1910.] Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 103 1 



of " sway-back n in lambs, and gives an account of some parasites of 

 the fourth stomach and intestines of sheep and cattle. 



Miscellaneous Experiments. 



Reports on Analyses (Jour. Roy. Agr. Soc, Vol. LXIX., 1909; 

 Trans. Highland and Agr. Soc, Fifth Series, Vol. XXI. , 1909 ; Jour. 

 Bath and West and Southern Counties Soc, Fifth Series, Vol. III., 

 1908-9; Harper Adams Agr. Coll., Field Expts., Report, 1908; South- 

 Eastern Agr. Coll., Wye, Jour. No. 17, 1908.) — These publication? 

 contain observations by the consulting chemists and botanists on 

 samples submitted for analysis. 



In the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England an 

 analysis is given of a sewage sludge containing n'68 per cent, of 

 organic matter (containing nitrogen '38 per cent.) and '73 phosphoric 

 acid (equal to i'6o per cent, phosphate of lime). This was used to 

 advantage on heavy clay land in Essex, making the land work well 

 and being useful for peas, beans, oats, and wheat. It was found, 

 however, not to do well with potatoes on light land, the tendency 

 being for the potatoes to become scabby. 



Reference is also made to the question of magnesia in soils, in 

 regard to which experiments are being conducted at the Woburn 

 Pot Culture Station. 



Investigations into Maize and Maize Silage (Jour, of the South- 

 Eastern Agricultural College, No. 17, 1908.) — A report by Dr. E. J. 

 Russell gives the results of investigations undertaken from 1901 to 

 1907 on maize and maize silage. It was ascertained that large crops 

 (from 15 to 30 tons per acre) of green maize could be produced without 

 difficulty in Kent and Surrey. The crop is smallest in cold wet 

 seasons, and largest in hot dry ones, but the seed need not be sown till 

 June, so that it can be put on to land where swedes or mangolds have 

 failed. It is therefore well worth a trial where succulent fodder is 

 wanted in September and early October. 



The changes occurring when maize is converted into silage were 

 investigated, and a summary is given of the general conclusions arrived 

 at. As regards the practical side of the question, Dr. Russell observes 

 that maize silage is quite a useful food, though inferior to swedes and 

 mangolds. In the process of manufacture there is a certain deteriora- 

 tion and a loss of dry matter, which was found to vary between 30 and 

 40 per cent., and to fall mainly on the valuable nitrogen free extract and 

 protein, and least on the worthless fibre. The loss might be reduced 

 in a better silo than the one available at Wye, but the deterioration 

 cannot be avoided. It hardly appears worth while to grow maize for 

 the production of silage except where mangolds are unusually costly. 



Investigations on Farmyard Manure (Journal of South-Eastern 

 Agric. Coll., No. 17, 1908.) — An inquiry has been made by Dr. Russell 

 into the following points : — (1) The amount of unavoidable loss in 

 making dung; (2) whether a high-grade linseed cake (i.e., one rich in 

 oil) gives better dung than one poor in oil ; (3) the relative values of 

 straw and peat moss, and of straw and fern, for litter. 



The conclusions arrived at are summarised as follows : — 



Dung made in a box under bullocks receiving linseed cake and a 

 sufficient amount of litter was found to have lost 15 per cent, of its 



