956 Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [march, 



in the ordinary course, be better than those made from skimmed milk, 

 and should command a higher price. But whether the higher price 

 exceeds the price of the cheeses made from the skimmed milk, plus the 

 butter obtained from the cream, was a point which it was thought the 

 experiments would elucidate. 



Milk from Jersey and Kerry cows was used, and it appeared that 

 the richer Jersey milk yielded a more profitable return when cheese 

 was made from skimmed milk and butter obtained from the cream ; 

 while it seemed that, in the case of Kerry milk and milk not so rich in 

 fat as Channel Islands milk, it was better to make cheese from the 

 whole milk, and discard the idea of getting- butter at all from the 

 milk required for cheese making. 



Weeds, Insects, and Fungus Diseases. 



Effect of Weeds on Root Crop (Univ. Coll., Reading, Results of 

 Expts., 1907). — This experiment was intended to test the effect of 

 weeds in reducing the crop of mangolds, and also to demonstrate the 

 effect of hoeing the ground. The yields were as follows :— (1) No 

 weeding after setting out the plants, 15! tons ; (2) hand weeding only, 

 no hoeing after setting out the plants, 40 tons ; (3) kept clean by hoeing, 

 39! tons ; (4) hoed twice only, 37! tons ; hoed once only, 33^ tons. 

 There was practically no difference between the plot hand- weeded 

 and that where the weeds were destroyed by hoeing. Hoeing the. 

 land had apparently no effect on the crop, but the wet season may 

 have had some effect on this result, as it is usually considered that 

 hoeing is useful, apart from its beneficial effect in killing weeds. Two 

 hoeings increased the crop by four tons per acre, as compared with 

 one hoeing. 



Spraying of Charlock (Univ. Coll. of Wales, Aberystwyth, Dept. 

 of Agric, Rept. on Expts., 1906). — Four plots in different districts were 

 sprayed in June with a 3 or 4 per cent, solution of copper sulphate. 

 When the plots were inspected a week or two later, the charlock was 

 almost completely destroyed, while on a strip on one plot that had 

 been left unsprayed it was in full flower and overtopped the barley. 



Spraying of Charlock (Lanes. Educ. Comm., Agric. Dept., Farmers' 

 Bull.. 4). — This bulletin gives a description of charlock, and of the 

 injury it does to crops, and suggests methods of extermination. Several 

 machines are described and illustrated. One which can be attached 

 to a farm cart will spray 20 acres per day and upwards ; this 

 costs £8 15s., and the cost of materials and labour 5s. 3d. per acre. 

 Another machine spraying 12 acres a day costs £6 15s. There are 

 also smaller machines, including a knapsack sprayer, costing £1 16s., 

 and spraying three acres per day. It is suggested that farmers might 

 combine to buy a sprayer of a suitable size. In the experiments made 

 in Lancashire, it has been found that the sulphate must be finely 

 crushed and of 98 per cent, purity, and the water clean. A 3 per cent, 

 solution should be applied at the rate of 50 gallons per acre. The 

 weather should be calm, and not too bright, with a probability of 

 remaining fine for at least twelve hours after the spraying. The 

 best results have been obtained when the majority of the plants are 

 in flower, and before the formation of seed pods has progressed to 

 any extent. A certain proportion of the plants escape, and a second 

 spraying is advisable a fortnight after the first. 



