | | |
16a | 36 1¼ | 58.0 | 2225| 6752|| 16a | 56 2¾ | 62.4 | 3710|10717
16b | 36 0½ | 57.5 | 2233| 6730|| 16b | 55 0¼ | 62.3 | 3607|10332
| | | | || | | | |
17a | 27 3½ | 58.1 | 1747| 4827|| 17a | 21 0½ | 62.8 | 1370| 3288
17b | 27 2¼ | 58.1 | 1685| 4762|| 17b | 21 1½ | 62.8 | 1389| 3292
18a | 18 1½ | 58.5 | 1168| 3161|| 18a | 46 1½ | 62.6 | 3006| 7889
18b | 18 2¾ | 58.5 | 1195| 3335|| 18b | 46 0¾ | 62.8 | 3009| 7737
| | | | || | | | |
19 | 23 1½ | 57.2 | 1479| 4132|| 19 | 46 2¾ | 62.9 | 3054| 7577
| | | | || | | | |
20 | 12 1½ | 57.3 | 818| 2335|| 20 | 17 2¾ | 62.5 | 1137| 2609
21 | 20 1½ | 58.1 | 1273| 3465|| 21 | 27 2½ | 62.5 | 1796| 4279
22 | 20 0¼ | 58.0 | 1250| 3430|| 22 | 29 3 | 62.4 | 1907| 4599
-----+---------+------+-----+-----||-----+---------+------+-----+-----
The _ninth_ season (1851-2), was unusually cold in June and wet in
August. It will be seen that the wheat, both in quantity and quality, is
the poorest since the commencement of the experiments. The unmanured
plot gave less than 14 bushels of dressed grain per acre; the plot with
barn-yard manure, less than 28 bushels, and the best yield in the whole
series was not quite 29 bushels per acre, and only weighed 55 lbs. per
bushel. On the same plot, the year before, with precisely the same
manure, the yield was nearly 37 bushels per acre, and the weight per
bushel, 63½ lbs. So much for a favorable and an unfavorable season.
The _tenth_ season (1852-3), was still more unfavorable. The autumn of
1852 was so wet that it was impossible to work the land and sow the
wheat until the 16th of March 1853.
You will see that the produce on the unmanured plot was less than 6
bushels per acre. With barn-yard manure, 19 bushels, and with a heavy
dressing of ammonia-salts and minerals, not quite 26 bushels per acre.
With a heavy dressing of superphosphate, not quite 9¼ bushels per acre,
and with a full dressing of mixed mineral manures and superphosphate, 10
bushels per acre.
The weight per bushel on the unmanured plot was 45 lbs.; with mixed
mineral manures, 48½ lbs.; with ammonia-salts alone, 48½ lbs.; with
barn-yard manure, 51 lbs.; and with ammonia-salts and mixed mineral
manures, 52¼ lbs.
Farmers are greatly dependent on the season, but the good farmer, who
keeps up the fertility of his land stands a better chance of making
money (or of losing less), than the farmer who depends on the unaided
products of the soil. The one gets 6 bushels per acre, and 1,413 lbs. of
straw of very inferior quality; the other gets 20 to 26 bushels per
acre, and 5,000 lbs. of straw. And you must recollect that in an
unfavorable season we are pretty certain to get high prices.
The _eleventh_ season (1853-4,) gives us much more attractive-looking
figures! We have over 21 bushels per acre on the plot which has grown
eleven crops of wheat in eleven years without any manure.
With barn-yard manure, over 41 bushels per acre. With ammonia-salts
alone (17_a_), 45¾ bushels. With ammonia-salts and mixed minerals,
(16_b_), over 50 bushels per acre, and 6,635 lbs. of straw. A total
produce of nearly 5½ tons per acre.
The _twelfth_ season (1854-5), gives us 17 bushels of wheat per acre on
the continuously unmanured plot. Over 34½ bushels on the plot manured
with barn-yard manure. And I think, for the first time since the
commencement of the experiments, this plot produces the largest yield of
any plot in the field. And well it may, for it has now had, in twelve
years, 168 tons of barn-yard manure per acre!
Several of the plots with ammonia-salts and mixed minerals, are nearly
up to it in grain, and ahead of it in straw.
The _thirteenth_ season (1855-6), gives 14½ bushels on the unmanured
plot; over 36¼ bushels on the plot manured with barn-yard manure; and
over 40 bushels on 8_a_, dressed with 600 lbs. ammonia-salts and mixed
mineral manures. It will be noticed that 800 lbs. ammonia-salts does not
give quite as large a yield this year as 600 lbs. I suppose 40 bushels
per acre was all that the _season_ was capable of producing, and an
extra quantity of ammonia did no good. 400 lbs. of ammonia-salts, on
7_a_, produced 37¼ bushels per acre, and 800 lbs. on 16_b_, only 37¾
bushels. That extra half bushel of wheat was produced at considerable
cost.
