Exhibits hy Societies. 
159 
such a manner that visitoi’s could freely inspect them and 
purchase such as they wished to have. 
The Zoological Department sent several cases of specimens 
illustrating insects generally considered to be injurious to 
plant life ; while the Botanical section included a diagram in 
continuation of that exhibited in 1900, and illustrative of 
the “ Germination of different farm seeds.” This diagi-am 
contained the latest results obtained in observations on this 
interesting question. 
There was also exhibited a fine collection of Weed Seeds 
of the farm. 
The Woburn Experimental Station. — The exhibit from this 
experimental centre brought to the notice of visitors the most 
recent research work which the Society is conducting at its 
farm. To judge from the number of visitors which this 
exhibit attracted on each day the Show was open, the farming 
community is evidently beginning to display an intelligent 
appreciation of and interest in this class of work. 
The principal exhibit showed in very marked manner the 
influence which magnesia exercises on the wheat plant accor- 
ding to the varying proportions in which it occurs in the soil, 
and chiefly in relation to the lime similarly contained. Pots 
with growing barley plants in them, and treated with lime 
and magnesia in varying proportions, were shown, and also 
specimens of the grain and roots of the wheat crop of the 
previous year. The modifications pi’oduced alike in the grain 
and in the manner and extent of root growth by magnesia in 
increasing amount relatively to lime were very remarkable. 
As the relative proportion of magnesia was increased, so the 
grain became more glutinous and the root more developed and 
of a fine feathery nature. 
The influence of lime in different forms, such as caustic 
lime, ground lime, ground limestone, &c., was shown on a soil 
poor in lime, and “sour” in character. The effect on the growth 
of the weed spurry {Spergula arvensis) was very striking. 
There were also exhibits illustrating differences of “ physical 
condition ” in soils. Different soils were resolved into their 
various constituent particles, these vaz’ying greatly in size and 
number, while their relative behaviour to water was illustrated 
in a further series. There was also a collection of photographs 
and diagrams showing the yields of corn and straw from the 
different plots of stackyard field, Woburn, over a long series of 
years. 
Other exhibits on this stand were : — 
(a) Good and bad quality soot (with analyses). 
(5) Red rangoon beans, a kind which have been proved 
to do much injury when given to stock. 
