1920.] The Value of Lupins on Poor Light Land. 985 



its productivity. Lupins were grown, alternating with non- 

 leguminous plants, and to the latter, although not to the lupins, 

 mineral manures, hme, phosphates and potash were appUed. 

 Part of a field was treated as a permanent lupin enclosure, 

 blue lupins being grown on it continually for 25 years. The 

 remaining part of the held was cropped with rye and potatoes. 

 At the end of the period there was 0*087 P^^ cent, of nitrogen 

 in the lupin portion of the field and 0-034 per cent, on the portion 

 where r^-e and potatoes were grown. Dr. Schultz estimated 

 that a crop of blue lupins would contain as much nitrogen 

 as 9 to 15 tons of farmyard manure. In one case, on the Lupitz 

 estate, part of a field was planted with lupins which were 

 ploughed in green, the lupins being sown after harvesting rye. 

 Another part of the field was treated with about 8 tons of farm- 

 yard manure, and no lupins were grown. Potatoes were planted 

 on the whole field next spring, and they gave the following 

 results : — 



Depth of penetration of the 

 roots 



Yield of potatoes per acre . . 



Potatoes grown 

 after Lupins 

 ploughed in. 



47 in- 

 9 tons. 



Potatoes grown 

 with 8 ToYis 

 Farmyard Manure 

 per Acre. 



15 to 17 in. 

 6 tons. 



In another case at Lupitz, rye was grown after lupins and 

 potatoes, with the following results : — 



Height of rye abo\'e 



ground 

 Depth of roots 

 Yield of grain in bush. 



per acre (English) . . 



After Lupins 

 ploughed in. 



47 to 06 in. 

 43 in- 



27 bush. 



After Potatoes 

 heavily manured 

 with 

 A rtificials. 



27 to 37 in. 

 20 to 24 in. 



12 bush. 



On poor, 

 recently arable 



Land not 

 having lately 

 borne Lupins. 



10 to 25 in. 

 16 in. 



9 1 bush. 



In Suffolk it is found that excellent crops of rye and frequently 

 of oats can be grown on extremely poor, light and somewhat 

 acid soil, after lupins w^hich have been either folded green, 

 ploughed in, or harvested for seed. One extensive grower, 

 Mr. John Goddard, of Tunstall, maintains that lupins and rye 

 could be grown on this type of land alternately for an indefinite 

 period. Boodt also mentions that in Schouwen, this lupin rye 

 rotation is practised successfully. Excellent crops of lupins 

 have been observed repeatedly on land which is very poor in 

 lime, and on which both sorrel and spurrey grow abundantly. 

 Very few Suffolk farmers appear to have applied mineral manures 

 to lupins, so that the question of permanently improving the. 

 fertility of the soil by this means cannot be said to have been 



