.. | 22
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[Note 1: The silicate of potass was manufactured at a glass-house,
by fusing equal parts of pearl-ash and sand. The product was a
transparent glass, slightly deliquescent in the air; it was ground
to powder under edge-stones.]

[Note 2: The manures termed superphosphate of lime and phosphate
of potass, were made by acting upon bone-ash by means of sulphuric
acid, and in the case of the potass salt neutralizing the compound
thus obtained, by means of pearl-ash. For the superphosphate of lime,
the proportions were, 5 parts bone-ash, 3 parts water, and 3 parts
sulphuric acid of sp. gr. 1.84; and for the phosphate of potass,
4 parts bone ash, water as needed, 3 parts sulphuric acid of sp. gr.
1.84; and an equivalent amount of pearl-ash. The mixtures, of course,
lost weight considerably by the evolution of water and carbonic acid.]

[Note 3: The medicinal carbonate of ammonia; it was dissolved in
water and top-dressed.]

[Note 4: Plot 5, was 2 lands wide (in after years, respectively,
5_a_ and 5_b_); 5.1 consisting of 2 alternate one-fourth lengths
across both lands, and 5.2 of the 2 remaining one-fourth lengths.]

[Note 5: Top-dressed at once.]

[Note 6: Top-dressed at 4 intervals.]

[Note 7: Peruvian.]

[Note 8: Ichaboe.]

The season of 1845 was more favorable for wheat, than that of 1844, and
the crops on all the plots were better. On plot No. 3, which had no
manure last year, or this, the yield is 23 bushels per acre, against 15
bushels last year.

Last year, the 14 tons of barn-yard manure gave an _increase_ of only
5-1/4 bushels per acre. This year it gives an increase of nearly 9
bushels per acre.

"Do you mean," said the Deacon, "that this plot, No. 2, had 14 tons of
manure in 1844, and 14 tons of manure again in 1845?"

"Precisely that, Deacon," said I, "and this same plot has received this
amount of manure every year since, up to the present time--for these
same experiments are still continued from year to year at Rothamsted."

"It is poor farming," said the Deacon, "and I should think the land
would get too rich to grow wheat."

"It is not so," said I, "and the fact is an interesting one, and teaches
a most important lesson, of which, more hereafter."

Plot 5, last year, received 700 lbs. of superphosphate per acre. This
year, this plot was divided; one half was left without