20 AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND THE FARMER : 



Willows. 

 A reference may conveniently be made here to investigations 

 into willow-growing which are being conducted by the Advisory 

 Botanist attached to the Midland Agricultural College, Kingston, 

 Derby. This officer has for some years speciahsed in the subject 

 of willow-growing, including a study of the best methods of drain- 

 ing, preparing and planting the land for the crop, of re-converting 

 derelict land, of bringing into cultivation newly-formed valley 

 estuarine and coastal land, and of the most suitable and most 

 economic varieties for different types of soil. Research into the 

 value of the bye-products arising from the industry has revealed 

 the fact that we possess in this country varieties of willow con- 

 taining up to 6 per cent, of sahcin in the dry bark, and that tannin is 

 present in large quantities in many varieties. In view of the value 

 of both these substances, chiefly for medicinal purposes, the com- 

 mercial possibilities of the willow crop as a source of raw material 

 seem worth exploring. Recently an enquiry has also been made 

 in regard to the improvement of tools and implements for treat- 

 ment of the basket-willow crop. Perhaps the direction in which 

 improvement is most needed is in connection with the peeling of 

 willows. Up to the present this has been done by hand, but a 

 machine has been invented, constructed and patented, capable 

 of peeling willows at three times the rate of the hand process. 

 Experimental work on the dyeing of willow rods in various 

 colours, hitherto an unexplored field of enquiry but with important 

 commercial possibilities, has met with considerable success. A 

 willow plantation has just been laid down on the Midland College 

 Farm, and between 40 and 50 varieties, representing the chief 

 commercial sorts, have been planted, so that a close study may 

 be made of their particular characters in connection with the 

 basket-making industry. 



Crop Statistics. 

 Before passing on to consider the investigations at Rothamsted 

 into the physical properties of the soil, we may refer briefly to a 

 subject which, though perhaps less interesting to the farmer than 

 such a topic as weeds or manures, is nevertheless equally impor- 

 tant, namely, the mathematical examination of crop records. 

 The expert statistician is an investigator of prime importance 

 to an institution where biological research is being conducted, 

 for he can examine, correlate and convert into their most useful 

 form the detailed records of results of experiments extending 

 over periods of years. He can assist his scientific colleagues by 

 showing them the minimum methods of treatment necessary in 



