POTASH AS A FERTILISER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2047, 20 August 1885, Page 4

POTASH AS A FERTILISER.

The folio winfffefclferias been addressed to the cd\tor of the Agricultural Gazette :—: — SiR,-AUhiiHgh*»ii atMtttd fact that soils devoid! of potash art incapable of yielding remunerative crops, it was considered, till quitcrecently, that very few soils were co deficient, that the farmer need trouble, aliout this Substance. For sc\cral years I have conducted numerous experimcuta with ktttnit with no marked results. During th* last four years t have been working with muriate of potash of SO per cent., and ha.vp obtained inch \eiy definite lesults that I consider them of sufficient importance to British agriculture to warrant me asking you to give them nubicity. From very many experiments I will cite but three, but these have so marked a character that they cannot but be of interest, even should they not load many farmers to experi mentforthetnselves. ]. In March, 1881, Mr William Betts, of Flitchman, was induced, by previous years' experiment*, to apply to a 40 acre field of new ley 10 stones per acre of muriate of potash, leaving unsown two strips, each, of about 30 yards in breadth, across the field. The salt was applied later than was advisable, and the small rainfall of the next two months was insufficient to wash it in. A poor crop of hay was reaped, so little better than the portions undreised that it wns not deemed worth while to determine the difference in the yield of equal dresstd and undressed portions. This year the field, being in wheat, showed so plainly where the potash was missed that it was generally admitted by the many farmcis who visited it that, at least, there was from a quarter to one-and-a-half quarters of corn per acre mote on the dressed land. Unfortunately this har\est was so fickle that no time could be spared to cut out measmed plots for an actual determination of results. 2. Mr Alfred Oldfield, of Grimston, applied in the early spriug 2ou tof potash of 86 per cent, to an acre I of clover ley, leaving the remainder of the remainder of the field undressed. L'lots of 20 rods from the dressed and un- ! dressed portions were cut and made by themselves. Weighed as the crop was carted to the stack, the results were as follow: — The dressed portion gave equal to 3 tons per acre ; the undressed, 2 tons, 2 cut 41b per acre. 3. In April last by Mr F. J. Cook, of Flitchman Abbey, to give an opinion respecting 3 ncres of bailey, a portion of a4O acre field. I found the 3 ncres in question had been sown last year in white turnips the lest of the field with swedes. The white turnips lias been clean drawn for c uly lamb feeding ; from about one half of the 3-acres both bulbs and top* were carted oft, from the other only the bulbs the tops being lift in rout. At bailey sowing these acres received per acre 2 cw t. nitrate of soda and 2^ cwt. superphosphate of lime. Yet at the lime of my visit the barley was yellow and sickly to a decree, otleting a most striking oontiast to the adjoining I a- ley, on the swede land, which Litter crop was fed on the laud by fatting hoirgets. I noticed ships uhue the tops of the white tin nips had lottfii in the autumn looked decidedly better than the spaces between, and then about 1 aero wheie both tops and bulbs had been enited olf. The idea at once suggested its»*lf that deficiency of potash in the soil was the causs of this uiihe.ilthini'f-s. I advised an immediate application of from 1 to 2 cwt. of muriate of potash per aero. This was done on the worst acre. Run immediately followed. At once a marked iinpiovemcnt took place, and which was more and pronounced as the season advanced. Where the potash was not applied the barley, a good plant, Miuggled to develop cars., but failed totally to perfect any corn ; the stems were weak, very few able to maintain an erect position. When I went in August to assist Mr Cookc to make out [.lots for careful separation and estimation of bulks, he agreed it was quite useless to make a plot on the poition undiessed, as there was no coin ; a few "shapes," probably a quarter per acre, ceitiinly no more. A plot of 12 poles of the di eased plot was staked out, the bailey stooked and afterwards caicfully tluched. The yield was 1 1 pecks or 4 quarters I bushel per acre. These experiments have bean accompanied and preceded by numerous others, all teaching the Mine lesson with vaij ing emphasis. The conclusions unmistakably forced upon me by them are :— That the varying feitihty of soils not only depends on the presence of available phosphates and nitrogenous compounds, but in a vciy important degree upon the presence of available potash!" This fact has long been established by Mr Georges Yille, that nith potash absent, no healthy growth is possible ; but it is not generally conceded that a large propoition of our English fields have been by cultivation so lobbed of potash as to be unable to yield maximum crops of clover, pulse, mangels and even in some ca«e< of coin, even when dressed by phosphates and nitiogen. How niipoitant this question is to agricultuie in its piesent depressed condition it appears to mo impossible to overestima'e. If, as my experiments declare po>-sil>le, by an outliy of Bs. to 12-. per acre in potash, an iricicasc cm be obtained of } ton of hay, of 1 quarter of corn, of 3 tons of potatoes, of 10 tons of mangels, it needs no philosopher to show the importance of experimenting at least on the vniious soils of other districts. Soils themselves ought to be solicited to inform tlic cultivator whether potash is deficient or not If by adding this substance to plots of potatoes, grasses, peas, beans or mangels, no increased yield is obtained, the land replies that potash exists insufficient abundance. If, howevei, a maiked increase results, the land replies that it requites an addition of of potash to acquit c the powei of building up maximum yields of tluse crops. I would not ailv lse any extensive experiment on wheat bailey or oats, ?a c on barley following white turnips, mangels or vetches, where these ci ops have been removed .from, not fed on the land. On naturally poor land a marked result may then confidently be looked for. — Thomas Bkown, King's Lynn, 31st October.

Qi'Ki.x Mariu'i.ritk. — Life aaj's :— A Roman correspondent gives me sonic particulnis as to the daily habits and life of Queen Margueiite, who endears herself to lier subjects daily morrand moie. The Queen isaneaily riser, and spends the first houis fcf the inoining reading set ions and scientific works, on which she ■write? licr impn >i sHoin, nnd hands them sometimes to I'iofpnsor Bonghi, at others to Minghctti. She breakfasts at eleven with a good appetite, lunches with her ladies in-waiting at three, and dines at seven. Hetween bieakfantand lunch she invariably takes a long walk, almost always accompanied by King Humbert. The afternoon she devotes to her son, with whom she plays cricket and ball. The Queen is passionately attached to her husband and to her son, into whose games she thiows all her spirit, sometime* devoting hours to him. There is no difficulty whatever for any lady who so desires to be introduced at conit, provided she complies with the couit regulations as to costume ; the dress must bo of bright colours, and cut very low. I'rince Ccni, the Court (Jhambeilain, receives tin* iiiimes of those wishing to lie picscuted, but the lady who introduces is the Mctidnsa do Villa M.uina, nn intimate fiicnd of the Queen. As the presi'iitntions aic so fic(jituiit, and all nationalities are n'prcsonted, they are requested by the Mai olicsa to ai range themselves according to their country. The Queen addi esses each in her native tongue, being very proficient, and speaking all th ■ leading European languages with fluency. Queen Marguerite is a small, sweet figure, rather of a German type, and wears on all occasions the family pearls of the Houte of Savoy. Victor Emmanuel, wh«tv presenting them to her, said — " I pretont the pearls of Savoy to the Peni^pf B*voy."