138 Survey of Soil Fauna of Agricultural Laud 



ley, 1917; (3) Oats, 1918; (4) Potatoes, Turnips and Mangels, 1919; 

 (5) Wheat, 1920. 



The investigation was commenced in October 1919, when the root 

 crop had just been taken from the ground, and the land was in its 

 cleanest condition. 



The field received an autumn ploughing at the end of November and 

 beginning of December. The land is a heavy loam and works rather 

 stiffly under the plough on account of the unusually large proportion of 

 the finer fractions of silt and clay. Thus there was a tendency for the 

 soil particles to run together to form hard clods in wet weather. 



No farmyard manure was apphed to the land previous to ploughing 

 since the wheat followed a root crop. But in the spring of 1919 a heavy 

 dressing of farmyard manure was given preparatory to the root crop. 

 Artificial manures as a top-dressing for wheat were not used, so that any 

 manurial effect upon the soil fauna is due to the farmyard manure alone. 



At the beginning of February the wheat seed was drilled without 

 any preparatory harrowing. The field was harrowed to cover the seed, 

 and during the spring the wheat was rolled and harrowed. 



To summarise, it will be understood that the minimum of working 

 was done to the land consistent with the proper cultivation of the crop. 

 Any immediate influence which cultivation has had upon the soil fauna 

 is due to the exposing of the surface layer of soil by the autumn plough- 

 ing and the working during the early part of the year. Also any indirect 

 effect will be caused by the residues of former crops and of farmyard 

 manure, the accumulation of weeds and fauna introduced by reason of 

 the growth of previous crops in the rotation. 



No. 2 Station, Brandlesholme, hes about 2| miles north-west of the 

 town of Bury, Lancashire. The district is situated upon the Coalmeasures, 

 overlain by Drift consisting of upper sand and gravel. 



Brandlesholme forms an elevated tableland about 420 feet above sea- 

 level. On the east Hes the River Irwell, to which the land slopes sharply. 

 On the west it declines again to form a hollow in which runs Kirklees 

 Brook. Surrounding the district on all sides, except the south where 

 the town of Bury is situated, are high hills running up into the Pennine 

 Chain. Thus the situation of No. 2 Station is rather exposed. 



Two fields were taken as types of arable land ("broken-up" pasture 

 and permanent pasture). These were respectively "Bung's Field" and 

 "Big Meadow" (Brandlesholme Hall Farm, Bury). 



Field B ("Bung's Field") was pasture ploughed up in the autumn of 

 1916 in accordance with the " Ploughing-up Programme" (War-time 



