91 



in the chemical investigations at Rothamsted, was chosen to deliver 

 the tirst course of lectures before the Association of American Agricul- 

 tural Colleges and Experiment Stations at Washington in August of last 

 year. I'he choice was a wise one. Mr. Warington being connected 

 with Rothamsted more or less closely since 1859 was thoroughly con- 

 versant with the many lines of experiments carried on and the results 

 obtained there. His own work there has been of a varied character. 

 The analyses of the ash of plants and animals, the chemical examination 

 of soils, rain, drainage and well-waters, a lengthy investigation into the 

 process of nitrification in soils and the chemical action of certain soils 

 and bacteria form a few of the most important subjects upon which 

 Mr. Warington has been engaged. 



It would be impossible with the space at our command to give an 

 adequate account of all Mr Warington said at Washington. The 

 lectures have recently been issued by the U. S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture and form an octavo pamphlet of over 100 pages. They are well 

 worthy of careful perusal by those interested in modern and progres- 

 sive agriculture; it must suffice us here to do little more than indicate 

 the subjects there expanded. 



Lecturer. Contains an historical account of the Rothamsted 

 institution and enumerates many of the experiments conducted with 

 animals and in the field. In this connection we must quote one 

 experiment, as the result is both interesting and important. It proves 

 that wheat as we know it is the outcome of artificial development and 

 emphatically teaches the choking power of weeds. In 1882 a plot of 

 wheat was not harvested, /. e. the grain was left to fall when ripe upon 

 the ground and sow 'itself. "The first self-sown crop (1883) came up 

 stiong, but was so starved by th.- weeds that the produce of grain pro- 

 bably did not exceed a few pints per acre". Self-seeding was again 

 allowed, but the end was near. "The last appearance of the wheat 

 was in 1885." Sickly and stunted the wheat struggled for a few years 

 against the choking weeds that grew and flourished so vigorously until 

 its very existence became a thing of the past. Here is a lesson full of 

 import to many a Canadian farmer. 



Lecture 2. Agricultural chemists have determined that of all the 

 elements of plant food, three may be termed essentials, since they must 



