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AGRICULTURAL AND MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 

 Experiments in the Destruction of Charlock. 



The Board have received a copy of a report on the experi- 

 ments in the spraying- of charlock and runch, which have 

 been carried out during the present year by Professor J. R. 

 Campbell, on behalf of the Yorkshire College and the Joint 

 Agricultural Council of the East and West Ridings, in con- 

 tinuation of his experiments in Scotland in 1898, 



The spraying materials employed consisted of sulphate of 

 iron and sulphate of copper, the strength of the solutions of 

 the former varying between 6 and 16 per cent., and of the 

 latter from 2 to 3 J per cent. They were applied in both cases 

 at the rate of 35 to 40 gallons per acre. The cost of the 

 sulphate of iron used in these experiments was 6s. per cwt., 

 and that of the sulphate of copper 40s. per cwt., but inquiries 

 showed that sulphate of iron, sufficiently pure, could be had at 

 4s. per cwt., and even for 3s. if purchased in quantity, while 

 sulphate of copper was quoted at a little over 30s. per. cwt., 

 consequently the cost of spraying per acre with a 10 per cent, 

 and a 15 per cent, solution of sulphate of iron need not be 

 greater than is. 5d. and 2s. 2d. per acre respectively. In tne 

 same way the cost of the sulphate or copper solutions at a 

 strength of 2 per cent, and 3 per cent, would amount to about 

 2S. 3d. and 3s. 3d. respectively per acre. 



The tests were carried out on 25 farms in Yorkshire during 

 the months cf May and June, and at a very early stage in the 

 tests it was quite apparent that the influence of the weather 

 was a most important factor in determining the success or 

 failure of the operation. The first trial was at Emley, and 



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