74 INCONSISTENT KESULTS 



more than 1 ton, or 10 per cent, they ought, in the absence of 

 test experiments, to be considered as practically identical. 

 In an economical point of view, none of the substances applied 

 in these ten experiments can safely be concluded to be more 

 fertilising under the circumstances than the others. 



2. When among the results there are one or more of a 

 suspicious nature, if they are not altogether rejected, our 

 judgment regarding them ought at least to be suspended. 

 Thus 



a In the same table of experiments on turnips made by Mr 

 Lawes in 1843, it is stated that, 



No manure gave, .... 4 tons 3 cwt. of bulbs. 

 6^ cwt. rape-cake, . . . . 8 ... 4 

 5^ cwt. rape-cake, and 2 bushels of yeast, 8 ... 1 



8 bushels of yeast, .... 10 ...19 



Here the rape-cake alone gave a much less increase than the 

 yeast alone ; yet the substitution of one-fourth of the quantity 

 of yeast for one-sixth of the quantity of rape-cake, gave a less 

 return even than the rape-cake alone. This is by no means 

 impossible, but it is unlikely. And that such facts as this 

 would be really interesting, if proved, increases our regret that 

 experiments are not so multiplied done in duplicate or tripli- 

 cate as fully to test them. 



b Again, in a detail of experiments made upon yellow 

 turnips, in 1843, by Mr John Wilson, of Eastfield, Penicuick, 

 the three following are placed at the head of the list : 



No manure, produced in bulbs, . 2 tons 16 cwt. 



Farm-yard manure, 11 yards, . . 3 ... 15 ... 

 22 yards . . 18 ... 13 ... * 



That 11 yards of manure should only add 19 cwt. to the 

 crop, while 22 yards added nearly 16 tons, appears to me a very 

 suspicious result. It certainly implies, at the least, some pecu- 

 liarity of circumstances to which the experimenter ought to 

 have adverted and endeavoured to explain. 



3. Or when the results are inconsistent with each other. 

 Thus 



* Transactions of the Highland Society, January 1849, p. 442. 



