Effects of Different Manures on Pastures.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 223, 8 October 1887, Page 3

Effects of Different Manures on Pastures.

In our last issue we described the results of experiments carried out in England to determine the effects of various manures in the cultivation of turnips. Through the kindness of a subscriber we are enabled to give an account of a series of interesting experiments recently carried out on his private grounds and farm at Dyson's Wood, Cavershara, by Mr Martin John Sutton, managing partner of the well-known Reading seed firm. The object of these experiments has been to test the effects of various manured upon the growth and quality of pastures of \arious ages and composition as regards the kinds of grasses they contained. From the Beading Mercury we learn that. Mi. Sutton took advantage of the holding of the Royal Counties' Agricultural Show at Reading this year to practically acquaint many who had not previously been to Dyson's Wood with the progress of these most interesting and valuable experiments; and to this end invited to an excursion some 60 gentlemen, including about 30 students at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, who came specially for the occasion, a number of personal friends, and many of the leading agricultural writers of the day. The party included Messrs M. J. Sutton, A. W. Sutton, and L. G. Sutton, Dr Voelcker, Professor Marker, Professor Kinch, and Professor McCraken, from the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester; Canon Bagot, Messrs J. A. Caird, R Stratton, A. F. Milton Druce, J. Nathoret (Government College of Agriculture of Sweden), Joseph Stratton, Bern aid Dyer, H. Kains-Jackeon, T. T. Turner, VV. E. Bear, H. Evershed, J. Darby. J. Macdonald, G. F. Roumieu, H. F. Moore, K. Todd, J. Wright, J. G. Sims, R Smith, J. Flood, etc. Leaving the Show yard at a quarter to one, the party walked to Messrs ■Button's extensive seed trial grounds, in the main building of which they were entertained to a recherche luncheon, Mr M. J. Sutton occupying the chair, and* Mr A. W. Sutton the vice-chair. In rebponding to the toast of the Chairman proposed by Canon Bagot, so wellknown for his sen ices to the cause of scientific agriculture, Mr M. J. Suiton eaid he could only assure them how much he appreciated their company that day. The origin of the little experiment of his which they were about to see aa as that in the spring of 1886 he asked his friend Dr. Voelcker to help him to find out how farmers could best chemically manure their pastures, thinking that hitherto there had not been quite so much practice with science as there might be. His experiments would, he thought, be the more suitable because they were tried on excessively poor land, where no crops fit to cut could be grown without come manure. He had to thank Dr. Voelcker very much for his practical help ; and if his experiment were of any public value he was more than repaid. He had no "fad " whatover on the subject -he had no love of one kind of grass more than another, and as they knew he was not interested in the least degree, nor were his firm, in the manure trade. (Hear, hear.) The perfect hona jidts of the experiments were therefore quite clear ; and if they carried away any hints of real agricultural value he should be very glad. He had been very careful to keep the outlay on each plot down to what an ordinary farmer would be ready to spend ; and his modest experiments differed from those carried out by Sir John Lawes at Rothamsted, which were of incalculable value, but were scarcely a guide to the ordinary farmer, and were more intended to bring out scientific facts. (Hear, hear.) In conclusion he thanked Dr. Voelcker very much for the interest he had taken in the experiments, and for coming from Cheshire, at great personal inconvenience, to be present that day. (Applause.) The party, after inspecting the specimens of every kind of grass, growing on* the trial ground, proceeded in a number of carriages to Dyson's Wood, and much enjoyed a delightful drive. The experiments were very carefully explained on the spot by Mr Sutton and Dr. Voelcker, and— each visitor being supplied with elaborate tables and very caretu] notes on each experiment, so printed and arranged as to allow of note- I taking and comparison, — the visit proved very beneficial. With regard to the experiments and their results we quote as follows from our English contemporary above mentioned : *' Mr Sutton, from his own practical know- j ledge, perceived that farmers are le?s in- j formed on the effects produced by different | kinds of artificial manures on grass crops, than in their application to corn, roots, and green crops, and that there is really little to aid them in any of the researches, the results of which have as yet been made public. He determined therefore to enliat the services of Dr. Voelcker, with the laudable object of ascertaining practical facts such as would meet the wants of the time?. Six different ways of treatment as regards manuring were adopted in the epring of 1886, and conducted on as many plots on six pasture fields ; experiment A

