The Effects of Radio-active Ores and Residues on Plant Life. 17 







SERIES 2 continued. 



NOTES ON ONION EXPERIMENTS continued. 



Where Complete Fertiliser had been applied in addition to radio-active 

 materials, the effect was visible only in the tests with Nirama, Vanadium 

 Sand, and McArthur's Sand, in which the foliage was of a darker green. 



In the experiments with Onions there was evidence that the plants in 

 most of the plots dressed with radio-active materials only were equally as 

 strong as those in the Farmyard Manure and Complete Fertiliser Controls. 



Final Notes. -There was a considerable difference in the weights 

 obtained from the unmanured Controls, the First yielding n Ibs. 6 ozs. and 

 the Duplicate 21 Ibs. 2 ozs. The best returns were from four plots dressed 

 with radio-active materials, but on the other hand, the lowest weight of any 

 was 6 Ibs. 6 ozs. from the test with Pure Radium Bromide (unmanured). 



As, however, the unmanured Controls gave such widely varying results 

 (as also was the case with the Tomato trials in soil), no very definite conclusions 

 from the tests with Onions can be formed. 



NOTES ON EXPERIMENTS WITH SPINACH BEETS. 



Seed sown April 26. 



The first plot to germinate was that dressed with Nirama, while that 

 which was treated with Pure Radium Bromide showed the most even vitality. 



Within two months from time of sowing, the Complete Fertiliser Control 

 held first place, and this was followed closely by the Farmyard Manure Control. 

 The next best were the plots dressed with Lignaite and Coal Dust. First 

 Control (unmanured) and Pure Radium Bromide were the weakest in growth. 



Four weeks later Farmyard Manure Control had taken the lead. At 

 this stage, the sections dressed with Complete Fertiliser in addition to the 

 radio-active materials showed, in most cases, to greater advantage than the 

 trials with Radium only. This improvement was especially noticeable in 

 the tests with Ore A, Ore B, and Pitchblende Concentrates, where the leaves 

 were very green and healthy. 



By the middle of August the condition of several plots had changed. 

 Farmyard Manure Control was still strongest in growth, with Complete Fertiliser 

 Control and the Lignaite trial equal for second place. Some of the plants 

 in the unmanured Duplicate Control, which had greatly improved, were as 

 robust as those in the Farmyard Manure Control. First Control (unmanured) 

 and Pure Radium Bromide remained the weakest. 



In no instance were the plants in the plots treated with radio-active 

 materials alone so good as those in the Farmyard Manure and Complete 

 Fertiliser Controls. Neither were the trials grown with Radium and Complete 

 Fertiliser together better than the Controls with Manures alone. 



No weights were taken of the Spinach Beet trials, but the most luxuriant 

 growth was produced in- the Farmyard Manure and Complete Fertiliser Controls. 



