INSTITUTE AND COLLEGE, PUSA, FOR 1909-10. 23^ 



REPORT OF THE IMPERIAL AGRICULTURAL 

 CHEMIST, FOR THE YEAR 1909-10. 



(J. Walter Leather, Ph.D.; F.I.C; F.C.S.) 



Charge of Section. — Mr. H. E. Annett, B.Sc, 

 M.S.E.A.C, Supernumerary Agricultural Chemist, was in 

 charge of this section until October 27th when I returned 

 from leave. 



Meteorology. — In addition to the usual temperature, 

 humidity, etc., records, an evaporimeter has been construct- 

 ed and the data will prove of service to both the Meteoro- 

 logical and Irrigation Departments. The first instrument 

 employed, a self-recording one, proved to be defective, 

 chiefly because the atmospheric dust of the hot weather 

 accumulated in the working parts. A much simpler and 

 quite reliable instrument was kindly supplied to me by 

 the Chief Engineer, Punjab Irrigation Branch, and reliable 

 data can now be obtained, though the record is not self- 

 maintained. 



Drainage data. — The records of drainage under con- 

 ditions of both bare-fallow and cropped soil at Cawnpore 

 and Pusa are now bearing fruit and the first few years' 

 results will be put together for publication at the close of 

 the present monsoon. In addition to the quantities of 

 water which percolate, evaporate or run off the land res- 

 pectively, information regarding the period of most active 

 nitrification, as also the effect of crops on nitrification is 

 being gleaned. This subject is not entirely novel, M. 

 Deherain having published information in respect of it 

 some 15 years ago, but it has not generally been acknow- 

 ledged as important. The crops, wheat and maize, which 

 were grown on two of the Pusa gauges, depressed in some 

 way or other the formation of nitrates last year very 

 materially. 



Water requirements of cro'ps. — The first section of this 

 investigation was published during the year as Memoir 



