191 1.] Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 331 



1910, taken from the Praktische Blatter fiir Pflanzenbau, &c. (April, 

 191 1), may be given for purposes of comparison. 



The earthing-up method only came under consideration, the trials 

 being made on winter barley. Three plots of the same size, each in 

 duplicate, were selected on a heavy loam, and were manured in the 

 autumn of 1909, before seeding, with basic slag and potash. A top- 

 dressing of nitrate of soda was given on May 3rd, 19 10. Sowing took 

 place on Sept. 3rd, 1909. Plot 1 was sown in the ordinary way, at the 

 rate of 120 lb. of seed per acre, the seeding being done as evenly as 

 possible, in drills 8 inches apart, at a depth of 2 inches, and the seeds 

 were covered over with earth so that the plot presented a level surface. 

 On plots 2 and 3 a seed was sown at every two inches, the drill 

 being two inches deep. The plants appeared on 10th Sept., 1909, and 

 earthing-up took place on plot 2 twelve days after sowing, and on plot 3 

 seventeen days after sowing. In April, 19 10, the plants on all plots 

 were hoed. In the spring the development of the ear of barley in the 

 earthed-up plants was behind that of the plants on plot 1. 



Harvesting was carried out on July 5th, 1910, and the following 

 yields per acre were obtained : — 



Grain. Straw. 



Cwt. Cwt. 



per acre. per acre. 



Plot 1 41 55 



„ 2 39 48 



3 5° 6 6 



The best results were, therefore, given by earthing-up at the later 

 date, while the yield from earthing-up at the earlier date was not 

 so good as that from the ordinary method of cultivation. An examina- 

 tion of the number of ear-bearing stems per plant also showed the 

 superiority of plot 3. The saving of seed effected by the Demtschinsky 

 method was at the rate of 80 lb. per acre. The general result confirms 

 that of previous experiments to the effect that the extra yield which may 

 sometimes be obtainable by this method is insufficient to compensate 

 for the extra labour. 



Seeds Mixtures for Permanent Pasture (Univ. Coll. of N. Wales, 

 Bangor, Agric. Dept., Buls. 2 and 4, 1910). — Experiments with four 

 lifferent mixtures for laying down permanent pasture were started in 

 [906, at nine farms. The plots were mown in 1907 and 1908, and a very 

 satisfactory hay crop was given by a mixture containing a considerable 

 luantity of rye grass and more red clover than the others. This mixture 

 ipproached more nearly to the mixtures usually sown by farmers than 

 he other three, and cost £1 os. nd. for 315 lb. per acre. The heaviest 

 iay crop was given by a mixture recommended by Mr. R. H. Elliot, 

 >f Clifton Park, Kelso, which contained no perennial rye grass, but 

 larger number than usual of other pasture plants, including burnet, 

 hicory, and kidney vetch, which are deep-rooting plants that may be 

 iseful in dry seasons and on light soils. This, however, weighed 475 lb. 

 er acre, and cost £2 gs. gd. The plots were grazed in 1909 and 

 )io, and inspected in June, 19 10. Two of the mixtures were found 

 J) have given a good close bottom and a fairly large amount of herbage, 

 articularly suitable for grazing with sheep. These were Mr. Elliot's 

 tixture and another having the following composition : Italian rye- 

 r ass, 4 lb. ; perennial rye-grass, 6 lb. ; cocksfoot, 4 lb. ; meadow fescue. 



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