8 April, 1907.] llie Agricultural High ScJiool. 249 



personal observations, school excursions to farm and field, simple experi- 

 ments, practical training and studies in theory. Some experiments made 

 bv the scholars of the Mortlake State School are given as exam.ples : — 



1. {a) Placed pulverized local rock in well-drained pot. {b) Placed 

 pulverized local rock with some decayed organic matter (rotted weeds) in 

 another pot. Sowed bean in each. In {a) the plant died at the end of six 

 weeks ; in (b) plant attained maturity and produced ten well-filled pods. 



Deduction. — {a) Local basaltic rock contains all plant foods except or- 

 ganic matter ; ih) organic matter is necessary to soil in order that the soil 

 organisms (bacteria) may assist plant. 



2. Placed equal weights of sand, and of clay mixed with sand, in two 

 tins. Same weight of water was added to each ; tins were exposed to air 

 for a week. The mixed clav and sand was found tO' be the heavier. 



Deduction. — Evaporation is greater from sand than from a mixture 

 of sand and clay. 



3. The above experiment was performed without the added water. The 

 tins were exposed for one night, and were weighed in the morning. The 

 mixture was heavier than the sand alone. 



Deduction. — (a) Clay in soil assists its absorbing power; {h) soils absorb 

 moisture from air. 



4. Placed bean seeds with embryo up, on side, down ; seeds with 

 embryo down appeared first above the ground ; seeds with embryo on side 

 were next. 



5. Experiments with potatoes. Sets cut ; some were placed with 

 "eyes" upward, others downward. In every case those with "eyes'" 

 upward appeared above surface of ground from 5 to 14 days before the 

 others. 



6. In March, planted potatoes at varying depths, 3 inches, 5 inches, 

 8 inches. Those planted at 8 inches came up first, then tho'se at 3 inches ; 

 many of those at 5 inches failed altogether. 



The potatoes at 8 inches received benefit of dampness conserved below. 

 A slight shower moistened surface 10 days after planting and helped the 

 3 inches potatoes. 



7. Placed an India-rubber tube over cut-off stem of balsam. Attached 

 a glass tube; poured small quantity of water in tube. In 36 hours, sap 

 had risen in tube f inch. Showed effect of root pressure. 



8. Stripped off all leaves from hardwood plant ; in some instances death 

 followed. Stripped off all leaves from soft-wood plant — ^none died. 



Deduction. — Hard-wood plants depend almost entirely on leaves for 

 breathing and digesting food; in soft-wood plants this work is also per- 

 formed bv the stems. 



9. Cut four kerosene tins into halves, two transversely, two longitu- 

 dinallv ; put same weight of soil in each ; added to each same weight of 

 water (stirring soil well). In Numbers i cut transversely and 2 cut longi- 

 tudinally, the surface was stirred daily for 14 days; in the other tins the 

 surface was not stirred. At end of time. Number 1 weighed the heaviest, 

 Number 2 next. 



Deduction. — Surface stirring breaks capillaries, and acts as a mulch, 

 preventing evaporation. Deep cultivation tends to assist in conserving 

 moisture. 



10. Performed experiments with wheat, oats, barley, and mangolds. 

 In every case, deep cultivation gave results, varying from i| to 4 times th(i 

 weight of material over shallow cultivation. 



