PREFATORY NOTE BY THE EDITOR. 5 



and a barn which had previously been partly applied to 

 laboratory purposes, became almost exclusively devoted to 

 agricultural investigations. 



It is interesting to note that the foundation of the Experi- 

 mental Station at Eothamsted is earlier than that of any 

 other, with the single exception of Boussingault's Station at 

 Bechelbronn in Alsace. The earliest Station in Germany 

 was established at Mockern in 1852 ; that in America at 

 Middletown, Connecticut, in 1875. 



In June of 1843 Sir John Bennet Lawes obtained the ser- 

 vices of Dr (now Sir) J. Henry Gilbert to aid him in his 



Fig. 2.— THE ROTHAMSTED SAMPLE-HOUSE— ROOM FOR SAMPLES OF SOILS, 



GRAINS, ETC., ETC. 



researches, and continuously from that date the two have 

 been associated in the conduct of the experiments. Prior to 

 the appointment of Dr Gilbert as chemist, Sir John Bennet 

 Lawes had for some time the assistance of a young chemist 

 named Dobson. 



The staff of assistants employed at Eothamsted has in- 

 creased from time to time. At first only one laboratory man 

 was employed. Very soon a chemical assistant was neces- 

 sary, and after him came a computer and record-keeper. 



Since about 1853 the staff has consisted of the following: 

 (1) One or two, and sometimes three, chemists. (2) Two or 



