The Effects of Radio-Active Ores and Residues on Plant Life. 3 



EXPERIMENTS WITH RADIO-ACTIVE ORES 



AND RESIDUES, ETC., 

 carried out at Sutton's Experimental Station, Reading. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH RADISHES. 



The radio-active Ore used in this series was certified to contain 

 approximately 8 milligrammes of Radium Bromide per ton of Ore. 



In order to determine the degree of radio-activity likely to give the best 

 result the Ore was employed in varying quantities, and the proportions 

 are shown by the figures given in the table below. An attempt was also 

 made to ascertain the difference, if any, arising from the two methods adopted 

 (a) by incorporating Ore with the soil, and (b) by placing Ore at the bottom 

 of box, thus avoiding, as far as possible, actual contact with the plants. 



Sutton's Scarlet Globe Radish was chosen for these trials, the seed being 

 sown in boxes about three feet square and several inches deep. Ordinary 

 garden soil, to which no manure had recently been added, was used. Four 

 boxes, not dressed with radio-active Ore, served as "controls" and these 

 contained respectively (a) plain soil, (b) soil and farmyard manure, (c) soil 

 and guano, and (d) soil and a complete fertiliser. 



The seeds were sown May 26th and the roots lifted June 24th, so that 

 the trials were in growth and under observation for about four weeks. After 

 sowing, the boxes were placed side by side in the open ground and watered 

 at regular intervals with plain water only. In each box ninety-six roots 

 were allowed to mature, the roots and foliage being weighed separately at the 

 time of lifting. Details of the results are given in the following table : 



RADISH TRIALS. 



Notes on the Radish Trials are given on the following page. 



