MANURING FOR MILK.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 22, 9 January 1912, Page 3

MANURING FOR MILK.

Last year the authorities of the Midland Agricultural and Dairy College began an experiment on a farm adjoining their farm to test the intiuence of superphosphate and sulphate of potash ou the yield of cows grazed on pasture land to which the two manures had been jointly applied. The character of the field selected for the trial is described as of a strong clayey nature, typical of much land in the Midlands. Seven years ago, when it was land laid Mown to grass, it was in a dirty condition; since then a light crop of grass has been removed annually, and the herbage afterwards pastured until well on into the winter. The grasses mostly in evidence were cocksfoot, tali fescue, and twitch, with a sprinkling of white clover, anaemic and stunted in character. There were hare patches in plenty, bare except for the moss which formed a more' or less universal covering over the whole. It was a held supplying herbage of little nourishment.

Such was the condition of the held when the experiment began. Two plots, each four acres in size, were measured off and fenced in. Early in April, 1909, a dressing of XOcwt. of ground lime was applied to both plots, and a few days after a dressing off lewt. superphosphate 35 per cent, soluble, and lAcwt. sulphate of potash was broadcasted over one of the plots, and then both plots were chainharrowed. Three weeks after the application of the fertilisers their effect could ho easily seen. The grasses were of, a deeper green colour and the clovers had a healthy look. Towards the end of May, seven weeks after the application of the manure, two lots each of two cows were turned on to the plots, and in order to make the trial a fair one the cows were changed every fortnight from one plot to the other. The trial closed in the middle pf October, and an interim report was issued last March . It should be mentioned that towards the middle of July the herbage on the plot to which the superphosphate and potash were applied had improved so much that a third cow was introduced to the plot. The next result was that the total yield of milk from the two plots was: Dressed plot ... 902031 b. Undressed plot ... 348931 b The farmers in the district took a great deal of interest in the experiment during the season, and the result provided them with a good ob-ject-lesson.