42 



INVESTIGATION INTO THE AMOUNT OF WATER 



Series 1 



Series 2 



Soil —from a plot of land from which 

 ten successive corn-crops had been 

 taken without manure (the larger 

 stones being sifted out and the weeds 

 picked) 



Soil — as in Series 1, with mineral 

 manure, containing Sulphate of Pot- 

 ash, Sulphate of Magnesia, Chloride 

 of Sodium, and Superphosphate of 

 Lime 



Soil — as 

 < manure 



Wheat, 



Barley, 



Beans a 



Peas, 



Clover, 



No plant. 



Wheat, 



Barley, 



Beans, 



Peas, 



Clover. 



Wheat, 

 Barley, 

 Beans, 



-as in Series 1, with the mineral 

 Series 3 . < manure of Series 2, and Muriate of 



Ammonia added | Peas, 



Clover 



Glass jars, 14 inches in depth and 9 inches in diameter, and 

 which were capable of holding about 42 lbs. of soil, were the 

 vessels employed. Six of these were filled with the soil as de- 

 scribed for Series 1 ; five with that of Series 2 ; and five with 

 that of Series 3 : there being in all, therefore, sixteen separate 

 experimental jars. Into these, excepting the sixth jar of Series 1, 

 the plants raised, as described above, were transferred ; those 

 from three seeds each of the Wheat and of the Barley being taken, 

 and one plant only of the Beans, Peas, and Clover. A glass plate 

 having a hole in the centre about three-quarters of an inch in 

 diameter for the plants to grow through, and another, nearer the 

 side, by wdiich to supply water as it was needed, and which was 

 at other times closed by a cork, was then firmly cemented upon 

 the top of each of the sixteen jars. The sixth jar of Series 1, 

 however, though provided with soil and closed with a lid as the 

 rest, was left without a plant, as indicated in the tabulated plan 

 above, in order to determine the amount of evaporation from the 

 centre orifice. Each jar was placed upon a varnished board, for 

 the convenience of attachment to the arm of the balance, and as 

 thus fitted and mounted weighed little short of half a hundred- 

 weight. The jars on their stands constituting a Series, were 

 placed upon a truck, by means of which they were sometimes 

 drawn into a green-house for the night, and under the balance 

 when it was desired to weigh them, and on to a grass-plot during 

 the day for free exposure to sun and air ; a canvas awning being 

 provided, however, to protect them in case of rain. These 

 arrangements will be clearly understood on inspection of the 

 annexed drawing, in which is represented a Series of the jars 



