646 



Clironicles of Science. 



[Oct., 



In none of the trials was any increase of produce obtained by 

 means of the fecundating process. Mr. Lawes very reasonably adds — 

 " It may be remarked that it would seem our neighbours, the French 

 agriculturists, are now going through a stage which in this country 

 was passed through some few years ago. The artificial application of 

 electricity, seed-steeping, and other marvels, which were to double 

 the produce of our fields at little cost, have had their day with us ; 

 but the British farmer is still toiling on as formerly, earning his 

 bread by the sweat of his brow and the liberal use of manure, without 

 which he does not find his crops increase." 



That the conditions under which the process of natural fecundation 

 is effected do influence the productiveness of the crop, is almost every 

 harvest plainly shown ; but that any such rough and wholesale 

 attempt at artificial assistance can be efficient is clearly impossible. 

 The produce of grain crops at harvest time is, however, even more 

 dependent on the weather and the soil throughout the other months 

 of the plant life, than it is on such variations of weather as we suffer 

 during July when they are in bloom ; and thus, though we had a 

 wonderfully fine latter end of June and commencement of July this 

 year, during which the process of fecundation must have been most 

 perfectly accomplished, the produce of our corn-fields is this year 

 greatly deficient. A dry spring time, and one or two cold days in 

 early June, seem to have made all light-land crops, and very generally 

 the spring-sown crops on all sorts of land, deficient. 



The ' Agricultural Gazette ' has published the returns from its 

 correspondents in the following terms : — 



"Wheats on the lighter soils and loams are generally inferior, 

 Barley on the lighter and thinner barley soils is much below an aver- 

 age, and, though probably the best crop of the year, it, too, as a whole, 

 is inferior. Oats, excepting the few instances where winter sown, are 

 the poorest crop we have had for many years. Beans and peas are 

 generally below their usual yield." 



The following is a tabular statement of the Beturns : — 



Number of Beturns. 



Crops. 



Wheat 



Barley 



Oats 



Beans 



Peas 



Under 

 Average. 



76 

 40 

 154 

 64 

 37 



Average. 



90 



112 



27 



58 

 67 



Over 

 Average. 



Total. 



29 



28 

 2 

 4 

 6 



195 

 180 

 183 

 126 

 110 



The exceptions to the general failure are in the case of clay land 

 wheats, and notably in that of wheats on the poorer clays, which is 

 almost everywhere unusually good. The barley on the better class of 

 barley soils is also a fair crop wherever early sown. Peas are a good 

 crop in some districts. 



The root crop is a great improvement through all southern and mid- 

 land England over that of last year. Mangels are generally good, and 



