98 SCIENCE AND FRUIT GROWING 



and three years, respectively, gave the following average 

 values 



Artificials = 12 tons dung . . . 100 

 Dung, 12 tons ..... 136 

 Artificials = 24 tons dung . . n6) mean l6 



Dung, 24 tons . . . . 218 J 



Artificials = 12 tons dung + dung 12 tons 146 



Thus, the mixed dressing gave a lower result (146) than the 

 mean of the corresponding dressings with artificials or dung 

 when applied separately (167), and a result very little in excess 

 of that attributable to the dung contained in the mixture 

 namely, 136. 



RESULTS WITH STRAWBERRIES (Reports, I, 147; II, 83; 

 IV, 10 ; XVI, 48) 



The results of various manurial experiments with strawberries 

 were somewhat surprising in the fact that they did not show 

 such a marked superiority of the dressed plants over the un- 

 dressed ones, nor of those receiving dung over those receiving 

 artificial manures, as might have been anticipated, either from 

 the results with gooseberries in the same soil, or from the views 

 generally (though perhaps not universally) held as to the proper 

 manurial treatment of strawberries. 



The general results (IV, 14, 17) were, that the application of 

 manures had increased the yield of fruit by only about 12 per 

 cent., whilst a comparison of the plots receiving artificial manure 

 with those receiving dung, showed a superiority in favour of the 

 latter to the extent of at the most 8 per cent., or, indeed, of 

 only 2 per cent., if the whole life of the plants which had been 

 somewhat unduly extended was considered. Another peculi- 

 arity in the results, though one which is easily intelligible, was 

 that an increase in the dressings produced comparatively little 

 increase in the crops : raising the dressing from one of 12 tons 

 of dung per acre, or its equivalent in artificials, to one of 30 tons, 

 produced an increase of only about 10 per cent, in the yield. 

 One redeeming feature, however, in favour of the use of dung 

 was that it evidently improved the size and quality of the berries, 

 and also increased the longevity of the plants. 



Three other series of experiments were carried out, similar to 

 those with red currants, to ascertain whether a mixed dressing 



