1034 Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [march, 



Pounds Per Acre in the Different Crops, 1909. 





1st Cutting. 



2nd Cutting. 



3rd Cutting. 



4th Cutting. 



Total Dry Matter 



3, 220 



4, 180 



4,800 



5,IOO 



Crude Protein, including 



470 



535 



635 



6lO 



True Protein 



330 



39o 



465 



520 



" Amides " 



140 



145 



170 



90 



Ether Extract, (Fats,&c.) 



85 



70 



75 



75 



Crude Fibre 



880 



1,280 



1,520 



1,760 



Pentosans 



670 



930 



1,160 



1,230 



Soluble Carbohydrates ... 



830 



1,040 



980 



940 



Total Ash, including ... 



285 



33° 



425 



490 



Silica 



43 



61 



112 



127 



Lime 



27 



28 



40 



39 



Phosphoric Acid 



18 



13 



15 



20 



Potash 



4i 



42 



42 



55 



The digestibility of the different crops was estimated, and the starch 

 equivalent calculated. 



The starch equivalents of the total crop per acre in 1909 were as 

 follows : — 



For Maintenance. 



1st Cutting 2,000 lb. 



2,500 „ 



2nd 

 3rd 

 4th 



For Production. 

 1,300 lb. 

 1,530 >, 



2,740 ,, 1,610 „ 



2,700 ,, 1,490 ,, 



It is concluded that in both years the third cutting gave the most 

 valuable crop, but a fair amount of latitude in the time of cutting — say, 

 a week or ten days — may be allowed without seriously impairing the 

 nutritive value of the crop. 



If left too long, the fall in the digestibility more than counter- 

 balanced the increase in the weight of the crop, even though no me- 

 chanical loss of seeds, &c, took place, a loss which could not be 

 prevented in ordinary farm practice. 



Varieties of Barley (Beds. C.C., Agric. Educ. Com., Report upon 

 the Barley and Sugar Beet Plots, 1911)- — Ten varieties of barley 

 were tested in 191 1 on a light, sandy soil. In consequence of the 

 hot, dry weather, the crop ripened off too quickly, and, in addition, 

 all the plots were damaged by smut. In this year Maltster gave the 

 heaviest yield, and Princess (a new Svalof variety) the lowest, while 

 Standwell, though unsatisfactory as regards weight of crop, produced 

 the best quality sample. The average yields per acre in the five previous 

 years were : Kinver Chevalier, 43 bush. ; Goldthorpe and Prize Prolific, 

 40 bush. ; Maltster and Burton Malting, 39 bush. ; Standwell, 38 bush. ; 

 and Binder, 37 bush. 



Growth of Sugar Beet (Beds. C.C., Agric. Educ. Com., Report 

 upon the Barley and Sugar Beet Plots, 191 1). — In 191 1 the various 

 experiments were carried out at Ridgmont under a scheme 

 assisted by the Board with a view to comparing results obtained 

 with sugar beet in various districts. The soil on the field in 

 which the plots were laid out was a somewhat heavy clay. It was 

 dunged in the previous autumn at the rate of about 15 to 16 tons per 

 acre, and twice ploughed. Tables are given showing the weights of 

 washed and trimmed roots obtained under various conditions. A few 

 of the most important results may be selected for note. 



