MANURING ROTATION AND GENERAL MANAGEMENT.

Shannon News, 1 May 1925, Page 4

MANURING ROTATION AND GENERAL MANAGEMENT.

It is aoi almost invariable rule that phosphatic manures pay well with all fodder crops. An increase in yield is to be expected, and the feeding value is enhanced to such an extent that in many cases it alone covers the cost of the manuring. Super is, of course, the most popular phosphatic manure and should always be used if only to bring the crop away. On the heavier and moister soils super alone is probably the most economical dressing, but in the case of light sails that dry out quickly, there is reason to believe that quick-acting phosphates are apt to hasten maturity at a rate too rapid to be. altogether desirable. Greater growth may be obtained by the use of a mixture that includes quickly and slowly-acting phosphates. Bone-meal of course, naturally ' suggests itself, being gradual in action, and having enough nitrogen to assist the crop through cold weather. Its price, however, is so much against it, th:U for ordinary purposes, a mixture I of super and basic super or super and basic slag is more profitable. Nitrogen, ous manures may be omitted on account of their high price. In most soils they will considerably increase the yield, but unlike phosphates are apt to lower the feeding value rather than increase it.

Potash can be used in conjunction which phosphates for clover crops in light soils, but its suitability for other crops must be a matter of experiment. Not, less than two hundred-weight per acre of phosphatic manure should be sown with any of these crops; in most cases three hundred-weight is more profitable. If an abundant yield is a matter of urgent importance owing to scarcity of feed, then it would be false economy not to use four or even five hundred-weight an acre.