The investigations of the fatting and non-fatting pastures in 

 Romney Marsh, which were begun in 1909 with the help of a grant 

 from the Board of Agriculture, were found to require further data, 

 and another series of observations were made during the early 

 summer months of the past year. The material is now being 

 worked up in the Laboratory, and the results will shortly be ready 

 for publication. 



Miss Brenchley continued her investigations of the effect of 

 minute traces of various metallic salts upon the growth of plants in 

 water cultures, a first account of which has been published. Miss 

 Brenchley also collected a series of samples of barley at various 

 stages of growth, in order to study the filling in of the grain upon 

 the same lines as her work dealing with the wheat grain. It has 

 only recently been found possible to begin the analyses of the samples 

 in the Laboratory, but it is hoped to get the results ready in time to 

 decide whether further material must be collected from the 1911 

 crop. Miss Brenchley further began a study of the weeds char- 

 acteristic of the various soils in the south of Bedfordshire, and a 

 first paper dealing with the weeds in this particular district is now 

 going through the press. 



Dr. Miller has been continuing his study of the nitrogenous 

 compounds in air and rain, and during the summer paid a visit to 

 three lighthouses on the extreme west of Scotland, in order to clear 

 up certain points in connection with the samples of rain we are 

 regularly receiving from this district. 



The determinations of the amount of ammonia which can be 

 absorbed from the atmosphere have been concluded, and the results 

 are being prepared for publication. 



The study of the soils of the south-east of England, originally 

 begun at Wye, has for the last year or two been continued by 

 Dr. Russell and myself at Rothamsted, and has at last been brought 

 to a conclusion. The Board of Agriculture has undertaken the 

 publication of the somewhat extensive report we have prepared, 

 and it is expected that the book, which deals generally with the 

 Agriculture of the south-east of England in relation to its soils, 

 will be issued within a few weeks. 



An acre of wheat upon the Home Farm, looking uniform to 

 the eye, was harvested in 500 equal sized plots, each of which was 

 threshed out separately. An acre of mangolds was similarly divided 

 into 200 plots, and the yield of each weighed. The data thus 

 obtained are being worked up in order to ascertain the experimental 



