22 REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 



The Use of Explosives in Agriculture. — For some short 

 time past the use of dynamite or other similar explosive 

 for the breaking up of " hard pan " or the removal of tree 

 stumps, has been recommended in the press. It is a subject 

 which naturally lends itself to " copy," but should be ap- 

 proached with some little consideration. Experiments 

 have been made at Cawnpore and at Pusa by myself in col- 

 laboration with the Chief Chemical Examiner, Ordnance 

 Department, and the Deputy Director of Agriculture, 

 Central Circle, United Provinces, and a separate report 

 will be made. In any case these experiments will have to be 

 considered preliminary, but it may here be suitably re- 

 marked that these explosives are comparatively expensive 

 in India at present; also that, whilst it is possible to ascer- 

 tain immediately to a limited extent what the nature of 

 the effect of the explosive has been in any particular case, 

 its agricultural value can only be subsequently ascertained 

 by the growth of trees or crops on the land. Hence in any 

 case it will only be possible to appraise correctly the finan- 

 cial aspect after the lapse of several years. 



V* — Saltpetre. 



After the failure which was referred to in last year's 

 report, a test was made on a small scale with a filter-press. 

 This press, which was borrowed locally, was not only small, 

 but was imperfect in several of its parts. It was, however, 

 sufficiently well repaired to test the probability of such a 

 press being useful, and having shown considerable promise, 

 a large sized one was ordered from Europe. This is expect- 

 ed to arrive shortly, and further experiments will then be 

 made. In the meantime the salt l ' systems " which are in- 

 volved, are being worked out by Babu Jatindra Nath 

 Mukerjee, the assistant who is in charge of this work. 



VI. — Sugar. 



Date Palm Sugar. — Owing to Mr. Annett's absence no 

 further work on this subject has been done, but the infor- 



