II 



CHAPTER III 



THE AUTHOR S EXPERIMENTS 



THE first experiment conducted by the author was at Lincluden, 

 Dumfries. This experiment (1910) was on almost too small a 

 scale to be called a fair trial, the experimental area being only 

 about a quarter of an acre. A plot of 6oft. x 2oft. was sown 

 with oats, another portion of the field being sown the same 

 day with the same variety. The control plot was about 150 

 yards distant, and had distinctly the advantage in point of soil 

 and situation. The ground was rich pasture and had not been 

 turned over for 30 years whereas the experimental plot had 

 grown root crops for four successive years, the last being Jeru- 

 salem Artichokes which are gross feeders. The crop on the 

 electrified plot was an unusually luxuriant one, in some parts 

 growing 27 stalks to one seed the average height was 5ft. ioin., 

 and was ready to cut eight days earlier than the control portion. 

 Unfortunately there followed a very wet spell of weather which 

 damaged the grain to a great extent, and made it impossible to 

 weigh it satisfactorily ; but frcm small samples obtained it was 

 judged supericr in quality to that from the unelectrified plot. 



Another experiment was carried out in the summer of 1911 by 

 the author in conjunction with Mr. Cameron on the farm of Lin- 

 cluden Mains, Dumfries. The field was about 7 acres, half of 

 which was electrified, the other used as the control. The land 

 was practically level, having one or two slight undulations, the 

 soil varied slightly, some portions being loamy and others gravelly, 

 but a? the inequalities were distributed over the whole field, care 

 was taken in dividing the plots to include equal portions of each 

 variety in both experimental and control areas. 



The crop grown was potatoes of which four varieties were sown. 

 The result was as follows : 



EXPERIMENTAL PLOT. 



VARIETY. 



TONS. CWTS. 



Ringleader 

 Seed Size 

 Under ij inches 



19 



2 



Total 8 i No disease 



