1910.J Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 491 



in June and July. New White Horse, Stable King, and Mounted 

 Police gave yields of over 80 bushels per acre, but the quality of each 

 was somewhat inferior to that of Thousand Dollar and Abundance, 

 which gave crops of over 70 bushels. The effect of a change of seed 

 was tested. Five varieties have now been grown for from four to 

 six years, and the following have been the average yields of these : — 

 New White Horse, 75 bush.; Thousand Dollar, 74 bush.; New Abund 

 ance, 72 bush. ; Waverley, 70 bush. ; Newmarket, 64! bush. 



An experiment on barley was begun in 1909 to test the effect of 

 a complete dressing of artificial fertilisers, and to compare potassic 

 superphosphate with a mixture of kainit and superphosphate, and 

 nitrate of lime with sulphate of ammonia and nitrate of soda. The 

 results at present are considered to show the necessity for a complete 

 manure, the omission of potash or nitrogen materially reducing the 

 crop. 



Manuring of Wheat (Wilts C.C. Agric. Ednc. Com., Results of 

 Field Manurial Demonstrations, 1908-9). — Experiments were carried out 

 at three centres in the county. There were eight plots of 12 perches 

 (^q acre) at each centre, and the following scheme of manuring was 

 adopted : — One plot was not manured ; one plot received a dressing 

 of kainit, superphosphate, and nitrate of soda ; three plots received two 

 of these manures, and three received the single manures. In all cases 

 the quantities of the manures applied were : — Kainit, 2f cwt. ; super- 

 phosphate, 3 cwt. ; nitrate of soda, if cwt. 



Taking the average of the three centres, the complete dressing 

 produced an increase in the grain crop of nearly 10 bushels per acre, 

 which results in a profit, after deducting the cost of the manures, of 

 235. per acre. Kainit and nitrate of soda did almost as well, the 

 increase being over 9 bushels, and owing to the smaller cost of the 

 manures the gain was 245. 6d. per acre. The straw on this plot was 

 also almost equal to that of the complete manure plot. Kainit alone 

 gave a large increase at two centres. 



Experiments with Wheat and Oats (Midland Agric. and Dairy Coll., 

 Rept. on Expts. with Crops and Stock, 1908-9, and Do. 1909-10). — 

 Three French varieties of wheat — Steadfast, Marvel, and Sensation — 

 were tried against Browick Grey Chaff and Carter's White Stand-up. 

 The plots were about one acre each. In the spring the French varieties 

 looked weak, with little promise of " tillering," and up till harvest they 

 appeared to have little to recommend them. All three, however, gave 

 a better yield than either of the English wheats, the average being 

 nearly 6| qrs. per acre, while that of the two English varieties was 

 5I qrs. They appeared to be rather more susceptible to "smut" than 

 the standard English varieties, and none of them were quite as good 

 for milling purposes. 



A trial of some varieties of oats new to the Midlands was carried 

 out in 1908 on seven farms, and in 1909 on five farms. Abundance 

 was selected as the standard variety with which they were compared. 

 In 1908 Abundance was exceeded by all the other varieties, viz. : — 

 Mounted Police, Thousand Dollar, Wide Awake, Hvitling, and 

 Propsteier, the difference in the produce of grain and straw being 

 valued at about £1 per acre. In 1909 Propsteier and White Horse 

 were first with a yield of 54! bush, per acre each, Abundance produced 



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