ome before me
in a distinct form as one upon which I had to decide one way or the
other. I had, however, no hesitation in coming to the conclusion, that
grain crops could never be grown at a profit upon my relation's land,
and that consequently, for some years, it would be better to give up the
attempt, and try to improve the pasture.

After what I have said about the insolubility of potash and phosphoric
acid, it may possibly be asked--why not give a good dose of these
substances at once, as they do not wash out of the soil--say enough to
grow sixty crops of grain, and apply the nitrate, or ammonia every year
in just sufficient amounts to supply the wants of the crop?

The objections to this plan are as follows: assuming the most favorable
conditions of climate, and the largest possible produce, the wheat could
certainly not take up the whole of the thirty-two pounds of nitrogen
applied, and the crop which requires nearly one pound of nitrogen in
every one hundred pounds of gross produce, would be certainly less than
three thousand two hundred pounds, if supplied with only thirty-two
pounds of nitrogen. If we take the total produce of the best and worst
wheat crop, grown during the forty years of our experiments, we shall
arrive at a better understanding in the matter. The following are the
figures:

Weight of Dry Produce of Wheat Per Acre.

_Straw and Grain._
1863 9330 lbs.
1879 3859 "

In order to ascertain the increase due to the nitrogen of the salts of
ammonia or nitrate of soda, we must deduct from the crop the produce
obtained, where mineral manures without nitrogen were used. In 1863 this
amount was three thousand pounds, and in 1879 it was one thousand two
hundred pounds. Deducting these amounts from the gross produce in each
case, leaves six thousand three hundred and thirty as the produce due to
the nitrogen in the season of 1863, and two thousand six hundred and
fifty-nine as the produce due to the nitrogen in 1879.

But in each case we applied the same amount of nitrogen, eighty-seven
pounds; and as the amount of nitrogen in a wheat crop, as carted from
the field, contains less than one per cent. of nitrogen, it is evident
that if all that was contained in the manure had been taken up by the
plant, the increased crop should have weighed eight thousand seven
hundred pounds instead of six thousand three hundred and thirty. Thus
even in our best year, some of the nitrog