36 



u extraordinary." Freedom from wireworm attributed to the fact 

 that hunters had been exercised on the field for years, and that 

 " wireworms do not like being disturbed." 



MONMOUTH (10 reports 10 successes). 



No. 135. 26 acres on medium soil overlying Sandstone were 

 ploughed (skim coulter) in November/ January out of 40-years- 

 old grass, frequently harrowed, and rolled to consolidate the 

 turf. Part sown with OATS in March and part with SWEDES and 

 TURNIPS in May and June. The roots were only a fair crop, as 

 they were attacked by wireworm. The oats, which were exception- 

 ally good, were attacked by wireworm but not seriously damaged, 

 as they were growing rapidly. The crop became badly laid with 

 the first heavy rain, and the unhappy grower comments: " What 

 absolute fools the Authorities were for so strongly recommending 

 sulphate of ammonia for corn on new land."* 



No. 136. 5^ acres OATS sown 2nd week of April on stiff Red 

 Clay soil. Ploughed by tractor in March out of 8-years-old grass, 

 rolled with Cambridge roller, harrowed, cultivated with spring- 

 tooth 'harrows, seed drilled, harrowed and again rolled. 4 cwt. per 

 acre of a mixed manure was applied after the oats were drilled. 

 Crop successful. It is explained that this field was laid down 

 to grass in 1909, but the seeds failed, and stock would not eat 

 the couch and other weeds which grew in the field. It was also 

 infested with thistles, but the 1917 oat crop is free from weeds. 

 Reporter remarks that with earlier ploughing success would have 

 been even more marked. 



No. 137. 6 acres Tartarian OATS sown in the end of April on 

 light soil overlying Red Sandstone 600 feet above sea-level. 

 Ploughed in March out of old grass (previously mown) to a depth 

 of 5 inches; harrowed and seed drilled. "Crop excellent." 

 Wireworm attacked slightly but did no serious damage. 



No. 138. 13 acres OATS sown in February on medium clay soil, 

 broken up in November-December out of 60-years-old grass; 

 furrow " highly crested." Oats sown broadcast, dragged three 

 times and rolled twice. The crop was successful, but there are 

 some bad. patches where the wireworm ravaged the crop. The 

 opinion is expressed that it would have been much better if the 

 land had been ploughed flatter and cultivated before planting, 

 giving a firmer seed-bed. The best crop is round the headlands 

 where there was most treading. " Except on the patchy places, 

 however, the crop is much over the average." 



GLAMORGAN (9 reports 8 successes, 1 failure). 



No. 139. 10 acres OATS sown in April on shallow clay soil over- 

 lying the Lias. Ploughed in March out of 25-years-old grass to a 

 depth of 4 inches, rolled, dragged four times, but not cultivated, 

 as the ploughing was too late and too shallow. The crop was 

 manured with sulphate of ammonia and is described as " only 

 fairly good," The reporter states that the field should have been 

 ploughed early in February, that the ploughing should have been 

 deeper, and that 4 instead of 3 bushels of seed per acre should 

 have been sown, to allow for the depredations of insect pests, 

 which did much damage. 



* The Board h ive not recommended the use of sulphate of ammonia on newly 

 broken grass land of good quality. 



