4 SCIENTIFIC REPORTS OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 



Chemical Section. As recommended by the Conference 

 of Agricultural Chemists, an investigation into the methods 

 of analysis of nitrogen and phosphoric acid in manures 

 and fertilizers has been undertaken by the Chemical 

 Section. The important investigations regarding the 

 retention of phosphoric acid in calcareous and non- 

 calcareous soils reached a stage which enabled Dr. 

 Harrison to submit the result for publication. The work 

 on windrowing of sugarcanes started at Peshawar was 

 continued at Pusa where it was found that the canes 

 were capable of being windrowed under conditions 

 of temperature much higher than those obtaining in 

 the North -West Frontier Province. The question as to 

 whether the roots of certain crop plants excrete toxic sub- 

 stances, and the comparative effect of ammonium sulphate 

 as a manure for paddy used alone and in combination with 

 green manures, formed some of the other important investi- 

 gations made by this Section. 



Botanical Section. Botanical work on wheat, indigo, 

 linseed, tobacco, patwa (Hibiscus cannabinus) and safflower 

 has been continued. In addition to this, work on rice and 

 jute receives mention in the report of the Officiating 

 Economic Botanist. Reports from the United Provinces 

 indicate that some of the new Pusa wheat crosses sent out 

 for trial may prove even higher } T ielders than the well 

 established Pusa 12, showing an improvemert in the direc- 

 tion of a stronger straw and better grain-holding pro- 

 perties. Botanical work on indigo was confined mainly to 

 a continuation of observations on plants grown in drained 

 and undrained lysimeters, to the monthly examination of 

 roots, and to seed selection. Definite results have been ■ 

 obtained from the work on linseed, indicating the lines on 

 which improvement of the Bihar varieties must proceed. 



The Officiating Economic Botanist, in collaboration 

 with the Fibre Expert to the Government of Bengal, conti- 

 nued the investigations into " chlorosis " in jute which 

 promise to have important practical results in eliminating 

 this danger to the Bengal jute crop. 



