288 = 22 
British Agriculture, 
i 
The Wobui n 
experiments. 
Extension of 
land drainage, 
and improve- 
ment of farm 
labourers' cot- 
tages, and 
housing for 
live-stock. 
Large annual 
expenditure on 
cattle food and 
portable ma- 
nure. 
The change in 
the last thirty 
years more in 
the general 
difl'usion of 
improved prac- 
proportion to straw. If a heavily-dunged green-crop is occasion- 
ally introduced, it is not necessary to give any other manure to 
the corn-crops than nitrate of soda and superphosphate. Potash i 
(which may be supplied by dung) is very necessary in a grass- | 
manure, especially for clover, which, unlike corn, is injured by f 
ammonia. The grass experiments show that by giving food to !; 
the plants, the strongest and best varieties appropriate what 
they most need, and, by the law of the strongest, put the weakest i 
down. In the best plots the weeds almost disappear, while i 
on one plot, to which no manure is applied, the weeds form ' 
50 per cent, of the produce. — Besides these experiments on crops, j 
Mr. Lawes has carried out investigations on the feeding of live- j 
stock, and on the different values of their food, both as affecting ', 
the processes of fattening and the quality and value of the | 
manure.* j 
The Royal Agricultural Society has commenced a series of j 
experiments on the growth of crops and the fattening of live t 
stock, with a special relation to the manures applied and the t 
food used, and to the effect of the manures resulting from specific s 
kinds of food. The Duke of Bedford, with great liberality and | 
public spirit, has undertaken the cost of these experiments, and 
has placed suitable land and buildings at the disposal of the 
Society, whose Council, under the guidance of Mr. Lawes, and 
of Dr. Voelcker, their consulting chemist, regulate and super- 
intend them. They are open to publi'c inspection, and undei 
such management the most useful results may be anticipated. 
There has been a great extension of drainage in recent years 
and in the construction of improved faim-buildings, and in tb A 
better lodging of farm-labourers in more commodious cottages 4 
And in regard to live-stock there has been a wider diffusion c p 
the best breeds, and generally an earlier maturity obtained in th 
process of fattening. The use of improved implements and machi ^ 
nery has greatly extended, as also has the general application ( 
locom-otive steam-power to the threshing and othet preparatio 
of crops for market or feeding purposes. Cheap descriptions ( 
corn are largely employed in the fattening of stock, and als 
oil-cake, cotton-cake, and rape-cake. For these, and for bone 
guano, and nitrate of soda used as manure, the annual e. 
penditure cannot now be less than twelve millions sterling. 
But, with the exception of the reaping-machine and stear 
plough, and the more general use of steam-power, and oth| 
implements and machines, there is really little that is m 
in the practice of the last quarter of a century. The prcse 
system of drainage was previously well understood. J5oni 
• A more full description of the plan and results of 5Ir. Lawes' operations 
given by Dr. Voelcker in his contribution to this Memoir. 
I 
