462 Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [sept., 



Varieties of Oats {Cambridge Univ., Dept. of Agric., Guide to Expts., 

 1907). — A number of varieties were tested between 1902 and 1905. The 

 average yields of three varieties which were tried each year were as 

 follows :— Thousand Dollar (71 bushels), Banner (70 bushels), and Siberian 

 (70 bushels) of 39 lb. Canadian seed was used in each case. 



Varieties of Oats {Beds. C.C.,Rept. on Demonstration Plots, 1907). — Seven 

 varieties were tested and Waverley, White Horse and Abundance gave the 

 best results. The percentage of husk is given. The experiments confirm 

 those of the two previous years in showing that oats of the Abundance type 

 are most suitable to this district. 



Manuring of Oats after " Seeds " {Lanes. C.C., Agric. Dept., Bull. 7). — The 

 luxuriant growth of " Seeds" which is obtained in the majority of seasons in 

 Lancashire, materially assists in ensuring a good oat crop in the following 

 year, for when the residues of the " Seeds " are ploughed under, a large 

 amount of food material becomes gradually set free from the roots, stems 

 and leaves, as they decay in the soil. Many practical men therefore argue 

 that the land after " Seeds " ought to be in sufficiently " good neart " to 

 carry a heavy crop of oats without the need of any additional assistance. 



These experiments were conducted on three farms in 1906 and five farms 

 in 1907 to ascertain the effect of applying artificial manures and the results 

 showed that fertilisers can be economically employed to manure an oat crop 

 which follows " Seeds " in rotation. It is not necessary to use a " complete" 

 mixture in order to produce a good crop, but the heaviest and most 

 economical crop was obtained by employing a "complete" dress'ng, viz., 

 one supplying nitrogen, phosphates and potash. An " incomplete " mixture, 

 when nitrogen is the constituent left out, has comparatively little effect upon 

 the growth and yield of the oat crop. It is not, therefore, good practice to 

 apply a mixed dressing of potassic and phosphatic manures, unless it is 

 intended to supplement this mixture later with a top dressing of a nitro- 

 genous manure. 



The following dressings per statute acre are recommended : — 1. Nitrate 

 of soda (half as top dressing), 130 lb., superphosphate, 2 cwts., kainit, 

 2 cwts., costing about 23^. 6d. 2. Sulphate of ammonia, ioo lb., super- 

 phosphate, 2 cwts., kainit, 2 cwts., costing about 22s. 



The value of the increase produced by these two mixtures over the 

 unmanured plots was on the average 39^. lod. and 37^. lodi per acre 

 respectively, after deducting the cost of the manures. 



Manuring of Oats {Univ. Coll. of Wales, Aberystwyth, Dept. of Agj'ic., 

 A7in. Rept., 1906). — The general practice in Wales is to grow the first oat 

 crop following lea, without the application of any artificial manures, except 

 perhaps, a few hundredweights of superphosphates sown at the same time as 

 the seed, or basic slag applied a week or two earlier, but on soils in such a 

 poor state of fertility as is generally found in the Principality, it is doubtful 

 if the plan is not capable of improvement, and this experiment demonstrates 

 that a complete dressing of artificials yields profitable results. Phosphoric 

 acid seems to be the plant food most required, and an addition to the 

 complete dressing of 20 per cent, of phosphoric acid is considered desirable. 

 The complete dressing used in this experiment was made up of \\ cwts. 

 nitrate of soda, if cwts. superphosphate and 2\ cwts. kainit. 



Depth of Ploughing for Oats {Univ. Coll. of Wales, Aberystwyth, Dept. 

 4?f Agile, Ann. Rept., 1906). — The depth of ploughing is important, 



