Local Agricultural Societies. 
295 
The Roporfc of the Committee contains the account of many 
more experiments, e.g. on mangolds and on rotation seeds — into 
which space does not allow me to enter — besides an extensive 
one on sheep-feeding, carried out at Whitlingham. Altogether, 
the report is a record of a very busy and very useful year of ex- 
periment, and will well repay study. 
III. — The Royal Manchester Liverpool and North 
Lancashire Agricultural Society. 
The experiments of this society, upon the laying down of 
grass for permanent pasture, and also for ley of one to four years' 
duration, have been continued at the two stations, Saltney near 
Chester, and Rostherue (Lord Egerton of Tatton's). 
At Saltney, it may be remembered that the experiments on 
rotation grasses for one year's ley resulted in 1887 in favour of 
a simple mixture such as that used on plot 14, viz. 22 lbs. 
Italian ryegrass, and 10 lbs. American red clover. 
The experiments on two and three years' ley were continued, 
and not only were the yields weighed as hay, but the hay was 
examined by Mr. Smetham, the Society's chemist, and the dry 
matter in it determined, so as to enable fair comparison. The 
following Table (IV.) gives the yields in 1888, the dry matter of 
the crops of 1887 and 1888, as also the total dry matter for the 
two years : — 
Table IV. 
Weight of hay 
Dry matter per 
Dry matter in 
Total for 
in 1888 
acre 
in 1887 
1888 
two years 
Cwt3. qrs. lbs. 
Cwts 
qrs. 
lbs. 
Cwts. qrs. lbs. 
Cwts. qrs. lbs. 
Three years 
ley, plot 6 
33 
0 
0 
34 
1 
0 
22 0 22 
56 1 22 
„ 7 
36 
0 
0 
39 
0 
0 
25 1 9 
64 1 9 
Two years' 
ley, plot 8 
35 
0 
0 
38 
0 
0 
24 0 9 
62 0 9 
» 
)) >) 9 
40 
0 
0 
41 
2 
0 
28 0 22 
69 2 22 
„ 10 
27 
0 
0 
40 
0 
0 
18 0 12 
58 0 12 
»> 
„ 11 
32 
0 
0 
43 
1 
0 
22 3 10 
66 0 10 
The best result for two years' ley is accordingly given by 
plot 9, the seeding of which per acre was as follows : — 
4 lbs. Italian ryegrass 
4 lbs. Perennial ryegrass 
4 lbs. Cocksfoot 
3 lbs. Meadow fescue 
2 lbs. Timothy 
4 lbs. Cowgrass 
2 lbs. White clover 
2 lbs. Alsilre 
1 lb. Trefoil 
In the plots for three years' ley, plot 7 has maintained the 
superiority shown over plot 6 in 1887. The respective seedings 
of these plots are : — ■ 
