1908.] Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 54? 



highest yields in 1907 were obtained from Garton's Monarch, Garton's- 

 Victory, and Dickson's Select Green Top. 



Varieties of Swedes (Univ. Coll. of Wales, Aberystwyth, Agric. Dept. 

 Ann. Rept., 1906). — Twenty varieties were grown on the College Farm, and' 

 the three highest yields were obtained from Garton's Model, Garton's 

 Superlative, and Carter's Elephant. 



Manuring of Turnips {Aberdeen Coll. of Agric, Bull. No. 8.) — In the 

 Aberdeen district cattle-feeding is of the greatest importance, and turnips 

 are a staple food. From inquiries made it was found that there is a wide- 

 spread, but by no means universal opinion, that slag-manured turnips are 

 not of such good feeding quality as those manured with other fertilisers. It 

 was stated, for instance, that turnips manured with slag caused animals to 

 scour, that they caused the dung to be dark in colour, and that animals fed 

 on such turnips did not thrive well. On the other hand, a few advocates of 

 slag maintained that bulbs grown with slag were sounder than those grown 

 with acid manures, and that animals throve better on them. In order to- 

 test this point experiments were undertaken in 1904 and 1905, in which 

 cattle were fed on turnips manured with superphosphate and basic slag 

 respectively. Twenty cattle were used for the experiment. In no case in 

 either year did any of the cattle in the lot fed with slag-manured turnips- 

 scour or exhibit any digestive or other trouble which could be ascribed to 

 the food. There was no difference in the dung, while the increases made 

 by the two lots were practically equal. It is therefore considered that 

 turnips grown with basic slag are of quite as good feeding quality as those 

 manured with superphosphate. 



Varieties of Turnips {Univ. Coll. of Wales, Aberystwyth, Agric. Dept. 

 Ajtn. Report, 1906.) — Thirteen varieties of turnips were grown, and the three 

 heaviest yields were obtained from Carter's Purple-top Mammoth, Dickson's 

 Hardy Green Globe, and Suttcn's Imperial. 



Growth of Sugar Beet {Univ. Coll. Reading, Bull. 2, 1907). — Experiments 

 in the growth of sugar beet were carried out at six centres in Bucks in 1906 

 with the Kleinwanzleben and the Improved White varieties. The yield of 

 roots varied from \2\ to 24^ tons per acre, the average of 10 plots acre) 

 being about 18 tons ; the Kleinwanzleben variety gave in each case a smaller 

 yield than the Improved White, but was better as regards sugar content,, 

 which varied from 16 to 18 per cent. 



Growth of Sugar Beet { Univ. Coll. oj N. Wales, Bangor, Bull. No. 7, 

 1906). — Sugar beet was grown at four centres in Carnarvonshire in 1906, 

 and the yields varied from 14 to nearly 17 tons per acre, with a sugar con- 

 tent of from 14 to 18 per cent. The plots were manured with 3 cwts. super- 

 phosphate, 4 cwts. kainit, and 1 j cwts. of nitrate of soda, the plants were left 

 about 8 in. from one another in the rows which were 18 in. apart. 



Cultivation of Sugar Beet {Midland Agric. Coll., Bull. No. 7). — These 

 trials were arranged at a number of centres in Lincolnshire to test the suit- 

 ability of the soil and climate to the growth of the sugar beet. The results 

 showed that the variety Kleinwanzleben (original) gave the heaviest yield,, 

 the best shaped roots, the greatest weight of sugar, and showed the least 

 tendency to run to seed. With liberal manuring, over 20 tons per acre may 

 be grown, while under varied conditions of manuring, cultivation and sowings 

 an average yield of i6| tons was obtained. Autumn cultivation and autumn 

 manuring are necessary if well-shaped roots are to be obtained, and warp 

 soils and deep strong loams are most suitable. The best yield, consistent! 



