APPENDIX D. mises-I have made a difference in the charge per ton. II. Appendix to Dr. Kirk This estimate will furnish another element whereby to judge favourably or unfavourably of the several modes of manuring It is as follows, viz. :— Manure applied, &c., &c. patrick's Report, mentioned. Cost per acre. Glasnevin Model Farm. No. of Plot. No manure, 7 5 3 6 4 19 1 per, 2 14 0 1 3 0 1609 3205 3 17 0 0 0 8 36 tons farm-yard manure, at 3s. per, A second experiment made had reference to the acreable return and soundness of Skirving's Improved Swede, as grown on different manures. It is necessary to explain that the field on which this experiment was instituted was broken up from pasture in 1850; that a corn crop was taken off it in that year, and that it was drained thoroughly in the early months of 1851. A manured root crop was then taken off it, of which Skirving's Improved Swede, manured as detailed below, formed a part. The following Table will show the results:EXPERIMENT on SKIRVING'S IMPROVED SWEDE with different MANURES. Glasnevin It is not my intention to notice more than two or three APPENDIX D. of the inferences which might be deduced from the above ex- II. Appendix periment. And, first, as regards plots 1 and 2, we find, by to Dr. Kirkcomparing the results of these, that the full quantity of farm- patrick'sReport. yard manure produced the larger acreable amount of sound turnips, the per centage of unsound being greater; whilst half Model Farm. farm-yard manure and half the usual quantity of vitriolized bone compound gavea return almost equally large of sound roots, with a less per centage of diseased. This result is important, so far as the cost of manuring is concerned, as the difference in this respect-not even taking into account the greater outlay in carting the full quantity of farm-yard manure-is not less than £1 6s. per acre in favour of manaring with half farm-yard manure and half vitriolized bone compound. However, the question as to the more prolonged action of the one or of the other is one which should be solved before pronouncing decided opinion on the matter. This question I have not investigated, and must therefore leave its solution to others. I may say, however, that no artificial manure whatever which I have at any time used, singly or by itself, could at all compete in its generally good effects with farm-yard manure. a A comparison of the results of vitriolized bone compound (applied to plot 3), and guano (applied to plot 4), shows a difference in favour of the latter of nearly some 4 tons of sound roots per acre, whilst the difference, as regards the acreable cost of each as manure, is very trifling. Again, the difference in acreable return of sound roots, in plots 5 and 6, does not much exceed half a ton, whereas the difference as regards the cost of manure for each amounts to £1 4s. 6d. per acre, the increased cost being against peat charcoal and guano. Further, a comparison of the produce of plots 4 and 7-the former manured with guano, and the latter with peat charcoal-shows an acrcable return in favour of guano of not less than 7 tons of sound roots. And when the cost of each, as manure, is estimated, the difference in favour of guano is equally striking, viz., £2 7s. 6d. per statute acre. Lastly-the difference of acreable produce between plots 7 and 8-to the former of which peat charcoal was applied at the rate of 3 tons per acre, whilst on the latter no manure whatever was used-will show the comparative worthlessness of peat charcoal by itself as a manure. The difference of produce does not amount even to 2 tons of roots per acre, whilst the cost of peat charcoal as manure was £5 58. per acre. Whilst the above experiments go to show the inferiority of peat charcoal, when used alone, for manurial purposes, they VOL. I. 2 D II. Appendix to Dr. Kirk APPENDIX D. do not impair the opinion generally entertained in reference to its usefulness as an absorbent of escaping effluvia from nightsoil or other feculent matter. The fact appears to be, that this patrick's Report. property of absorption which it possesses gives to it its principal value; and that, therefore, its usefulness for sanitary purModel Farm. poses is of very great importance to the public. Glasnevin A third experiment instituted had relation to the acreable return and freedom from disease of the more generally cultivated varieties of Swedish turnips on the same kind and quantity of manure. The description of manure used was farmyard of good quality, and applied at the large rate of 36 tons per statute acre. They were grown on the same field as that described in the