33 



depth of 4-5 inches with tractor plough, pressed and rolled. Con- 

 siderable difficulty was experienced in covering the seed, owing 

 to the matted roots of the turf. The land was harrowed with 

 chain and tine harrows after sowing ; then thoroughly rolled with 

 a Cambridge roller, so long as the crop would stand rolling. 

 1 cwt. sulphate of ammonia, 3 cwts. superphosphate, and 2 cwts. 

 of salt per acre were applied. The crop was successful, promising 

 about 67, quarters per acre. It was much later than the oat 

 crops grown after grass which had formerly been arable land. 

 Success attributed to late ploughing, t'he use of manure, and con- 

 tinuous rolling. 



No. 118. 250 acres OATS sown in March and April on a red, sour, 

 flinty soil of varying depth overlying the Chalk, 500-600 feet above 

 sea-level, after grass 15-25 years old. The land was broken in 

 March and April by steam ploughsv folio wed by a presser. Seed 

 was sown broadcast as soon as possible after pressing. The land 

 was well harrowed along the farrows with a chain 'harrow, and 

 subsequently with an ordinary harrow,. 10 times in all, then rolled 

 with a heavy horse roller. Crop remarkably successful over the 

 greater part of the area. In some parts it was thin and poor, 

 chiefly where land had been reclaimed from wood last century. 

 The success is attributed to careful ploughing and subsequent 

 thorough tillage. 



No. 119. 300 acres OATS chiefly Tartarian sown March-April 

 on good loam soil overlying the Chalk, on land which had been 

 in grass for 17 years. Ploughed February- April by steam to a 

 depth of about 8 inches; pressed, harrowed 4-6 times, and rolled. 

 Many parts of the crop failed, and on the whole it would barely 

 pay the cost of cultivation. The soil was not so firmly com- 

 pacted as in the other cases, and it was noticeable that the best 

 oats grew on the headlands, and on a " road " along which 

 sheep had been driven to pasture. On the lower and moister 

 portions of the land the crop was much better than where the 

 soil was dry.. The failure was attributed chiefly to the dry 

 weather : both frit fly and wireworm had worked havoc with 

 the crop. 



No. 120.- 180 acres of Tartarian OATS, sown crti a good quality 

 light loam overlying the Chalk, 600 feet above sea-level, on land 

 which had been 16. years in grass. Steam ploughed in February 

 and March, pressed by steam presser, seed sown broadcast, chain- 

 harrowed twice, subsequently thrashed with ordinary harrows, 

 and finally rolled. The crop was a complete failure; much of it 

 had to be ploughed up, and the rest would scarcely return the 

 seed sown. The plants were badly attacked by frit fly and wire- 

 worm. The main difference between this complete failure and 

 the very successful crops in the same neighbourhood was in the 

 consolidation of the land. Although harrowed and rolled, it was 

 still comparatively loose in texture when inspected before harvest. 



SOMERSET (2 reports 1 success, 1 failure). 



No. 121. 27 acres OATS sown May 10th on medium soil over- 

 lying Marl, 850 feet above sea level. Broken up in April by 

 tractor out of 10-years-old grass, which had been grazed and 

 mown alternately; cultivated by spring-tooth harrow along the 

 furrows. Seed drilled, harrowed and rolled. Crop top-dressed 



