EXPERIMENTAL FARMING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8195, 27 July 1906, Page 5

EXPERIMENTAL FARMING.

REPORT OF THE A. AND P. SUBCOMMITTEE.

The report of the sub committed appointed rjy the Masterton A. and P. Association to report on the experiments with artificial manin.es carried out by Mr W. Perry on his Penrose propertj was submitted to the annual meeliug of the Maetortou A. and Association yesterday. It read as follows:—It was with some hesitation that the committee appointed to consider the question of manure experiments deoided to carry out any this season,, as it wa3 so late in tho yenr before the subject was brought up, and wefeel that out best thanks are due to. Mr Perrj for taking the mEUter nr* add for the careful and painstaking, manner in which the experiments were carried out. Ihe ground wasi not ploughed until November, and as the summer was unusual we think the poor crop over tho field a.3 a whole easily accounted for, but vhe differences are more plainly visible between tho separate plots than they would have probably hseu in a good crop. A narrow strip across. each plot to No. 7 ; received crushed agricultural lime at the iate of half a ton to the acre, en tl at the eff&et can be seen m conjunction with each mixture usee). A glance at the. mialysis will show that the bouedust was rather eoarsr, and not being: dissolved in any way was all in aa insoluble state, The guano used also contained .no soluble constituents, and tho bHsic slag was of very poor quality. Plots 1, t, and Bof each had a proportion of soluble constituents, and the results were* almost equal. No 1, which had the largest proportions of superphosphate, looked better- than No. 8 early in the season, but the later growth equalised them, while No* 6 was very little behind. The conspicuous feature of the experiment?, however, was the effeut of the lime, which was most marked, even the unmanured plot, which was quite bare elsewhere, having a few small turnips on tho limed portion. Plot No. 4 too (pure bonedust;, which had a few very small turnips all over it was much better ! where the lime was applied, but plot. N0.3 (basio slag two thirds, bonedust one third) was more than doubled by the lime Drobably owing to the rather complicated chemical changes being re ore rapidly brought about. Each or the other limed plots also showed a great difference, showing that whether lime is deficient in the soil or whether it Is owing to its chemical action it will pay to apply it to the field experimented on. A sampio of the soil was forwarded to Mr Ashtoo with the samples of man arcs, but no analysis has been received. The experiments as a whole show what is generally recognised by agricultural authorities, i.e., that a certain proportion of soluble constituents are essential in any mixture to give the turnips a start. Probably some of the other plots would have done well had a proportion of good superphosphate been added to the mixtures. The committee hope that something has been accomplished in the way of stimulating the interest of turnip growers generally, and that a number of them will carry out experiments during next season. The following shows the various manures used in the experiments, and the results obtained therefrom: —(l) Manure used, Fison's superphosphate 2-3, bones 1-3, amount to acre 17ilbs, cost per acre 9s, weights 10 tons Gowt, combined lime and manure 12 tous 14 owt, value of extra [crop through liming' 8s 4d; (2) manure used, guano 2-3, bones 1-3, amount to acre 2241b5, cost per acre 10s 6d, weights 5 tons 15 owts. combined lime and manure 8 tons 3owts, value of extra crop through liming Bs4d; (3) manure used, basio -slag 2-3, bones 1-3, amount to acre 200lbs, cost per acre 9s 6d, weights 4 tons 16cwt 31bs, combined lime t and manure 11 tons, scwt, value of extra crop through liming 22s 6d; (4) manure used, bones, amount to acre 1901 be, cost per acre 10s 2d, not worth weighing, no result, (5) no manure, no result; (6) manure used, Meat Export Company's No. 1, amount to acre 200lbs, cost per acre 10s 3d, weights 9 tons 12cwt. com- » bined lime and manure 10 tons 16cwts, value of extra crop through liming 4s 2d; (7) manure used, bones 2-3, guano 1-3, amount to iacre'2s4lbs, cost per acre 12s 9d, results, a few turnips not worth weigh- x ing; (8) manure used, bones 2-3, Fison'B 1-3, amouat to acre 2001bs, cost per acre 10s 9d, weights 10 tous '6owt, no lime; (9) manure used, ground lime across manures;amount to acre }4 ton, cost per acre 13d 9d, no result.

The following is an analysis of the ; various manures used:—Guano—■ Phosphoric acid, soluble in water, 2.8 per cent,; Trieoloiephosphate, insoluble iu water, 48.49 per cent. Meat Export Company's No. 1— Phosphoric acid soluble iu water 7.86 pei- cent; Tricolcio phosphate, insoluble in water, 27.20 per cent; potash .91 percent; nitrogen 1.12 percent. Bouednst—Tricolcie phosphate, insoluble in water, 52.12 per cent; nitrogen 3.57 per Cent. Basio Slag—Tricolcie phosphate, insoluble in water, 28.00 pei cent. Fjson's Fertilizer—Phosphoric acid, soluble in water, 13.78 por cent; Tricolcie phosphate, insoluble in water, 15.90 per cent, potash 25 per cent, nitrogen 5.56 per cent. A brief Siscusion on the report followed, during whijh the hope was expressed that farmers iu the district would assist iu the experiments by carrying them out with various manures on their own property. It was announced that the Aiibociation would supply manures, with an analysis of them, gratis. On the motion of Mr McKillop, seconded by Mr K. Srnitn, a vote of thanks was accorded to Messrs Perry and McGregor for their work in carrying out the practical experiments during the year.