AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENTS.

Waikato Argus, Volume I, Issue 59, 21 November 1896, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENTS.

XXlil. Rr/ST-I'KKVKNTINii MaM'Ul'. A .maxi'UK received from Australia through tho Agricultural ) H'part lilt .111. AVulliiintcm, lias be; m expi•rimented with, more especially with a view io testing its efficiency as a preventive of rust. The analysis"made I>y Mr ,; - (-ray, F C.S., lecturer on chemistry, is as follows : I'KIU.'KXTACE C:OMPOSITION. •Moisture expelled at LOO dog. ('. 2(>"20 Combined water expdlol at 1.'.0 Silica ami insoluble matter ... - !»S Ferrous oxide '/'^ Ferric oxide '''OS Cakis oxide >''- Magnesia oxide 3'SS Potassic oxide • | ' !il Sodie oxide f>v2 Sulpliuiie anhydride Phosphoric anhydride 1 *-'>- Chlorine 4 s s < Aiunionia (N 11 o) Hil 101 .12 • Loss oxygon equal to chlorine ... COO nil-:;:'. Undetermined ( >7 IOO'OOO ''J'raee only soluble. The amount of moisture in this manure is excessive, probably due to the absorbent nature of the sulphuric acid, which i? present in the free state to the extent of about •"> per cent. When first compounded it was probably it mixture of sulphate of iron, sulphate of ammonia, kainit, superphosphate of lime, and sulphuric acid ; but as received, much of the iron had become converted into the condition of peroxide, and the soluble phosphate in the superphosphate had, in the presence of iron, become almost entirely reduced and rendered insoluble. Half acre plots were laid off across the centre of the several fields, and one hundredweight of the manure mixed with two hundredweights of soil was applied to fjich plot. 1. A Held sown on May 1 Ith with (Jolden Drop and Minnesota Hard Red wheats was fed oil'with sheep on Sept. 10th, and the plot top-dressed on Nov. old. Result—no apparent difference between the plot lop-dressed and the remainder of Iho Held, the whole Held beiiii; comparatively free from dust. :.'. A Held sown on May loth with Hunter's 'White wheat was fed off with sheep on Sept. liltll, and the plot topdressed on Nov. "id. Result -- no apparent dilTeren between! the plot topdressed and the remainder of the He'd, the whole Held being free from rust. ::. A Held sown on Sept. '2lth with White Tuscan wheat, and th. plot topdressed on Nov. ord. Result—no apparent diU'ereuce between the plot topdressed and the remainder of the Held, the whole field being free from rust. t. A field was sown on Oct 17th with barley, and the plot top-dressed on Nov. '2B!!]. Result—no apparent difi'crcnec between the plot top-dressed and the remainder of the Held, the whole Held being practically free from rust. .">. A field was sown on Oct. ."> with Sparrowbill Oits, and. the plot topdressed on Nov. •J'.Hh. Result—no apparent difference between the plot topdressed and the remainder of the Held, the whole Held being slightly affected by rust. 0. A field was sown on Oct. Sth with Nonpareil Rust Resisting Wheat and Leak's Rust Resisting Wheat, both of which were imported from Australia, and the plot top-dressed on Nov. 2Sth. Result —no apparent difference between the plot top-dres.se 1 and the remainder of the fid 1, the whole field being slightly affected with rust. 7. A field was sown on Oct. Sth with White Tuscan Wheat, and the plot topdressed or. Nov. •_ , sth. Result -no apparent difference between the plot topdressed and the remainder of the Held, the whole Held being slightly affected by rust. 's. A field was sown on Oct. '2oth and and'27th with Canadian Cats, and the plot top-dressed on Dec. 1-Rh. Result - no apparent difference between the plot top-diessed and the remainder of the field, the oats over the whole field being much affected by rust. !). A field was sown on Oct. Illth and '2oth, and the plot top-dressed on Dee. 14th. Result—no apparent difference between the plot top-dressed and the remainder of the field, the oats over the whole field being very rusty. SU.MMAUTi. 1. The conclusion we must, come to regarding this manure is that as far as preventing rust is concerned it proved ineffectual. 2. Rust is a tungus which d ivclopos most on low-lying land and during warm muggy weather. Crops on land in high condition and more especially full officii organic matter are mote liable to rust than those on freer lands less charged with organic matter. .'!. No minute has yet been found or nude which is a preventive of rust on cereal crops. I. Good agricultural methods are more effective, we believe, than manurial methods, for example : Clean culture, judicious rotations, tallowing of land, selecting of accredited rust - resisting varieties of cereals, and generally .-peaking sowing cereals early, mere especially cats. o. The latest, dictum of science from one of the best English authorities is that a radical cure for rust litis yet to be found.