supply of nitrogen is within its reach, and it is probably to the tiding over or 

 the shortening of the duration of this critical period, that the above beneficial 

 effect of a nitrogenous dressing is to be attributed. Of special importance is this, 

 in the case of peas, as during the starvation period the young plants tend to suffer 

 very badly from attacks of the Striped Pea -weevil (Sitones lineatus), and a 

 diminution in the length of the starvation period will necessarily involve a consequent 

 diminution in the length of the period of the attack. 



Remarkable indeed is the demand made by the leguminosae for potash. Whereas 

 grain crops have done fairly well where no potash is supplied, leguminous plants 

 have suffered badly, and shew, one and all, unmistakable signs of potash-starvation. 

 The demand for potash is most strongly evidenced in the case of kidney-beans and 

 horse-beans, and not quite so much so in that of peas, a state of affairs to be 

 explained to some extent by the fact, that the peas on the experimental field never 

 come to full ripeness; the young shoots, young peas, and blossoms being destroyed 

 by the attacks of thrips, which make their appearance generally about the beginning 

 of July. 



The abnormal demand made by horse-beans for potash in soluble form, is well 

 illustrated by the accompanying photographs, although the stunting of the young 

 shoots, and the cramped, curled-up, and somewhat horizontal habit of growth of 

 the leaves is a trifle difficult to distinguish. There is also not much effect to be 

 observed on colour. 



44 — 



