31'8 T/t^ Woburn Field Experiments, 1911. 



Despite the drought of 1911, the green crops grew very 

 fairly, and were fed off by sheep, the tares, June 13-21, the 

 niustai'd, July 5-10, and the rape, July 11-15. In each case 

 some cotton cake was given to the sheep with the green food. 



On July 19, a second crop of tares was drilled, and on 

 August 14, second crops of rape and mustard. The second 

 crops, however, were but small on account of the dryness of 

 the season. They were fed off I)}' sheep, October 18-23, 

 along with a little cotton cake, the land being then ploughed 

 up and sown with wheat. 



Experiments on Lucerne. 

 Series (B). Stackyard Field, 1911, 

 It will be remembered that for the five previous years there 

 had l^een grown in Stackyard Field three (^lifferent varieties of 

 lucerne, namely, Provence, American, and Canadian, and that 

 the Canadian seed had, in every year, given the best return. 

 There was, however, some uncertainty as to the exact origin 

 of the Canadian seed, and it was decided now to make a more 

 extended experiment with this and other varieties of lucerne, 

 ascertaining definitely beforehand the history of the seed. 

 Seven different varieties were grown, viz. : — American (Arizona), 

 North American, Canadian, Turkestan, Provence, Russian 

 (Europe), and Russian (Asia). The Canadian seed was obtained 

 direct froin the Government Experimental Farm at Ottawa, 

 through the kindness of Dr. Saunders, the American (Arizona) 

 seed was given l^y Messrs. Sutton & Sons, and the remaining 

 varieties were obtained through Messrs. W. H. le May & Co. 

 Inasmuch as opinions were found to vary considerably as 

 regards the relative advisability of sowing lucerne under a corn 

 crop or in the open, it was decided to let this form part of the 

 inquiry, and, accordingly, the area of two acres devoted to 

 the lucerne experiments was divided into two portions, a barley 

 crop being grown on one of these portions, l)iat not on the other. 

 In order to avoid any difficulty that might arise from the im- 

 portation of weeds, through farmyard manure or London dung, 

 neither of these was used, but a special manure, composed of 

 dissolved bones, sulphate of potash, and i-ape dust, was used for 

 the lucerne. It should also be mentioned that, earlier in the 

 year, lime had been applied to this area at the rate of 1 ton per 

 acre. " Goldthorpe " barley, 9 pecks per acre, was drilled on 

 the lower half on April 1, 1911, and lucerne was drilled all 

 over on May 26. The plots were kept constantly hoed, and, 

 in this way, though the season was a most di'y one, it was found 

 possible to secure a crop of each variety. On the land where 

 lucerne was sown without a sheltering crop, spurry came up 

 very strongly, and at one time threatened to smother the lucerne 