The _fourteenth_ season (1856-7), gives 20 bushels per acre on the
unmanured plot, and 41 bushels on the plot with barn-yard manure. Mixed
mineral manures alone on 5_a_ gives nearly 23 bushels per acre. Mixed
mineral manures and 200 lbs. ammonia-salts, on 6_a_, give 35¼ bushels.
In other words the ammonia gives us over 12 extra bushels of wheat, and
1,140 lbs. of straw. Mineral manures and 400 lbs. ammonia-salts, on
7_b_, give 46¼ bushels per acre. Mineral manures and 600 lbs.
ammonia-salts, on 8_b_, give nearly 49 bushels per acre. Mineral manures
and 800 lbs. of ammonia-salts, on 16_b_, give 50 bushels per acre, and
4,703 lbs. of straw.
“This exceedingly heavy manuring,” said the Deacon, “does not pay. For
instance,
“200 lbs. ammonia-salts give an increase of 12¼ bushels per acre.
400 ” ” ” ” 23¼ ” ”
600 ” ” ” ” 26 ” ”
800 ” ” ” ” 27 ” ”
The Deacon is right, and Mr. Lawes and Dr. Gilbert call especial
attention to this point. The 200 lbs. of ammonia-salts contain about 50
lbs. of ammonia, and the 400 lbs., 100 lbs. of ammonia. And as I have
said, 100 lbs. of ammonia per acre is an unusually heavy dressing. It is
as much ammonia as is contained in 1,000 lbs. of average Peruvian guano.
We will recur to this subject.
The _fifteenth_ season (1857-8,) gives a yield of 18 bushels of wheat
per acre on the continuously unmanured plot, and nearly 39 bushels on
the plot continuously manured with 14 tons of barnyard manure. Mixed
mineral manures on 5_a_ and 5_b_, give a mean yield of less than 19
bushels per acre.
Mixed mineral manures and 100 lbs. ammonia-salts, on plots 21 and 22,
give 23¼ bushels per acre. In other words:
25 lbs. ammonia, gives an _increase_ of 4¼ bush.
(100 lbs. ammonia-salts)
50 ” ” , ” ” ” ” 10 ”
(200 ” ” ” )
100 ” ” , ” ” ” ” 20 ”
(400 ” ” ” )
150 ” ” , ” ” ” ” 23 ”
(600 ” ” ” )
200 ” ” , ” ” ” ” 23 ”
(800 ” ” ” )
“It takes,” said the Deacon, “about 5 lbs. of ammonia to produce a
bushel of wheat. And according to this, 500 lbs. of Peruvian guano,
guaranteed to contain 10 per cent of ammonia, would give an increase of
10 bushels of wheat.”
“This is a very interesting matter,” said I, “but we will not discuss it
at present. Let us continue the examination of the subject. I do not
propose to make many remarks on the tables. You must study them for
yourself. I have spent hours and days and weeks making and pondering
over these tables. The more you study them the more interesting and
instructive they become.”
The _sixteenth_ season (1858-9), gives us a little over 18¼ bushels on
the unmanured plot. On the plot manured with 14 tons farmyard manure,
36¼ bushels; and this is the highest yield this season in the
wheat-field. Mixed mineral manures alone, (mean of plot 5_a_ and 5_b_),
give 20½ bushels.
25 lbs. ammonia (100 lbs. ammonia-salts), and mixed minerals, give 25¼
bushels, or an _increase_ over minerals alone of 4¾ bushels.
50 lbs. ammonia, an increase of 9¼ bushels.
100 ” ” ” ” ” 14 ”
150 ” ” ” ” ” 14 ”
200 ” ” ” ” ” 14¼ ”
The season was an unfavorable one for excessive manuring. It was too wet
and the crops of wheat when highly manured were much laid. The quality
of the grain was inferior, as will be seen from the light weight per
bushel.
The _seventeenth_ season (1859-60,) gives less than 13 bushels per acre
on the unmanured plot; and 32¼ bushels on the plot manured with 14 tons
farm-yard manure. This season (1860), was a miserable year for wheat in
England. It was both cold and wet. Mixed mineral manures, on plots 5_a_
and 5_b_, gave nearly 16 bushels per acre. 25 lbs. ammonia, in addition
to the above, gave less than 15 bushels. In other words it gave no
_increase_ at all.
50 lbs. ammonia, gave an _increase_ of 6 bushels.
100 ” ” ” ” ” ” 11¾ ”
150 ” ” ” ” ” ” 15¼ ”
200 ” ” ” ” ” ” 16¾ ”
It was a poor year for the wheat-grower, and that, whether he manured
excessively, liberally, moderately, or not at all.
“I do not quite see that,” said the Deacon, “the farm-yard manure gave
an _increase_ of nearly 20 bushels per acre. And the quality of the
grain must have been much better, as it weighed 3½ lbs. per bushel more
than the plot unmanured. If the wheat doubled in price, as it ought to
do in such a poor year, I do not see but that the good farmer who had in
previous years made his land rich, would come out ahead.”
“Good for the Deacon,” said I. “‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’” If
the Deacon continues to study these experiments much longer, we shall
have him advocating chemical manures and high farming!
