Manures and the principles of manuring

by Charles Morton Aikman

In the first place, oats are a much hardier crop than barley or wheat. They can grow on a wonderfully wide range of soil, and under comparatively adverse circumstances, both of climate and situation. They are better suited for a damp climate such as our own than a warm climate. They may be described as of all crops the least fastidious, and will flourish on sandy, peaty, or clayey soils. While this is so, they show a preference for soils rich in decayed vegetable matter. It is for this reason that they flourish so well on soils freshly broken up from pasture, and are often the first crop to be grown on such soils.

Require mixed Nitrogenous Manuring.

Stoeckhardt has found, in experiments on the manuring of the oat crop, that they greedily absorb nitrogen during nearly the whole period of their growth, and that, consequently, it is desirable to manure them with a mixed nitrogenous manure which shall contain nitrogen, both in a readily available form to supply the plant during the early stages of its growth, and in a less available form for the later stages of growth. He was of the opinion that in this way a continuous and satisfactory growth of the crop would be promoted.

Arendt's Experiments.

The oat-plant has been made the subject of many elaborate investigations. Of these, those carried out by Arendt are the most elaborate and best known. In these experiments the composition of the oat-plant at different stages of growth was investigated. It was found that the oat-plant increased during the whole period of its life, and that two-thirds of the nitrogen absorbed was absorbed during the later period of growth. It has since been shown, however, that the absorption of nitrogen is very much influenced by circumstances. Indeed its composition is peculiarly susceptible to the influence of manures, and especially the influence of weather. Thus Arendt found that the assimilation of nitrogen is checked by cold wet weather; while, on the other hand, it is promoted by warm dry weather. The grain of oats grown in warm seasons is better developed, and in composition more nutritious (i.e., contains more nitrogen), than that of oats grown in wet seasons, while the reverse is the case with the straw.

"Avenine."

A point of considerable interest in connection with the composition of oats is the fact that it contains a body which exerts a strikingly stimulating effect on the nervous system of the animal, and to which the name "avenine" has been given.

Quantities of Manures.

The quantities of manures which may be applied to the oat crop are similar in amount to those which ought to be applied to barley—from 1/2 to 1 cwt. of nitrate of soda, and from 2 to 3 cwt. superphosphate of lime. Very often, however, the oat crop receives directly little or no manure. In the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland's experiments, sulphate of ammonia was found to be of very much less value than nitrate of soda as a manure for oats. Potash manures, especially muriate of potash, had a very beneficial effect. The general conclusions drawn from these experiments were, that the treatment of the land should be such as to accumulate organic matter in it, to prevent too great a loss of moisture, and to provide the young plant with manures that come speedily into operation.

GRASS.