26 



that there is no delay in action such as is occasioned in the case of 

 fungicides by the slow penetration of the chemical agent. 



APICULTURAL INVESTIGATIONS. 



The circumstance that Dr. Imms was interested in bees led 

 the Ministry of Agriculture to suggest that the Entomological 

 Department should undertake the study of bees as honey pro- 

 ducers, leaving bee diseases to be studied at Aberdeen as at 

 present. Mr. D. M. T. Morland was appointed to be in charge of 

 the work, and he will at an early date proceed to the United States 

 to study the methods in use there. In the meantime, two minor 

 problems of practical importance are being investigated : the suit- 

 ability of metal combs in place of those naturally built, and the 

 situation of the frames in relation to the hive front. 



A field laboratory has been erected and is now in working order. 



THE ASSOCIATED FARMS. 



WOBURN. 



In 1921 the Royal Agricultural Society gave up the Woburn 

 Experimental Farm which they had carried on continuously since 

 1870, and its two best known fields — Stackyard and Lansome — 

 were in October, 1921, taken over by the Rothamsted Experi- 

 mental Station so as to ensure the continuance of the permanent 

 wheat and barley experiments which are second only to those of 

 Broadbalk and Hoos fields in point of age. The necessary funds 

 are obtained from a special grant of the Ministry of Agriculture. 

 Dr. Voelcker continues to supervise the experiments as he has 

 done since 1890 ; the continuity of the records is therefore assured. 

 It should be recorded that he acts in an honorary capacity, freely 

 giving much time and trouble to this work. His report will be 

 found on p. 61. 



LEADON COURT. 



In December, 1922, E. D. Simon, Esq., then Lord Mayor of 

 Manchester, offered us the use of his farm at Leadon Court, 

 Ledbury, for experimental purposes, himself generously defraying 

 the expenses incurred. It was decided to devote the whole farm 

 to a test of the soiling system of keeping dairy cows, which has 

 aroused much interest among farmers. Small scale trials at the 

 Harper Adams Agricultural College had indicated the feasibility 

 of all of the processes involved, but no conclusions as to the 

 economic value of the system could be reached. Mr. J. C. Brown 

 was appointed manager. 



The farm is 240 acres in extent, there being at present 110 

 acres of arable and 140 of grass, of which 20 acres will be ploughed 

 out, making altogether 130 acres of arable and 110 of grass. It 

 is expected to maintain a herd of 100 cows in full milk, and in 

 addition some 30 dry cows, and some 30 young heifers coming on ; 

 also a herd of pigs. It is also hoped to have a considerable 

 amount of wheat for sale. 