foregoing experiment; and the results, as taken in the first week of November, were as follow :— EXPERIMENT on different Varieties of SWEDISH TURNIPS, grown on the same kind and quantity of Manure. It will be seen by glancing at the above statistics, that Skirving's improved Swede, under equal circumstances, not only produced the largest return of sound bulbs, but also maintained its high position as a variety not generally subject to more than ordinary disease; that the East Lothian Swede came next to it, as regarded the acreable return of sound feeding; whilst it gained some little superiority, only very trifling, however, in relation to the per centage of diseased. Both varieties seem to be good, and deserve to be held in high estimation by the farmer. Matson's Swede produced a larger quantity of sound roots per acre than the Green-topped, Fettercairn's, or Laing's, whilst its per centage of diseased was greater than either the Green-topped or Laing's, but much less than Fettercairn's. A fourth experiment, in reference to the more important varieties of soft turnips was also made, with the same objects in view as those mentioned in the foregoing trials, viz., produce and freedom from disease. The field on which they were grown was poor in quality, and wet in condition. They were all sown on the last week in June, on drills 28 inches apart, APPENdix D. and the plants were thinned to distances of about 12 inches II. Appendix along the rows. The description of manure applied was farm- to Dr. Kirkyard, at the rate of 30 tons per acre. The following table patrick's Report. will exhibit the results : EXPERIMENT on different Varieties of SOFT TURNIPS, with the same kind and quantity of Manure. Glasnevin Model Farm. From the above table it will be readily observed that the long tankard took the lead of all the other varieties as regarded produce; Dale's hybrid followed next in order; improved purple-topped yellow next; purple-topped Aberdeen yellow next; and green-topped bullock next; whilst the improved early yellow exhibited too great a loss from disease to make it a favourite in future. A fifth experiment on the more generally cultivated varieties of mangel wurzel and white Silesian beet was carried out, with the view of not only ascertaining the particular description of the former, which would yield the largest acreable return, but also to institute a comparison between the probable advantage to the farmer, in the neighbourhood of Dublin, from the sale of the latter for the manufacture of sugar, or from the sale of the former for feeding purposes. The field in which this experiment was made is the same as that described in the second experiment. The manure applied was 36 tons of farmyard, together with a stimulant consisting of 2 cwt. of Ritchie's bone compound, mixed with one half ewt. of peat charcoal per acre. The drills were made at distances from centre to centre, of 28 inches, and the plants were thinned, in the rows, to 13 inches apart. The cultivation in other respects was well attended to. APPENDIX D. II. Appendix to Dr. Kirk patrick's Report. Glasnevin The following table will exhibit the results: EXPERIMENT on WHITE SILESIAN BEET and the different Model Farm. It will be perceived that long red mangel took the lead in this experiment, not, however, to a very great extent beyond yellow globe; that red globe occupied the next lower position to the latter; and that long yellow gave the lowest return of the varieties of mangel experimented on; whilst white Silesian beet occupied a still lower place in the scale of acreable produce than any of the others. Now, if we take the selling price of mangel in Also, if we deduct 28. from 158., (what is said to Leaving a difference in favour of red mangel, £22 10 0 17 4 6 £5 5 6 A sixth experiment had relation to the acreable return of wheat sowed in different ways, and at various quantities per acre. The land on which the experiment was made was not sufficiently dry, but it was in as good condition in other respects as, under the circumstances, could be expected; it having been manured for the preceding crop. The variety sowed was white chaffed red; the time of sowing, the 12th of December; and of reaping, the last week of August. The crop was injured to an extraordinarily great extent by the ravages of the larvae of the wheat midge, which accounts for the very small return of produce per acre. Indeed, so severely has the wheat crop suffered from this, and other causes, during the last few years, that I am resolved upon sowing only a very small area of it in future. The following table will show the results. |