202 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



announced lii.s theoi-y of plant nutrition, and wlion kno\vled<4V roo-ard- 

 ing- the rccjuirciuents of plants and the way in w hicli they secure their 

 nourishment was in very crude state. 



His earlier experiments led to the discover}^ of the value of trans- 

 forming bone into superphosphate hy the use of sulphuric acid. The 

 importance and scope of this discovery was contirmed in more exten- 

 sive experiments, following' which he took out a patent on the process 

 in 1842, and the next year established a fertilizer factory near London. 

 He continued in the management of this business for nearW thirty 

 3"ears, during which time it remained one of the foremost industries 

 of its kind in England. It was sold in 18T2"for nearl}' one and a half 

 million dollars. In 1867 a large factory was acquired for the maiui- 

 facture of tartaric and citric acids, which his wise business management 

 and ability likewise placed at the head of this branch of chemical manu- 

 factui'e. He continued to operate this factor}^ up to the time of his 

 death. 



But the commercial life upon which he entered did not prevent the 

 continuation of the work of investigation which had been undertaken 

 with so much interest, and in 1813 the services of Dr. (now Sir) J. H. 

 Gilbert were engaged to superintend the laboratory investigations. 

 This scientific partnership continued to the close of Sir John's life. 

 His love for the work never waned, and he maintained a close super- 

 vision of it. No one knew the experimental tields liettcr than he did. 



The development of the station with the flight of years and the 

 extent and character of its investigations are too familiar to need 

 description. With the aid of Dr. Gilbert the field experiments were 

 enlarged and systematized until they occupied nearly 10 acres, the 

 whole of the present series of plats being in operation by 1856. 

 These field experiments have been models of excellence, and in their 

 extent and the systematic regularity with which they have been con- 

 ducted they are unique. Experiments w^ith animals were taken up in 

 1817, and since then several hundred oxen, sheep, and pigs have been 

 used in the study of a variety of problems relating to animal nutiltion. 

 The work on the composition of animals has l)ecome almost classic. 



The first paper of Lawes and Gilbert was, as Sir Henry Gilbert 

 once said, "subjected to merciless excision by the editor of the journal 

 to which it was sent,"' and thev secured its publication with difficulty. 

 The collected reports now occupy nine volumes, and have. been widely 

 distributed. 



The wide recognition of the Kothamsted work which came with 

 time brought its founder many honors. •'The Queen created him a 

 baronet in 1882; universities gave him their degrees; societies bestowed 

 upon him their medals. Prosperity could not spoil him. Quite free 

 fi-oni pri-soual amltition, he wasalwa3's ready to give th(> credit of suc- 

 cess to his fellow-workers.'* This spirit of modest}' and generosity 



