62 Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [april, 



ingly, in 1908 the two varieties named were compared on seven farms 

 in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen, with the result that Banner pro- 

 duced on the average 14 bushels more per acre of dressed grain. Milling 

 tests were made of all the varieties, but showed very little difference in 

 the quantity of meal produced. 



The barley trials were designed to ascertain whether the strains in 

 common use in the North of Scotland, where the grain is mainly sold 

 for distilling or feeding, are the most productive. Eight varieties were 

 sown on ^-acre plots at the rate of 2.\ million seeds per acre. 

 Common Barley gave the largest average yield of grain, 42 bushels, 

 but the smallest yield of straw. Danish Archer gave one bushel less 

 grain and 5 cwt. more straw, while there was little difference between 

 most of the others. It is concluded that while "it would be injudicious 

 to draw any conclusion from the results of one season's experiments, 

 the evidence tends to show that the Danish Archer is a valuable variety. 

 Unfortunately it is at least a week later than Common barley, and 

 that characteristic will prevent its general adoption in most of the 

 northern counties. Ideal was a poor crop in nearly all cases, and 

 appears to be quite unsuitable for local conditions. Maltster stood up 

 well and gave a fair crop of good quality. On the whole, however, 

 Common barley has justified its place in general estimation so far as 

 the trials have shown for the season under review." 



Influence of Artificial Manures on Barley {Univ. of Leeds, Bull. 75). — 

 Five experiments have been carried out in the four years 1900-3, and 

 four experiments in the three years 1904-6, for the purpose of ascer- 

 taining the manurial requirements of barley when grown as a second 

 corn crop on a medium loam, and also on the Wold soils of the East 

 Riding. The rotation, which is fairly common in Yorkshire, was as 

 follows : — (1) Roots, (2) Barley or Oats, (3) "Seeds," (4) Wheat or Oats, 

 (5) Barley. The manures used were (1) sulphate of ammonia 1 cwt., 

 (2) sulphate of ammonia 1 cwt., superphosphate 2 cwt., (3) sulphate of 

 ammonia 1 cwt., superphosphate 2 cwt., kainit 2 cwt. Nitrate of soda 

 in substitution for sulphate of ammonia, and also guano and salt were 

 tried. The conclusions arrived at are summarised as follows 



(1) Where barley is grown as a second corn crop, a satisfactory 

 increase in the yield of grain and straw can be obtained by using 

 artificial manures, provided that a nitrogenous ingredient be included 

 in the dressing. 



(2) Except in very wet seasons, nitrate of soda will almost invariably 

 produce a higher yield of grain on Wold land than a dressing of sul- 

 phate of ammonia containing the same weight of nitrogen. On the 

 average the latter will be only about 70 to 75 per cent, as effective as 

 the former. 



(3) In most cases the yield will be increased if, along with nitrogenous 

 manure, either a phosphatic manure {e.g. superphosphate), or a potassic 

 manure {e.g. kainit), or possibly both, be employed. 



The requirements of the soil for phosphate and potash will, however, 

 be less than for nitrogen, and will vary greatly for different soils. 

 The necessity or otherwise for additions of phosphatic or potassic 

 manures, or both, to the nitrogenous manures can therefore only be 

 determined by actual trial. 



As a general rule a manure mixture containing all the three 



