312 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



From this table it is evident that the bacterized peat had no influence 

 in increasing the yield of radishes, the average weights of the plants 

 from Plots A and B being the same. The use of untreated peat had 

 a slightly depressing effect, amounting, however, to only about 5 per 

 cent. The only marked effect of the bacterized peat seems to have 

 been in the comparative growth of roots and tops. 



On Plot A the relative size of tops and roots is as 76 : 100. 



On Plot B it is as 64 : 100. 



On Plot C it is as 70 : 100. 



The tops were therefore largest where the bacterized peat had 

 been used, and smallest where nothing had been added. The contrast 

 is perhaps more marked if we consider the average size of the roots 

 alone. 



Plot A 12*3 grams, Plot B 13-2 grams, Plot C 12 grams, or in terms 

 of the untreated plot : — 



Plot A (bacterized peat) 93 ; Plot B (untreated) 100 ; Plot C 

 (untreated peat) 91. 



Turnips. — The turnips were sown on land that had carried a crop 

 of peas in 1913, and had been manured with farmyard manure for 

 that crop. It had been well dug, was in good " heart," and was 

 situated in the vegetable quarters. 



Nine plots, each 33 feet by 7 feet 6 inches, were set out, and on each 

 of them three long rows of the turnip ' Early White Stone ' were sown 

 18 inches apart. There was therefore ample space between the rows. 

 The seed was sown on May 25 at the rate of 8*5 grams to the row. 



Plot 1 received no dressing. 



Plot 2 received a dressing of bacterized peat at the rate of one ton 

 to the acre (being 11 lb. to the plot). 



Plot 3 received the same dressing, and in addition 150 grams of 

 manganese sulphate was spread over the plot. (N.B. — Manganese 

 sulphate has been reported to act under certain conditions as a 

 stimulant of plant growth.*) 



Plots 4 and 7 were treated as Plot 1. 



Plots 5 and 8 as Plot 2. 



Plots 6 and 9 as Plot 3. 



The experiment was therefore in triplicate. 



The seed germinated regularly and well, and there was no notice- 

 able difference in the rate of germination. The plants grew away 

 without check from flea beetles or from any other cause, and were 

 thinned on June 24 and succeeding days. 



It was found impracticable to thin and weigh the thinnings from 

 the whole of the plots on one day, so that comparisons of the weights 

 of the thinnings cannot be profitably made, but the indications point 

 to some hastening of growth by the use of the bacterized peat, which 

 was counteracted by the addition of manganese. The effect of 



* Chittenden, F. J. " The Effect of Manganese Sulphate on the Yield of 

 Turnips at Wisley " ; see p. 94, ante. 



