Wednesday^ December 6, 1911. 3^>5 



of more than one prosecution under the Fertilisers and Feeding 

 Stuffs Act, was the sale of " Cod liver oil condition mixture," in 

 which rice husks or " shudes " figured largely. In connection 

 with the Lords' Committee on the Sales for Agricultural Purposes 

 Bill, evidence was given, on behalf of the Society, by the 

 Consulting Chemist. 



29. The exceptional season of 1911 told very severely on the 

 light land of the Wobum Farm, but, despite the prolonged 

 drought, the different experiments were carried through, and 

 their continuity left unbroken. Wheat was a good crop, but 

 both barley and oats suffered on the light land. The root crops 

 were better than might well have been expected, and quite fair 

 crops of sugar-beet and of mangolds were grown. Also an in- 

 teresting series of experiments on different varieties of Lucerne 

 was commenced. The cattle yard has been covered in, and will 

 provide excellent accommodation for the winter feeding of cattle, 

 and for experiments in feeding. At the Pot-culture Station work 

 has been continued upon lithium and zinc salts, as also on the 

 relation of lime and magnesia in soils. New work was started 

 in connection with the heating of soils and their treatment with 

 different antiseptic agents. An exhibit from the Society's Farm 

 and Pot-culture Station was sent to the Norwich Show in June, 

 and another was prepared for the International Exhibition at 

 Turin, which has been awarded a " Grand Prix " Diploma. 



30. In the course of the year 1910-11 the enquiries received 

 and dealt with by the Botanical Department were, in round 

 numbers, as follows : — Seed Testing, 180 complete analyses, and 

 about 200 rough analvses for purity of sample or comparison of 

 sample with bulk ; Weed Identifications, 36 ; Fungoid Diseases 

 of Plants, including crops, forest trees, and garden plants, 30 ; 

 General Enquiries, dealing for the most part with the formation 

 of pastures or their renovation, 40; Poisonine of Stock. 3. A 

 detailed Report on the results of the Seed Testine: is in pre- 

 paration. Its chief feature of interest is the number of cases 

 dealt with where good seeds failed or germinated irrea^ularlv 

 on account of the dry condition of the seed beds. The Fungoid 

 Diseases include one or two of some general interest, such as 

 " Crown Gall," which will be described in full in a subsequent 

 report. 



Investigations are now in progress on (n^ the Weed Flora of 

 certain of the Woburn plots : (V) the Micro Flora of some of the 

 mannrial plots at Woburn ; (r) the improvement of Lucerne. 



31. All through the summer numerous complaints were re- 

 ceived of various Insect Pests, but they wore usually of minor 

 importance, owinc probably to the fact that there was sufficient 

 explanation of the failure of certain crops in the unusual and 

 prolonged drought, and more or less insect attack made little 

 difference. Various species of Aphis were especially active, and 

 many of the common pests were favoured bv the inability of 

 crops to grow away from them. Some interesting cases of insects 

 iniiirine forest trees wprp invpKtitrntpd. and some fiirfher pro- 

 yress was made in clearing up flie liff-history of the Hasjiberrv 

 Beetle and other injurious insects. Many specimens were sent 

 for identification. 



