The Wohurn Field Experiments, 1914. 297 



The produce was valued, and here again the " Square Head's 

 Master " came out the best. In the opinion of the valuer it was 

 an average sample of the year's wheat, uniform in colour, but 

 not with much strength. The " Tystofte " was considered 

 badly grown and not well matured, being lacking in strength 

 and colour. The " Svalof " was described as a coarse, thick- 

 skinned, ugly sample that might just pass in the pi'esent season 

 for milling, and would produce plenty of bran but very little 

 flour. 



It would not seem, therefore, that either the Danish or 

 the Swedish variety of wheat here tried is likely to replace 

 a good English variety like " Square Head's Master." 



Influence of Magnesia on Wheat. 



Following up the experiment of 1913 conducted in Lansome 

 Field, 2 plots of 2^^ acre each were marked out in Butt Furlong 

 adjoining the experiments on varieties of wheat described on 

 page 296. One of these was left untreated, and the other had 

 4 cwt. of magnesia spread upon it on October 21, 1913. This, 

 accordingly, was equal to a dressing of 4 tons per acre\ Wheat 

 — " Square Head's Master " — was sown on October 22 at the rate 

 of 9 pecks per acre. The wheat came up fairly on both plots, 

 and so continued until early in spring, when, once more, the 

 ravages of birds upon the plot where magnesia had been used, 

 and which Avere noted in last year's report, intervened. 



It was noticeable that the wheat on this plot was of a much 

 darker green colour than whei'e no magnesia had been used, 

 and also the plant tillered out very much more. The plant was, 

 however, so much destroyed by the birds pulling it up that it 

 would be misleading to give the comparative yields. 



The valuer reported the " magnesia treated " wheat as being 

 a very strong glutinous sample of red wheat, which would be 

 nearly perfect but for containing a few thin blighted corns. 

 He assigned a value of 41s. ^d. to it as against 44s. for the 

 untreated lot, which had more yellow and weak corns in it. 



Determinations of nitrogen in the grain gave the following 

 figures : — 



° With Without 



magnesia. magnesia. 

 Percentage of nitrogen . . . 1"90 1'78 



By the kindness of Mr. A. E. Humphries, of Coxe's Lock 

 Mill, Weybridge, milling and baking tests of the two lots of 

 grain were also carried out. 



The flours gave : — 



Percentage of dry crude gluten . 



2. The soil of this field contained lime (CaO) 'il per cent., magnesia C^gO) 

 •24 per cent. 



