and investigators from other institutions periodically spend a certain 

 amount of time in the laboratories studying analytical methods or ways 

 of getting over difficulties that have arisen in the course of their work. 



These developments necessitated a considerable extension of the 

 laboratory and of the farm. The first step consisted in taking over 

 230 acres of land in 191 1 on a 77 years' lease, which, with the 

 Trust land, pro voided a self-contained farm capable of being worked 

 with great advantage to the experiments. Suitable farm buildings 

 and cottages were erected in 1913. A new wing was also added to the 

 laboratory, and this was opened on June 27th, 1913, by the Rt. Hon. 

 Walter Runciman, M.P., then President of the Board of Agriculture. 



In 1 914 the old laboratory, which had for some time revealed 

 certain structural defects, was taken down and a new laboratory was 

 begun, to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Sir J. B. Lawes 

 in 1814 and of Sir J. H. Gilbert in 181 7. Altogether these improve- 

 ments cost about £26,000, of which £10,000 was given in grants from the 

 Development Fund and £t 0,000 was collected by public subscription. 

 £6,500 l)eing o1)tained as the Lawes and Gill^ert Centenary Fund in 

 1914-16. 



The field experiments, which began in 1843, have on some of the 

 plots been continued without break or alteration up to the present day ; 

 on Broadbalk Wheat Field certain rearrangements were made in 

 1852, in which year also the Barley experiments on Hoos Field 

 began. The leguminous crops on Hoos Field were started in 1848. 

 The experiments on roots have been continued on the same field since 

 1843, and on the same plan since 1856. The Park grass plots began 

 in 1856, and the rotation experiments in 1848. 



It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of continuing the 

 experimental plots at Rothamsted without any change, as nowhere 

 else in the world have such extensive data been collected for studying 

 the eflfect of season and manuring upon yield and quality of crop, and 

 for watching the progressive changes which are going on in the soil. 

 Year by year the plots are found to throw light upon new problems 

 in Agricultural Science ; in all directions they continue to provide 

 material for investigations upon points which were not contemplated 

 in the original design of the experiments, so that it is impossible to 

 foresee when and how they will not become useful and provide indis- 

 pensable material for the solution of problems undreamt of at the 

 present time. 



The maintenance of the programme, however, throws a heavy 

 burden on the Experimental Station. There are 210 plots, and every 

 year 243 samples have to lie taken with proper precautions and put into 

 store for future reference. In addition, many analytical determinations 

 are made, ('omplete soil samples are periodically taken for analysis, 

 to enable a comparison to l)c instituted with samples taken earlier, 

 and thus to study the soil changes that have gone on during the ])eri(;(I. 

 Botanical analysis of the grass plots are also made. 



It should be remembered that the object ol the Rothamsted 

 Experiments is to study the soil and the crop, and only indirectly to 

 find the most paying method of manuring ; hence neither the nature 

 nor the (juantities of material applied are to be taken as indicating 

 the manures which should be used in practice. 



