CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE WISLEY LABORATORY. 349 
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE WISLEY LABORATORY. 
XXX. — Experiments with Bacterized Peat, or Humogen, in 
1916. 
By F. J. Chittenden, F.L.S. 
In the earlier experiments with bacterized peat, or humogen, already 
reported, * only the first sample received caused increased growth such 
as was claimed for it. Other trials carried out with other samples 
and with various garden crops on a considerable scale outdoors gave 
practically negative results. As further inquiries were received, and 
in the hope that progress had been made in producing a standard 
article, a further small trial of the material obtainable in the season 
of 1916 was made. 
The site of the experiment was a piece of sandy ground which had 
recently been in grass and which had been deeply dug in the preceding 
autumn, but not manured since 1914, when it received, while under 
grass, a dressing of steamed-bone flour and sulphate of potash. The 
ground was divided into twenty-four plots, each measuring twelve feet 
by three feet, and separated from its neighbours by paths one foot 
wide. Six different treatments were arranged so that each treatment 
was repeated four times, the plots receiving similar dressings being 
scattered over the site in order to overcome any inequality in soil. 
(See plan, fig. 63.) 
Treatment A. Plots 7, 9, 18, 24 had nothing added. 
B. ,, 1, 12, 15, 22, received a dressing of 12 oz. of bacterized 
peat (equivalent to \ ton to the acre). 
C. ,, 2, 11, 17, 20, received 24 oz. bacterized peat (1 ton to the 
acre) . 
D. 3, 6, 16, 21, received 48 oz. bacterized peat (2 tons to the 
acre) . 
„ E. ,, 4, 5, 14, 23, received 96 oz. bacterized peat (4 tons to the 
acre) . 
F. 8, 10, 13, 19, received 28 lb. pig manure, equivalent to 
20 tons to the acre. 
The peat for the experiment was kindly presented by Messrs. 
Sutton, of Reading, and was, we understand, manufactured at Man- 
chester. The peat and pig manure were lightly forked in, and on 
June 1 twelve grammes of French breakfast radish were sown on each 
plot. The seed germinated well on plots A, B, and F, but on all the 
others far less regularly, as will be seen from the table giving the final 
results. The only possible explanation of the comparative failure 
of germination on these plots is that something in the peat actually 
poisoned the young seedlings, f for the germination on the other 
plots was very even. That it was not merely a case of delayed 
* Chittenden, F. J., " Report of Experiments with Bacterized Peat, or 
Humogen," Journal R.H.S. xli. pp. 305-326. 
f Cf. I.e. p. 321, where it is shown that young radishes suffered badly in 
pots to which peat had been applied. 
