282 Agricultural Education Exhibition, Norwich, 1911. 



Other examples of Menclelian science were shown in the 

 work which has been done on the cotton and sugar cane plants 

 by Cambridge men abroad, by means of specimens and photo- 

 graphs of the methods employed in selection, &c. Specimens 

 and maps were shown illustrating soil surveys in Norfolk and 

 other counties, and showing how the various farm crops 

 followed in their distribution the different soils most favourable 

 to them. 



An interesting exhibit was one illustrating the food of wild 

 birds — rooks, starlings, and larks. The contents of the birds 

 crops were separated out and shown in diagrams by means of 

 parallel columns ; seeds, grain, and beneficial insects on the one 

 side, against weeds and injurious insects on the credit side. 

 The rook's record was a black one, the food consisting wholly 

 of grains. The starling was shown to be almost wholly bene- 

 ficial, while the lark consumed about an equal quantity of 

 weed seeds to put against the sown grain he ate. These results 

 only referred to the spring, and the rook may be able to redeem 

 his character during the rest of the year, but it is doubtful. 

 There was not a single wire worm to his credit in this account. 



Other exhibits included plans of the Norfolk Agricultural 

 Station, where the tenant farmers of Norfolk are working out 

 their own problems in agricultui-al science. 



The Agricultural Education Association had a large display 

 of literature. Looking at the numbers of College prospectuses 

 one realised how the country has been covered during the last 

 twenty years with centres for teaching and research in agri- 

 culture. 



Harper-Adams Agricultural College, Newport, Salop. — This 

 College, from the opposite side of England, had an interesting 

 exhibit. The black scab or wart disease of potatoes was illus- 

 trated by a number of specimens and diagrams. It is evident 

 that it will not be the fault of the College if this new terror of 

 the potato grower gets a firmer hold on the West Midlands. 

 Specimens, unfortunately somewhat damaged in transit, illus- 

 trated the growth of the chicken in the egg from the first to 

 the twenty-first day. A most striking little experiment was 

 one showing the loss of water by evaporation. It was shown 

 that ground kept thoroughly hoed on the surface retained almost 

 as much water as ground mulched with dung, and both pre- 

 served four or five times as much water as ground simply left 

 rough. This experiment sent at least one visitor home deter- 

 mined to ply the horse and hand hoes with redoubled vigour, 

 whether there were weeds to kill or not. 



Other exhibits included a series of specimens of parasitic 

 diseases, and photographs and diagrams showing various depart- 

 ments of the college work. 



