bO 



Winifred E. Brenchlev. " IV eeds of Farm Land." Long- 

 mans, Green & Co., 1920. 41 Illustrations. 



The book deals with the \\ eed problem from both the practical 

 and scientific standpoints. Attention is directed to the habits and 

 characteristics of farm weeds, the methods of distribution, preven- 

 tion and eradication, to the importance of the vitality of seeds when 

 buried in the soil and to parasitic and poisonous weeds. 



Separate chapters are de\oted to the weeds of grass land and 

 of arable land, and in the latter case the association of the weeds 

 with various types of soil and crop is discussed. The uses of farm 

 weeds and the popular and local names of the plants are collec^ted 

 together for the purpose of reference. 



" The Kotliamsted Memoirs on Agncidtund Science." 



The more important of the papers issued from Rothamsted are 

 bound up periodically into volumes and sold from the laboratory. 

 The following are now available : — 



Vols. 1-8 . 1847-1912 . 30/- postage extra 



,, 9-10 . 1909-20 . 32/6 



CROP RESULTS. 



SEASON, OCTOBER, 1917— SEPTEMBER, 1918. 



The season that ended September 30th, 1917, had been bad for 

 lui}' and corn, though favourable for roots and potatoes. There 

 had been a drought through May and June, followed by a wet July 

 and an unusually wet August, which greatly protracted the harvest. 

 Fortunately, however, the weather improved in September and 

 part of October, so that the land was in good condition for plough- 

 ing, and by dint of hiring extra teams, including two " Govern- 

 ment " teams, we were able to overtake some of the arrears of 

 work. November was exceptionally mild, but dull and fine, and 

 by the 22nd the oats in Great Knott Field were well up, and the 

 Broadbalk wheat was beginning to appear; the crops were much 

 more forward than in the previous year. December was frosty and 

 without snow, and the frost held over Christmas and the New 

 Year ; snow fell on January 16th but did not last ; by February 18th 

 the wheat, oats and clover had suffered, some of the plants had 

 been killed and the survivors lacked vigour. Early in March the 

 weather turned very cold, but afterwards it was wonderfully fine, 

 and by the 20th the ground was dry and in beautiful condition for 

 seeding and cleaning, so that hand-hoeing was done both in 

 Broadbalk and in Long Hoos, where grass was growing among 

 the wheat. The corn and clover all began to improve. On 

 Sunday, March 24th, 1918, at 2 a.m., the clocks were put forward 

 an hour to " summer time." In 1916 and 1917 the farm workers 

 had declined to observe the change and continued to work by sun 

 time, but this year they decided to adopt it now and henceforward. 

 After the beginning of April the dry period was over; the barley 

 and seeds mixture were safely in, but the potato land was not 

 ready. On April 20th and 21st there fell snow and much rain, so 

 that there was a great deal of water on the land and the Broadbalk 

 drains were all running. February and March had been drier than 

 the average, but April made up the deficit. Wireworm appeared 

 in Long Hoos wheat and some eelworm in the Great Knott oats. 



