The Wolmrn Pot-Culture Experiments, 1914. 319 



see whether any influjence attaching to the use of the latter 

 might not be derived purely from the organic and nitrogenous 

 matters supplied. 



The experiment was accordingly arranged as follows : — 



1. Ordinary Woburn soil. 



2. Ordinary Woburn soi], with Bottomley's preparation added in the 



proportion recommended by him, viz., eight pans of soil to one of 

 the Peat. 



3. Ordinary Woburn soil, with heated Fen soil. 



In No. 2 the Peat preparation was added to the top six 

 inches of soil, and in No. 3 the same bulk of heated Fen soil 

 was mixed with the top six inches of soil. The Fen soil had 

 been heated continuously for two hours at a temperature of 

 SO^-lOO" C. The crops were barley, peas, and mustard, and the 

 pots — which were in duplicate — were filled on March 31, 1914, 

 and sown on April 8. 



During the period of growth it was noticed that with 

 mustard the Bottomley preparation and the Fen soil imparted 

 a much darker green colour to the crop than did the untreated 

 soil. Later on, the Bottomley preparation produced much 

 thicker stems, and at the beginning of July, when the first crop 

 of mustard was ready to cut, the eflFect was very marked. With 

 barley the Bottomley preparation gave also a darker colour 

 and a broader flag, and with peas a stronger growth and better 

 colour. The Fen soil appeared to be without much efli'ect in 

 the case of barley and peas. 



The first crop of mustard was cut on July 4, and the second 

 crop sown at once. This second crop showed much the same 

 differences as were observed in the first instance, and was in 

 due time also cut and weighed green. 



The barley crop when ripe was cut and weighed, but the 

 peas were very much blighted, an unsatisfactory crop resulting, 

 and the results with peas must be taken with reserve. There 

 was, however, no mistaking the better appearance and greener 

 colour of the crop treated with the Bottomley preparation. 

 The results were as follows : — 



