232 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



On the manuring of pastures in New Zealand, B. C. Aston (Reprint from 

 Fiinucrff' Union Advocate, pp. 7). — The particles of basic slag wliicli passed 

 througli screens having 100, 60, and 30 wires to the linear inch when applied 

 to plats of iiasture land at the rate of 1,225 lbs. per acre produced 17,800, 17,000, 

 and ICGOO lbs. of green grass per acre, respectively, while an unmanured plat 

 produced at the rate of 12,600 lbs. 



Experiments were conducted at Cockle Park and Moumahaki to determine 

 the effect of api)licatious of phosphorus upon the power of pastures to support 

 sheep. At the former point an application of 50 lbs. of potasli increased the 

 total live weigbt supported by 27 per cent, while the perceutages of increase 

 followiug an application of 7 cwt. suiierphosphate, 5 cwt. basic slag. 4 tons of 

 quicklime, and 10 cwt. basic slag were 91, 96, 4, and 233, respectively. At 

 Moumahaki the maxinumi increase of live weight supported, 32.9 per cent, fol- 

 lowed the application of 3 cwt. of superphosphate, while the increased per- 

 centages from applications of 5^ cwt. basic slag, 2^ cwt. basic slag. 2^ cwt. of 

 Maiden Island guano, and 24 cwt. of ground lime were 28.6, 27.4, 11.8, and 13.4, 

 respectively. A 5-acre field test showed that the application of 21 shillings 

 worth of basic slag enabled an increase at the rate of 2^ sheep to the acre to be 

 carried during a i>eriod of 126 days. 



Annual report for 1909, A. D. Hall {Rothnmsted Expt. Sta., Harpenden, 

 Ann. Rpt. 1909, pp. 16). — A brief history of the station and a statement of its 

 object and plan of work are followed by resumes of each of a number of papers 

 published during the year by members of the laboratory staff. 



Meteorological data for 1909 are given and the yields secured on each of the 

 different plats during recent years presented in tabular form. The general plan 

 of the work bas already been noted ( E. S. R., 7, p. 380). 



Experiments in cultivation, H. Dammann {Rei\ Secc. Af/ron. Univ. Monte- 

 video, 1908, AVj.s-. 3, pp. 23-73; .'/, pp, 203-213}. — Analyses of the soil and subsoil 

 of the field experimented on and of numerous varieties of clovers and grasses are 

 followed by the results of trials of these grasses and clovers grown separately 

 and in mixtures. Variety tests of winter and spring barley are also given. 



The application of superphosphate appeared to increase the protein content 

 of 5 different varieties to the extent of from 0.3 to 1.22 per cent. The late 

 sugar beet variety Zuckerfabrick Kleinwanzleben produced tbe maximum yield 

 of 8,025 kg. of sugar per hectare (about 7,142 lbs. per acre) but was excelled 

 in percentage of sugar by Dippes Elitezucbtung. A scheme is given for the 

 classification of soils as poor, medium, normal, rich, and very rich according to 

 their nitrogen, phosphoric acid and lime content. A complete fertilizer includ- 

 ing lime appeared to produce much higher yields of American wheat than did 

 any incomplete mixture. The application of phosphoric acid and nitrogen to 

 barley was followed by a greater increase in yield of grain and straw than was 

 the application of the same mixture with potash or of potash and nitrogen or 

 potash and phosphoric acid. In another series of tests the highest yield of 

 barley was obtained from the application of potash, phosphoric acid and nitro- 

 gen to land fertilized the previous year with manure, phosphoric acid and 

 nitrogen, while an eiiual yield of grain but a lower yield of straw was obtained 

 without any fertilizer whatever upon land enriched the previous year with 

 manure. The Eckeudorf Original produced a higher yield of roots than any 

 other forage beet but had also the lowest percentage of dry substance and was 

 excelled in yield of dry substance per acre by the variety Heinrich Mettes. 



Experiments in the cultivation of forage plants, J. Schroeder and H. Dam- 

 mann (Rev. Inst. Agron. Montevideo, 1909, No. 5, pp. 222-23S) .—Chemical 

 analyses of corn, buckwheat, sorghum, Johnsou grass, spring rape, sainfoin, 



