150 
EOYAL HOETICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 
4. Nitrate of Soda. 
Nitrate of soda proved advantageous to the development of 
the grasses in a rather marked degree, less so and with greater 
fluctuation to the clovers, and still less to the remaining plants, 
to the Carum least of all. The results in the case of the grasses 
are nearly tlie same as last year, but with less fluctuation. In 
the case of the clovers there was rather more fluctuation. Achillea 
and Carum were less favoured than before. 
5. Mineral and Ammonia. 
Mineral and ammonia salts in combination were generally 
serviceable to all the plants, especially to the clovers and to the 
Achillea. The grasses also were considerably benefited by them. 
In general terms it may be said that the eff'ect on all the plants 
under treatment was the same as in the preceding season. 
6. Mineral and Nitrate. 
Mineral and nitrate seemed specially favourable to the clovers, 
the Plantain, Milfoil and Carum. On the grasses their action 
seemed variable ; for while they were highly favourable to Foa 
trivialis, they were of little use to the Lolium. Here, as in other 
cases, the broad results were very nearly the same as during the 
former year. 
Notes on the Temjperature and Bainfall during the Season of 
1870. 
In the previous Eeport some remarks were made on the meteoro- 
logical conditions during the period of observation, and on their 
apparent effect on the growth of the several plants. It would 
have been most desirable that these observations should have been 
continued and extended during the second series of experiments. 
It so happened, however, that the instruments and the whole plan 
of observation of meteorological phenomena in the garden was 
at this time undergoing modification, under the superintendence 
of Mr. Glaisner. During this period of transition it was hardly 
possible to secure sufficiently continuous and accurate observa- 
tions. 
The season of 1870 was uniformly remarkable for the great aud 
