314 



NATURE 



[MaV 12. 19 lO 



74-2 



661 



8 



error of the experiment was known. Thus we are 

 informed that the most effective slags are those in 

 which a high percentage of the phosphates present 

 dissolves in citric acid. On looking at the figures, 

 however, we find that the extreme difference in yield 

 is little more than 10 per cent., which is probably 

 well within the experimental error. 



PercentHge of ptiosplioiic aciJ soluble 



in 2% titiic Hcid 93"i 



Hay Obtained, in cwts 9il 



Again, one of the conclusions drawn from the rotation 

 experiments is that sulphate of ammonia has had dis- 

 tinctly exhausting results except on the crop to which 

 it was applied. The fall in yield, however, is only 

 7 per cent. In neither case is the conclusion justified 

 by the evidence. 



Among the West of Scotland reports is one in which 

 the new nitrogen manures, cyanamide and basic cal- 

 cium nitrate, are shown to have given valuable 

 returns. Most of the reports deal with different 

 varieties of oats and potatoes. General conclusions 

 cannot be drawn since we are told "that the character 

 of the seasons was found to affect the relative as well 

 as the absolute productiveness of the oat varieties in 

 an astonishing degree." A number of measurements 

 of the straw and grain of these different varieties are 

 recorded, and a good deal of other information has 

 been collected. In the experiments on the manuring 

 of potatoes it generally happened that the best and 

 most profitable crops were obtained after applying ten 

 tons of farmyard manure per acre along with a com- 

 plete dressing of superphosphate, sulphate of potash, 

 and sulphate of ammonia, a result agreeing with 

 others obtained elsewhere. 



The Cirencester experiments on pasture have been 

 going on for eighteen years or more, and show some 

 interesting results worth working up in greater detail, 

 since they differ in several ways from those obtained 

 at Rothamsted. Thus superphosphates alone gave 

 better results than no manure and also encouraged 

 clover; the plot receiving sodium nitrate alone was 

 poor, tufted, and worse than the plot receiving 

 ammonium sulphate alone ; Ustilago was most preva- 

 lent on the plot receiving kainit alone. 



The Irish experiments on winter milk production 

 and winter rearing of calves were made to see if either 

 of these schemes would pay. At present Ireland 

 places but little butter on the market during winter, 

 with the result that the summer trade suffers. It is 

 considered that higher prices would be realised in 

 summer if the winter trade could be developed. Satis- 

 factory financial results were obtained. The reports 

 derive considerable interest from the tables of costs, 

 a welcome though rather unusual feature in experi- 

 ments of this sort. 



The Durham dairy investigations were intended to 

 settle certain practical points such as the feeding of 

 concentrated food on pasture and the relative value 

 of moderate and heavy rations for milch cows. It 

 was shown that an increase in food caused an in- 

 crease, but not a proportionate increase, in milk yield, 

 a result in accordance with Holtsmark's very complete 

 investigations in Norway. Brewers' grains were, as 

 usual, found to increase milk production, but no 

 attempts were made to ascertain whether, as is some- 

 times asserted, they have any physiological action. 

 This is all the more unfortunate since in a second 

 series of experiments the materials for this study 

 seem to have been at hand, the increase in milk yield 

 amounting in the two experiments only to 07 per 

 cent, and 33 per cent. There is nothing to indicate 

 the magnitude of the experimental error, but as only 

 five cows were taken in each set it cannot have been 

 less than the quantities recorded. The only legitimate 



NO. 21 15, VOL. 8j;] 



conclusion is that brewers' grains in this particulai 

 instance failed to produce their usual effect. Here i< 

 just the experiment that the trained investigator woulc 

 have welcomed in order to follow up the subject 

 But the author of the bulletin not only misses th< 

 opportunity, but draws the wholly unwarrantable con 

 elusion that a moderate allowance of 20 lb. of brewers 

 grains per day has the effect "of increasing, at al 

 events for a certain period, the daily yield of milk " \ 

 We have directed attention to these defects becaus< 

 they recur not infrequently in the work carried on ir 

 the counties. Unfortunately some of our agricultura 

 experimenters have a habit of ignoring or explaining 

 away an unexpected result. If only they would learr 

 that to follow up an unexpected result is the beginning 

 of wisdom in research work, we might make mucl 

 greater progress in agricultural science than we an 

 doing now. Of course, it may be urged that th( 

 object of the experiment is simply to arouse interes 

 or to demonstrate some well-ascertained fact, so tha 

 scientific method is not necessary. Even if the experi 

 ments have served the purpose for which they wer( 

 intended it is nevertheless much to be desired tha 

 the experimenters should realise their opportunitie 

 and make more than they are doing out of their work 



THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE, MAY 9, 191c 



UNFORTUNATELY, the news to hand regarding 

 the observation of this eclipse, visible in Ta;- 

 mania, tells us that all the observing parties experi 

 enced unfavourable weather conditions. According t 

 the Times of May 10, a Reuter telegram from Hobar 

 (Tasmania), dated the previous day, states, "Thi 

 observation of the total eclipse of the sun fror 

 Bruni Island has failed, owing to dense cloud 

 and rain. .Mr. Baracchi, the Victorian Governmen 

 astronomer, reports that the darkness during the perio 

 of totality might be compared with that of a starii 

 night." 



A cablegram from Mr. McClcan, dated May ic 

 shows that this party also met with no success, o 

 account of bad weather. The message was a 

 follows: — "Eclipse invisible, steady rain all day. On] 

 two fine days last fortnight. 'J'errific gales and thui 

 der frequent." 



While it is most disappointing that no observatiui 

 of this eclipse have been secured, yet it was rath« 

 anticipated that such would be the case, owing t 

 the unfavourable time of the year for satisfactoi 

 weather conditions. Nevertheless, Mr. McClean d 

 serves high praise for getting a party together, wil 

 a fine outfit of instruments, and going so far to matj 

 the attempt to secure observations. While he returij 

 on the Orvieto, which leaves Melbourne on May i 

 he has made arrangements to leave all his instr 

 ments out there .so that he can pick them up for tl 

 total eclipse of next year. This eclipse will be be 

 visible from some of the islands in the western Pacif 

 but it is not yet settled which particular one will for 

 the basis of operations. 



The last mail from .\ustralia has brought some c 

 tails as to the station which Mr. McClean is just lee 

 ing and the preparations he made, and it is hojjed th 

 these will be published in a subsequent number 



^T^lX'RE. W. J. S. LOCKVER. 



PROF. E. F. W. PFLUGER. 



THE name of Pfliiger has been made known 

 manv generations of students as belonging^ 

 some inhuman agency by which, to their confus) 

 and vexation, an edict was enacted known 

 " Pfluger's law." To how many of those students j- 

 the human picture ever been presented of the untiri 



