3i2 Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [july, 



Manuring of Swedes (Cumberland and Westmorland Farm School, 

 12th Ann. Report, 1907-8). — One trial was to test the relative cropping 

 and feeding values of swedes grown respectively with superphosphate 

 and basic slag. One half-acre plot was manured with 5 Cwt. nitrate 

 of soda, 1 cwt. kainit, and 3 cwt. basic slag, and another with the same 

 quantities of nitrate and kainit, and i\ cwt. superphosphate, the cost 

 being the same in both cases. Half of each crop was weighed, and the 

 superphosphate plot produced at the rate of 23 tons 2\ cwt. per acre, 

 and the slag plot at the rate of 23 tons 1 1 cwt. The other half of each 

 plot was eaten off by 20 sheep, when the gain in seven weeks of those 

 on the superphosphate plot was 2 cwt. o qr. 10 lb., and on the other 

 2 cwt. 2 qr. 24 lb., an increase in favour of slag of 70 lb. live weight. 



In another experiment, a plot manured with 12 tons farmyard manure 

 per acre gave a yield of 27 tons 12 cwt. ; the addition of \ cwt. nitrate of 

 soda, \ cwt. kainit, and if cwt. superphosphate increased, the yield to 32^ 

 tons. Larger dressings of artificials without farmyard manure produced 

 smaller crops. 



Growth of Sugar Beet (Midland Agric. and Dairy Coll., Repts. on 

 Expts., 1907-8). — Trials were carried out in Lincolnshire in 1906 

 and 1907 to test the suitability of the district for sugar beet growing. 

 In 1907 the land was prepared in the same way as for mangolds and 

 dressed with 1 cwt. sulphate of ammonia, 3 cwt. superphosphate, ^ cwt. 

 sulphate of potash. The seed was sown on the flat, this having been 

 found in 1906 preferable to growing on the ridge. The rows were 

 drilled 12, 15, 18, and 21 inches apart. 



Part of the crops was lifted and weighed in October and part in 

 November, in order to find whether the sugar content of the roots 

 increased when approaching maturity. The average yields were — with 

 12 in. drills, lifted in October 15 tons i8| cwt., lifted in November 

 17 tons if cwt.; with 15 in. drills, October 14 tons 13! cwt., November 

 14 tons 13 cwt.; with 18 in. and 21 in. drills the yields were smaller. 

 The trials, therefore, are regarded as showing that it is most profitable 

 to grow sugar beet in drills as near together as is consistent with 

 convenient cultivation. 



On analysis of samples of the roots it was found that in a damp and 

 cold season, like 1907, a considerable advantage is to be gained by 

 delaying the lifting of the roots as long as possible, for in every case the 

 roots lifted in November contained a higher percentage of sugar than 

 those lifted in October. The percentage of sugar was somewhat less 

 with the drills 12 in. apart than with the wider rows, but owing to the 

 larger crop the total yield of sugar per acre was considerably greater. 



Manuring of Turnips (Dept. of Agric. and Tech. Instr. for Ireland, 

 Rept. on Expts. in Co. Antrim during 1908). — Previous experiments 

 had shown that when farmyard manure is scarce a smaller dressing 

 than usual, supplemented by artificials, will give quite as heavy a crop 

 as a heavier dressing of farmyard manure alone. This experiment was 

 designed to find out what quantity of phosphate could in this way be 

 profitably used to supplement 10 tons per acre of farmyard manure. 

 Six plots received this quantity of manure, and in addition 4, 5, or 

 6 cwt. of superphosphate or basic slag. 



Taking the plot that received 10 tons dung and 4 cwt. superphosphate 