The _eighteenth_ season (1860-1,) gave less than 11½ bushels per acre on
the unmanured plot; and nearly 35 bushels on the manured plot.
The mixed mineral manures, gave nearly 15½ bushels.
” ” ” and 25 lbs. ammonia 18¼ ”
” ” ” ” 50 ” ” 27¾ ”
” ” ” ” 100 ” ” 35 ”
” ” ” ” 150 ” ” 35 ”
” ” ” ” 200 ” ” 37 ”
The _nineteenth_ season (1861-2,) gave 16 bushels per acre on the
unmanured plot, and over 38¼ bushels on the plot manured with farm-yard
manure.
Mixed mineral manures, gave nearly 18 bushels per acre.
” ” ” and 25 lbs. ammonia 20¼ ” ”
” ” ” ” 50 ” ” 28¼ ” ”
” ” ” ” 100 ” ” 36 ” ”
” ” ” ” 150 ” ” 39½ ” ”
” ” ” ” 200 ” ” 36¼ ” ”
The _twentieth_ season (1862-3), gave 17¼ bushels on the unmanured plot,
and 44 bushels per acre on the manured plot.
Mixed mineral manures alone gave 19¾ bushels per acre.
” ” ” and 25 lbs. ammonia 28¾ ” ”
” ” ” ” 50 ” ” 39¾ ” ”
” ” ” ” 100 ” ” 53¾ ” ”
” ” ” ” 150 ” ” 55¾ ” ”
” ” ” ” 200 ” ” 56 ” ”
When we consider that this is the twentieth wheat-crop in succession on
the same land, these figures are certainly remarkable.
“They are so,” said the Deacon, “and what to me is the most surprising
thing about the whole matter is, that the plot which has had no manure
of any kind for 25 years, and has grown 20 wheat-crops in 20 successive
years, should still produce a crop of wheat of 17¼ bushels per acre.
Many of our farmers do not average 10 bushels per acre. Mr. Lawes must
either have very good land, or else the climate of England is better
adapted for wheat-growing than Western New York.”
“I do not think,” said I, “that Mr. Lawes’ land is any better than yours
or mine; and I do not think the climate of England is any more favorable
for growing wheat without manure than our climate. If there is any
difference it is in our favor.”
“Why, then,” asked the Doctor, “do we not grow as much wheat per acre as
Mr. Lawes gets from his continuously unmanured plot?”
This is a question not difficult to answer.
1st. _We grow too many weeds._ Mr. Lawes plowed the land twice every
year; and the crop was hoed once or twice in the spring to kill the
weeds.
2d. We do not half work our heavy land. We do not plow it enough--do not
cultivate, harrow, and roll enough. I have put wheat in on my own farm,
and have seen others do the same thing, when the drill on the clay-spots
could not deposit the seed an inch deep. There is “plant-food” enough in
these “clay-spots” to give 17 bushels of wheat per acre--or perhaps 40
bushels--but we shall not get ten bushels. The wheat will not come up
until late in the autumn--the plants will be weak and thin on the
ground; and if they escape the winter they will not get a fair hold of
the ground until April or May. You know the result. The straw is full of
sap, and is almost sure to rust; the grain shrinks up, and we harvest
the crop, not because it is worth the labor, but because we cannot cut
the wheat with a machine on the better parts of the field without
cutting these poor spots also. An acre or two of poor spots pull down
the average yield of the field below the average of Mr. Lawes’
well-worked but unmanured land.
3d. Much of our wheat is seriously injured by stagnant water _in the
soil_, and standing water on the surface. I think we may safely say that
one-third the wheat-crop of this county (Monroe Co., N.Y.), is lost for
want of better tillage and better draining--and yet we think we have as
good wheat-land and are as good farmers as can be found in this country
or any other!
Unless we drain land, where drainage is needed, and unless we work land
thoroughly that needs working, and unless we kill the weeds or check
their excessive growth, it is poor economy to sow expensive manures on
our wheat-crops.
But I do not think there is much danger of our falling into this error.
The farmers who try artificial manures are the men who usually take the
greatest pains to make the best and most manure from the animals kept on
the farm. They know what manures cost and what they are worth. As a
rule, too, such men are good farmers, and endeavor to work their land
thoroughly and keep it clean. When this is the case, there can be little
doubt that we can often use artificial manures to great advantage.
“You say,” said the Deacon, who had been looking over the tables while I
was talking, “that mixed mineral manures and 50 lbs. of ammonia give 39¾
bushels per acre. Now these mixed mineral manures contain potash, soda,
magnesia, and superphosphate. And I see where superphosphate was used
without any potash, soda, and magnesia, but with the same amount of
ammonia, the yield is nearly 46 bushels per acre. This does not say much
in favor of potash, soda, and magnesia, as manures, for wheat. Again,
I see, on plot 10_b_, 50 lbs. of ammonia, _alone_, gives over 43½
bushels per acre. On plot 11_b_, 50 lbs. ammonia _and_ superphosphate,
give 46½ bushels. Like your father, I am inclined to ask, ‘_Where can I
get this ammonia?_’”