being on very ok} gross land ; B, on four-year-old pasture ; 0, on permanent pasture excluding ryegrass ; D, on permanent pas- j ture, including r>egrass } B, on three-year-; ley, excluding ryegrass ; and F, on three-year-old ley including ryegrass. The manurial treatment on all the six fields was as follows. Plot 1, t no manure ; plot 2, sulphate of ammonia, 1 cwt. per acre, costing 14s ; plot 3, nitrate of soda, 1J cwt., costing 16s 3d ; plot 4, superphosphate 3 cwt., and kainit, 2 cwt , costing 153 9d. Plot 5, sulphate of ammonia 1 cwt. and kainit 2 cwt , costing 11. Plot 6, superphosphate of lime 3 cwt., nitrate of soda 1 cwt , and kainit 2 cwt,, 11. 8s 9d. It was proved that in experiment A the greatest increase of produce in the first crop, cut in May, was that afforded by plot 5, and this was after the rate of 12 cwt. of hay per acre. Plots 4 and 6 yielded a similar increase of 11 cwt. per acre, while that of plot 2 was 10 cwt.. and that of plot 3 only 7 cwt per aero. In the aftermath subsequently realised, the unmanured plot and those dressed with 1 cwt. of sulphate of ammonia produced the greatest rate of increase, but the aftermath, in consequence of extreme drought, proved a failure, so that particulars need scarcely be given. In the other pastures the results were somewhat different, for in experiment B, on four years' old pasture, plots 2, 4, and 5 yielded an increase of hay on the first crop of 14 cwt., 13 cwt., and 15 cwt. respectively, while the nitrate of soda plant had an increase of 19 cwt., and plot 6, with the most costly mixture, one ton per acre increase. Wo have no space to enter into full particulars ; suffice ie to state that the most decided fact elicited and the one deemed of greatest va'ue in the experiments so far as they went last year, was that ammoniacal dressings have the effects of so stimulating the meadow grasses that they smother down and apparently kill the clover. In the autumn of last year, those plots vrhich had received them had a sorry appearance, owing to having lost the clover plant, thej unmanured plots and those which bad received only mineral manurings having then by far the best appearance as pastures " It was determined not to manure them all this year, with the idea of ascertaining amount of permanent influence which their respective treatments had occasioned, but Mr Sutton added other plots in each of all the six fields, to the number of 12 in each, which make them now 18 altogether. The 12 new plots in each field have been treated in respect to manuring- as follows : - Plot 7, ba3ie cinder 4 cwt., nitrate of soda 1 cwt., kainit 2 cwt,, at a cost of 11. Is. 3d. Plot 8, farmyard dung 10 tons, cost 3/, Plot 9, decorticated cotton cake 5 cwt., cost 11. 15s. Plot 10, Peruvian guano, 3 cwt., cost 1/. Is 9d. No. 12, basic cinder 4 cwt., kainit 2 cwt., cost 10s. 6d. No. 13, ground coprolites 4 cwt., kainit 2 on t., cost 16s. 6d. No. 14, gypsum 10 cwt., cost 15s. No. 15, nitrate of soda 1 cwt., muriate of potash f cwt., cost 17s. 6d. No. 16, dissolved bones 3 cwt., cost 18s. No. 17, boiled bones 3 cwt., coat 18s. No. 18, raw bone meal 3 cwt., cost 17s. 3d. " We come now to the present state of the different plots and the aspects they presented to the eyes of those who inspected them on Wednesday. In experiment A, of those laid down last year plots 6 and 2 have the best appearance, and seem most likely to yield the heaviest first crops of hay. ' The new plots treated so very differently this eeason appear just as varied in point of condition, plots 8 and 9 appearing likely to > ield the best crops of hay. The farmyard dung on the former no doubt protected the grass plants during winter and in the cold spring, which will fully account for the superiority of that one. Still plot 9 appears better even than that, which leads to the inference that cotton cake may be one of the best of manures for grass lands. In plots 12 and 13 there is great abundance of clovers, but neither the application of gypsum or of bones in any forna seems to have pi oduced much benefit. " Experiment B affords the subjoined plot aspects according to our note book. Plot 1, a better crop of grass, although totally unmanuied last year, than plots 2 and 3, which received ammoniacal dressings Plot 4, a good crop ; the best of the six old ones. Plot 5, more deficient in clovers and bottom gras3 than plot 4. Plot 6, a heavy crop ; almost equal to plot 4, but deficient in clovers. Plot 7, apparently thick in bottom grass and rather promising. Plot 8, good, but not quite equal to some of the other plots, of which 9 andlsare,dec'.dedly the best. The utility of manuring wi'h cotton cake is consequently again shown and as in experiment A plot 15 afforded a very promising appearance, nitrate of soda and muriate of potash mixed appears to be admirable for grass lands. "In respect to experiments C and D, space only permits us to remark that purely by accident Mr Sutton has established as a fact what many farmers have surmised but never before pioved. Sheep were feeding for only one month in the field last autumn, and killed every plant of clover to which they had access. To the previously enclosed six old plots they had no access, and they present a great contrast to the new plots enclosed since, and also to the entire area of the outside field in possessing a good plant of clover, while scarcely a single root is to be seen elsewhere. Further, the smothering influences of the highly-fed luxuriant grass which received f ulphate of ammonia and nitrate of soda last year, so thoroughly suppressed the clovers that, although they show a little more plant in most instances than they did last autumn, they are still extremely deficient. Other interesting facts present themselves for inquiry in respect to the influences of potash manures, basic cinder, etc., which will be more clearly determined after the crop of gra c 8 has been cut, or perhaps after the experiments have been carried' on a year, or two years, in respect to them. The value of Mr Button's undertaking appears to manifest itself more and more, and entitles him to the gratitude of every owner and occupier of land throughout the kingdom."