SUCCESS IN MANURING.

Shannon News, 5 January 1926, Page 3

SUCCESS IN MANURING.

IMPORTAKCK OF DRAINAGE. The secret of success in manuring litis 'in the farmers own trials, carried out on bis own fields, there-fore keep experimenting-, says the writer of Farm Economy. At {he same time, start right into use more of the fertiliser that is giving the best results on your land, so far as you know at present. Work to find out the quantity per acre of this manure that gives the most profitable results .and the best month of the year for appiyin'v it- to the pasture. When you discover how much of this fertiliser will give vou the biggest profit per minimum of outlay, and you adopt that quantity as your standard for dressing tor the particular crop or pasture on which it has been used ..you will be in liiif to get tlv; greatest returns I'vom your manuring. A great deal of money may be expended on fertilisers and still results not come up to expectations or be anything like what they should be. If there is one cause which contributes to this condition, it is lack of drainage. No matter what crops are sown or what manure is applied to drained land, results are limited by the condition of the soil. Unless drainage, where necessary, is done the land cannot produce full crops. Water lying near the surface in undraincd land prevents plants sending down their roots deeply in the soil. Crops have, therefore, a less bulk of soil wherein to forage lor food. hence a less wealth of plant food to draw upon- and convert into crop. Undrained land favours the accumulation within it of substances which arc harmful to vegetation. Owing to soil ventilation being deficient in un. drained lan<d, the conversion of the less available plant food into readily assimilable forms is hindered. Crops grown in inadequately drained land, are placed at an insurmountable dis.. advantage from the time of sowing the seed until the harvesting of a poor yeild. Fertilisers applied to these crops cannot be utilised to the full advantage, and arc ' often wasted. Drainage is the* first essential, and after Ihat manures.