DR, AITKEN AND MANURIAL EXPERIMENTS.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2604, 11 August 1882, Page 3

DR, AITKEN AND MANURIAL EXPERIMENTS.

Dr. Aitken, chemist to the Highland and Agricultural Society, whose excellent report on manures and experiments in the recently issued volume of the society's “ Transactions” cannot fail to be read with interest and benefit by farmers, is exerting himself to get intelligent farmers in different parts of the country to experiment with various kinds of manures on their respective holdings. That is a direction in which, through tho assistance of Dr, Aitken, farmers might considerably enlighten themselves, and confer no .little advantage on their class. Sails, climates, and other conditions of plant growth vary so much, that nothing like a uniform system of cultivation, cropping, or manuring, could be recommended for la whole country. Experiments, if not on every farm, at least in every district, are thus necessary to enable farmers to judge properly of the most suitable manures and modes of cultivation.

Tho Highland Society, wealthy aa it is, does not yet see its way to establish an experimental station in every district or county, but its chemist has been authorised to give any district desire of this nature as much enoeuragement and aid as possible. Already in two or throe districts farmers of an experimenting disposition have availed themselves of Dr. Aitken’s cheerfully rendered and very valuable assistance. We have before us a memorandum by Dr. Aitken for the guidance of farmers who may be disposed to enter into what has been termed “a five-plot tout, to determine the mannrial ingredient most needed in the soil.” This is a point on which there is groat uncertainty, not only among farmers, but others. By simple plot experiments, such as have beem mapped out by Dr. Aitken, a farmer can more reliably ascertain the manorial requirements of his land than by getting the soil analyjcd or by any other means.

It is suggested that each plot should bo not lees than one-tenth of an imperial acre. The crop is turnips, and it is recommended that the experiment be applied to land that had been dunged on the stubble in autumn. That, for this year, at least, narrows the experimental field somewhat, as autumn dunging is not practised in nearly all the Scotch counties. Plot one is to receive phosphate alone ; plot two gets phosphate and sulphate of potash—tho latter at the rata of 1 cwt. per imperial acre ; plot three is to get phosphates, poiash, and nitrogen—the last in the form of 1 cwt nitrate of soda, applied to tho plants about a week before tingling ; plot four is to receive 1 cwt. of sulphate of potash and 1 cwt. nitrate of sods per acre; and plot five the nitrate of soda only. One-half of each of the three plots getting phosphates is to have 4cwt. per acre mineral superphosphate, and the other half, 2owt. finely ground mineral phosphate. The above allowances are, of course, in addition to dung. They are not, however, very liberal, but they arc probably ample for the purpose iu view, and might, perhaps, be tried by farmers who may not have dunged the land iu autumn. That ia to say, by those who are applying the dung just now in tho drills. The value of such manorial tests to tho farmer on hie own holding can hardly be questioned, and tho expense would be trifling. Farmers willing to givo the tests a ‘fair field’ should place themselves in communication with Dr. Aitken.

Another very simple and useful experiment has been suggested by Dr, Aitken with the view of discovering “ the difference in the efficacy of bones in various stabs of fineness.” For this purpose four plots are recommended. An ordinary sample off bone mesl is to bo sifted into three different states of fineness, and each degree of division is to be tested by itself, about 3c?ft per imperial acre being allowed. This utilises three of the plots, and the fourth is to be devoted to an application of steamed bone meal, at the rate of 300lbi per acre. To atone for the deficiency of nitrogen in this form of oane manure a top dressing of 361bs per acre nitrate of soda is prescribed. These timely nuggeetions of Dr. Aiken’s are well worthy of the attention of farmers, who not unnaturally feel that they have been all too long groping, as it were, in the dark regarding the real manurial requirements of the toil they cultivate At *uob labor and expect e.