1194 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Soiling- Crop Experiments. By Clarence B. Lane (U.S.A. Agr. 

 Exp. Stn. Neiv Jersey, Bull. 158, June 11, 1902, illustrated). — The results 

 of the experiments carried out in New Jersey tend to show that : 



1. A rotation of certain crops, such as Wheat, Alfalfa, Crimson 

 ■Clover, Indian Corn, Cowpeas, &c, and various combinations of these 

 crops, some of which thrive best early, some late, may be grown as 

 forage, to provide a continuous supply for a dairy herd, May 1 to Novem- 

 ber 1. 



Amongst these, no one plant is capable of supplying forage con- 

 tinuously throughout the entire season, Alfalfa, a perennial, being the 

 best in this respect. 



2. The value of a plant for forage is decided by its yield, composition, 

 palatability, the season of the year in which it may be grown, the time it 

 requires to mature, and its influence on the flavour of the milk. 



3. The soiling system is preferable to pasture, as it provides a uniform 

 supply of succulent food throughout the season. 



4. Three crops can be grown upon the same acre in one season ; 

 for instance, Rye, Oats and Peas, Corn, yielding 20 tons, while the peren- 

 nial Alfalfa admits of five cuts, yielding about 25 tons of green forage to 

 the acre. 



5. A herd of thirty to* forty cows consumed an average of 60 lbs. of 

 green forage per cow per day with 6-8 lbs. of fine feed. 



6. Three to four cows can be kept upon one acre for six months, the 

 forage being fed to them from cribs. 



7. Five years' records show that the average yield of milk and butter 

 per cow during the six months of forage feeding was 3,423 lbs. and 

 172*7 lbs. respectively. 



The same cows yielded an average of 3,050 lbs. of milk, and 157*4 lbs. 

 of butter during the other six months of the year when they were fed 

 with silage. The average percentage of fat in the milk in the former 

 case was 4*32, in the latter 4-42. 



The disadvantage of forage crops as compared with permanent pasture 

 is that the land must be prepared and sown annually. As against this 

 there are the greatly increased yields per acre, and the maintained 

 succulence. — O, H. G. 



Soil Sterilisation in Greenhouses for Fungoid Diseases. By 



G. E. Stone and R. E. Smith (Rep. U.S.A. Exp. Stn. Hatch, Mass. 

 p. 74 ; Jan. 1902). — A Report of the botanists dealing with the subject 

 of soil sterilisation and its value as a preventive against fungoid attacks. 

 The crops experimented with were Lettuce, grown in large houses for 

 market purposes and planted out in the soil. The most satisfactory 

 method of sterilising is by steam, and good results were shown over the 

 portions thus treated. — E. F. H. 



South African Gardening*. Anon. (Joum. Hort. Oct. 30, 1902, 

 p. 403). — A correspondent in Johannesburg, responding to an article in 

 this Journal a few weeks ago, admits that the high prices for all garden 

 produce are tempting, but warns adventurers that competition is sure 

 to be great, living very expensive, labour dear and hard to get at any 



