CORRECT USE OF MANURES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 489, 23 April 1909, Page 8

CORRECT USE OF MANURES.

-;; ; ,-^; r,i jßeference'.has < occasionally' been made ' in ithese. columns to the importance of applying manures ; below' the'surface, when possible, 'rather ■ than' ■ as 'a top-dressing., This is 'not forily-important 'in.the'case of insoluble'man-:jijobwhich'-'d6, ijqt ; ;dissolvei in'rain;(such as etc.),.but Sis' also advantageous' in such- a soluble manure as;'superphosphate/- This has- been, proved -'itt'Spractice >by. experiments, ;'re6qrded:' by the'^"Jou'rnar d'/griculture Practique.''. In theseTexperimentß,.on wheat and trif olium, \ 'the superphosphate was"- applied, on the. same date, arid in the same quantities, (1) on the surface,' (2) at a depth of-4 inches, and'(3). at a depth !of '8 inches. Tho .;• results showed the superior, .effect... of the super applied 4 inches deep/ as shown in''-*th'e; following figures - of.. the'; relative' ■yields:^. J vJ»(* *>. 'S--;. - ''. •'■-.-.'•■'"■:'- :-;-■-..''...' ■-.S ; '•:;S.-!;'^<>£V----7,'Wheat.--''';:•-;' -''v.-:' 1 ,t3Vlaniiring./. V ■]"■:'. Grain. .Straw.'■ "Clover. 1 tlnmarurcd. ;•; .....;„ 75- •:, -.168 .170, ■'Super;'.-■top-dreisetl..'. ..■••,'95 I -200,.'■': i, 188 Super buried 4in.:.. ~ 120 -".".■-■■l6B. ;'.''■.'.-214 liSiiper - buried 8in,....i: 95 . ;.-•' 154 . ,184 '.' ■;'Thero: wa?. a;greatergrpwth of .straw- where, the super' '.was;,top-dressed, due,- prpbably; to';the earlier ..start \which.; the. super.; gave,but the viold.:'of. , grain,v and the;, yield ■ of ;clpver, wore less.than where the-super- was applied';at a:depth of 4in ; . Those results .'would indicate, that,, for' giving' one cutting of green: feed,.top-dressing is preferable, but; for prolonged..cuttings,'' or ;.fdr> grain or iClover, 1 , deeper) give V best returns. .Additional field;trials with : wheat gave the followingresults: ,; '.. '>'.-■ v . :■■■>.': V':y' '■:• -.:•':'■.';: ,: ':-' : . ■'■■': Straw/ Wheat. V . Superphosphate.- ... lb. .vßushels.' -Top-dressed inJ spring ...'■ 2720.'': ~60',-' ' Top-diessed,autumn - ..'. 2640 ■ 60 Ploughed-in,.autumn ... 2900 . 61. -.' Drilled with-seed, autumn "30OO' : " '62The results with tho root-crops.;; also favoured -.'deep .manuring. The crop' selectedwas'boot, arid the';supcrphosphato was' applied at a rato of scwt. per aero. Tho results were: Tons roots per aero. Ploughed in ..» ... '»•• .••• 13 | ' Top-dressed 12} Tho crop on the ploughed-iri portion was both larger and richer. Ono of tho great advantages of superphosphate is that it pushes on'gt-owth in tho early stages of tho young plant's life, and with this object it needs to be placed whero tho young roots may reach it—not on the surfaco nor yet too deeply. Superphosphate does not leach out of a soil by Tain. It is soluble when first applied, but, after being elightly distributed in the soil moisture, it becomes fixed by the soil particles in a condition known as.reverted phosphate. Reverted phosphate is not a fino, hard, gritty material, such as tho insoluble phosphatio manures, but a light, porous,

impalpable powder, which is easily assimilated roots. It is in this form that 'super.-.v.lies' /in . the soil awaiting the tbucli of the plant roots.