REPORT OF THE CHEMIST 131 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



Clover: Weight of Fresh Material, in Grams. 



On the date of the first cutting, July 17, no difference in vigour of growth could 

 be observed between the O. A. C culture pots, and the weights of the crops then taken 

 show that the growth was practically the same in the treated and untreated pots. With 

 regard to the Washington culture pots, the same might also be said, though the crop 

 from the ' seed inoculated ' fell somewhat behind that of the other two pots. 



The data of the second and third cutting, however, show in nearly every instance 

 a marked increase of gi'owth from the treated clovers, so that the total weights of 

 foliage produced in the season from them exceeded those of the untreated and check 

 pots. Larger returns were obtained from the O. A. C. than from the Washington 

 cultures ; the results, however, do not make clear whether seed or soil inoculation was 

 the more effective. 



We may now similarly consider the data from the Alfalfa. 



Alfalfa: Weight of Fresh Material, in Grams. 



Date of Cutting. 



July 17 



August 8 



September 19. . . , 



Totals 



Washington Culture, Sown 

 9th May, 1905. 



Un- 

 treated. 



G9-0 



78-8 

 96-7 



244-5 



Seed In- 

 oculated . 



63 6 



72-6 

 104-8 



241 



292-3 



It will be noticed that as in the case of the clover, the first cuttings of Alfalfa 

 showed no increase from the inoculated pots, indeed, the untreated seed in each case 

 gave slightly higher yields. At the time of the second cutting, the ' soil inoculated ' 

 alone showed an advantage. An increase, however, was observed when the third cutting 

 was made in treated AKalfas, more especially in the ' soil inoculated ' pots. Consider- 

 ing the total yields, it will be seen that it is only in the latter that any benefit has 

 been derived from the cultures. The differences throughout are not large and, there- 

 fore, can scarcely be used as an argument to prove the practical value of the Alfalfa 

 cultures. 



These pots, both clover and Alfalfa, are being kept over the winter in the hope 

 ■that tlieir respective yields may be obtained next season. 



16— 9i 



