Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-07-30

I'm the table is given the produce OF
wheat, grain and straw, and Of barley,
grain and straw, by tie application Of
ii tons of iarm-yard manure per acre
per annum. In the Upper division OF
the table the scsults obtained with
wheat, and in the lower those obtained
with barley, are recorded. The expert
ments on wheat have now been con-
tlnued for So years, and the average
produce per acre per annum is given Ter
the first eight years, the next nine
years, the next nine years, and the last
nme years. The experiments on bar
ley have been continued for q years,
and the results are given for the three
periods Of nine years each, correspond
ing with the last three periods in the
case Of the wheat,
"Referring first to the wheat, you
will observe that the average produce
of the first eight years is the lowest,
that of the next nine years is higher,
that OF tue third period Is higher still,
and that of the last nine years again Is
considerably lower, beng only about
three bushels more than over the first
period, about three bushels less than
over the second, and six bushels less
than over the third period.
1T is quite obvious from this result.
that the produce was got at ali in pro-
portion to the accumulation OF manure
in the land. When the soil was analy-
zed a few years ago, it was found that
:ae first nine inches in depth were
nearly twice as rich in nitrogen as any
of the artifcially MANFRED plots, yield
ing as much, or even more, produce.
There can be no doubt that whilst, there
is q general tendency to increase in
produce as the result Of this great ac-
emulation of manure in the soil, the
fluctuations are greatly dependent on
the characters Of the seasons. Thus,
the third period, which gives the highs
est produce, included some very pro-
ductive years, whilst Tie fourth period
included a number Of bad seasons, the
adverse influence ofwhich the constant
ly increasing accumulation of manure
within the soil only very partially OBJ
Waited. 1t will be observed, too, that
the amount ofstraw, the excess Of
which is a sure sign of excess OF manure
and over luXuriance, upon the whole
increases rather less than that Of grain,
there being less straw oyer the third
period, with the highest produce of
grain, than over the second with a
lever produce of grain, whilst the fourth
period gives considerably less than
either the second or the third. This is
the more remarkable since the annual
application OF IA tons of dung will have
brought upon the land the
equivalen. of from three 10 Iour tons
of straw. The fluctuations in the pro.
duce of straw, as well as in that ofgraln,
further illustrate the influence Of sea-
son in spite Of the accumulation Of ma
nure.
Turning 10 the experiments with
barley, we have, upon the whole, very
accordant results over the three periods,
compared with the same three periods
with wheat. Thus, the last period but
one, which included a number Of very
good seasons, gave more produce than
the last period, notwithstanding the
greater accumulation of manure in the
later years. There is in the barley, too,
as with the wheat, no striking increase
in the production Ofslraw; for although
there was considerable variation in the
of grain OF straw in indiyi,
1ual years. according to season, the
average proportion is almost identical
or each of the three periods. 1t is,
hen, obvious that there is no increase
If produce of either wheat or barley |
over the later years; at all commensu-
ate with the increased accumulation OF
manure in the soil.
Continued merit 'ceek.]
THE VALUE OF BIRDS. The swallow.