REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR AND ACTING AGRICULTURIST. 



9 



cotton bag so that it will be entirely immersed just under the surface of the water. In 

 this way it dissolves rapidly. In another vessel slake 4 pounds of fresh lime with 4 

 gallons of water. After the lime is slaked the creamy mixture should be strained 

 through a fine sieve or a piece of coarse sacking into the barrel containing the copper 

 sulphate in solution when the barrel should be filled with water. After the mixture hz 

 thoroughly stirred it will be fit for use. 



The oata were treated as follows with the results given. The size of the plots on 

 which the oats were sown was about ^th of an acre each and the beads were counted on 

 33 by 3 feet (99 square feet). 



Material used. 



Bordeaux Mixture 



Potassium Sulphide Solution. , 



Bordeaux Mixture . 



Potassium Sulphide Solution . , 



Bordeaux Mixture. . .... 



Potassium Sulphide Solution.. 



Bordeaux Mixture 



Potassium Sulphide Solution., 

 Untreated 



Number 

 of hours 

 soaked. 



4 

 4 

 8 

 8 



12 

 12 

 24 

 24 



Total 

 Number 

 of heads. 



2,502 

 2,711 

 3,013 

 3,366 

 3,058 

 2,740 

 2,817 

 2, .592 

 2,730 



Number 



of 



good heads. 



2,500 

 2,575 

 3,011 

 3,2(i4 

 3,055 

 2,713 

 2,815 

 2,590 

 1,720 



Number 



of smutty 



heads. 



3 



136 



2 



102 



S 



27 



2 



2 



1,010 



From the above experiment it would appear that smutty oats soaked in Bordeaux 

 Mixture for 4 hours are rendered as free from smut as if soaked for 8, 12 or 24 hours. 

 But where potassium sulphide is used it appears to be necessary to steep the grain in 

 the solution for 24 hours in order to entirely free it from smut. While the solution of 

 potassium sulphide seems to be a reliable remedy for smut in oats provided the grain is 

 steeped in it for 24 hours, the Bordeaux Mixture is a cheaper remedy, more easily 

 obtainable, and appears to be quite as efiective with only 4 hours soaking. It is pro- 

 posed to test this remedy on a more extensive scale during the coming season. 



FIELD CROPS OP OATS. 



Golden Giant. — 3^ acres. Soil a light sandy loam. The land was manured in 1895 

 with about 12 tons of barn-yard manure per acre. The previous crop was pease. It 

 was ploughed in the autumn of 1896, about 8 inches deep, and in the following spring it 

 was disc-harrowed once, and harrowed twice with the smoothing harrow before sowing. 

 Sown 29th April, two bushels per acre, came up 9th and 10th May, and was ripe 17th 

 August. The time to mature was 110 days. The yield per acre was 53 bushels 25 pounds, 

 weight per bushel 31 pounds. Length of head, 9 to 11 inches, sided, length of straw, 48 

 to 51 inches. Made a strong and even growth, only a few spots lodged, there was some 

 smut, and the leaves and stems were badly rusted. 



Improved Ligowo. — 4 J acres. Soil a clay loam of good quality, which was manured 

 in the autumn of 1894, with about 18 tons of barn-yard manure per acre. The previous 

 crop was barley. The land was ploughed very shallow in 1896, immediately after 

 harvest, to start shed grain and weed seeds, and again later in the autumn about 8 inches 

 deep. In the spring of 1897, it was disc-harrowed twice, and harrowed twice with the 

 smoothing harrow before sowing. Sown 30th April, two bushels per acre, came up 10th 

 May; and was ripe 2nd August. The time to mature was 94 days, and the yield per 

 acre was 44 bushels 10 pounds ; weight per bushel, 37 pounds. Length of head, 8 to 10 

 inches, branching, length of straw, 44 to 48 inches. Made a strong and even growth ; a 

 few spots lodged. There was some smut, and the leaves and stems were considerably 

 rusted. 



