1908.] Official Circulars and Notices. 



463 



particularly on some soils, as in parts of Wales, where by going too deep 

 poisonous compounds may be brought up which will not be sufficiently 

 oxidised during the season and may prove detrimental to the crop. On the 

 other hand, too shallow ploughing may restrict the feeding area available for 

 the plant. In this experiment, the depth of the slice was increased by half- 

 inches from 4 to 7 in., and it was found that by going deeper than 

 5 in. the yield of grain steadily diminished, while by ploughing shallower 

 than 5 in. the yield became proportionately less. 



Oats. Effect of change of Seed {Cambridge Univ., Dept. of Agric, Guide 

 to Expts., 1907). — Home-grown seed was compared in 1906 with seed 

 obtained from the Midlands, east of England, and north of Scotland. The 

 seed from the Midlands did best, and that from Scotland worst ; the latter 

 -was distinctly later than the others, both in starting growth and in ripening. 

 The seed from different parts of the Eastern Counties gave much the same 

 results. 



Oats. Effect of change of Seed ( Ufiiv. Coll. of N. Wales, Bangor, Bull. 1, 

 1907). — In 1905 and 1907 seed was obtained from different districts of the 

 British Isles and sown alongside home-grown seed. The experiment, so far, 

 appears to show that little or no advantage is obtained by changing seed in 

 cases where home-grown seed, well dressed and of good quality, can be 

 obtained. The experiments do not support the view that, by obtaining seed 

 from an early district, harvest may be hastened. All the plots ripened at 

 practically the same time. 



Oats. Quantity of Seed {Univ. Coll. of N. Wales, Bangor, Bull. 3, 

 1906). — The effect of sowing different quantities of oats was tested by using 

 3^, and 5j bushels per acre. The total yield was respectively 65, 67 and 

 70 bushels of 42 lb. Professor Winter observes that, as a rule, the quantity 

 ■of seed should vary with the condition of the land and the time of sowing, a 

 greater quantity being required where the land is in poor condition or when 

 the season is late. More seed is necessary on poor land, as the corn does 

 not tiller or " stool out " so well as on good land, and in a late season it is 

 necessary to apply more in order to hasten the harvest, as when the land is 

 thinly sown the tillering process may be carried on for too long a time, thus 

 •causing a late harvest. Wet districts usually require more seed than dry 

 •districts. 



OFFICIAL CIRCULARS AND NOTICES. 

 The memorandum printed below on" " How to obtain an 

 Allotment or Small Holding," which will shortly be published 

 as a leaflet, is intended to explain for the guidance of 

 applicants the conditions under which land can be acquired 

 from local authorities. 



The object of this leaflet is to give those who desire to secure an allotment or 

 -a small holding from the Local Authority some information as to what they should 

 , do in order to obtain land, and as to the conditions 



HOW to Obtain under which land can be acquired. The leaflet has 

 an Allotment Or a nothin S to do with small holdings or allotments pro- 

 vided by private landowners but is concerned only with 

 Small Holding. those that can be prov ided by Local Authorities under the 

 Small Holdings and Allotments Acts. 



