The  Woburn  Field  Experiments , 1910.  339 
Samples  were  drawn  from  each  crop  and  then  analysed 
for  sugar,  the  mangolds  giving  6 per  cent,  of  sugar,  which 
would  amount  to  2‘25  tons  of  sugar  to  the  acre,  whereas 
the  sugar-beet  showed  14-53  per  cent,  or  1‘82  tons  of 
sugar  to  the  acre.  It  is  only  fair,  however,  to  mention  that 
the  sugar-beet  was  grown,  like  the  mangolds,  in  rows  24  in. 
apart,  whereas  for  a factory  they  would  probably  be  grown 
only  18  in.  apart,  and  the  yield  might  be  increased  by  fully 
one-quarter.  On  the  other  hand,  the  sugar-beet,  by  reason  of 
its  being  set  deep  down  in  the  ground,  was  a considerably  more 
expensive  one  to  raise. 
Varieties  of  Wheat. 
Considerable  attention  having  been  drawn  to  the  newly- 
introduced  “ French  ” wheats,  and  also  to  the  new  “ types  ” of 
wheat  bred,  by  hybridization,  by  Prof.  Biffen,  of  Cambridge 
University  and  Botanist  to  the  R.A.S.E.,  it  was  decided  to 
make  an  extended  trial  of  these,  and  to  compare  them  with 
ordinary  English  wheats.  An  area  was  set  apart  in  Warren 
Field,  the  wheat  following  a well-manured  potato  crop  grown 
in  1909.  The  French  wheats  tried  were  “ Treasure,”  “ White 
Marvel,”  “Red  Marvel,”  “Sensation,”  and  “Dreadnought”;  the 
English  varieties  “ White  Stand-up  ” and  “ Red  Admiral  ” ; 
while  Prof.  Biffen  sent  seed  of  the  two  kinds  known 
as  “Cambridge  No.  1 ” (or  “Little  Joss”)  and  “Cambridge 
No.  2”  (or  8b).  The  “Little  Joss”  is  a cross  between 
“Girkha”  and  “Square  Head,”  and  is  grown  for  its  rust- 
resisting  properties  as  well  as  for  its  good  yield,  whereas  the 
“Cambridge  No.  2 ” is  a cross  between  “Rough-chaff”  and 
“ Red  Fife,”  and  is  grown  mainly  for  “ strength.” 
In  addition  to  these  there  was  gi’own  in  another  field 
(Lansome  Field)  of  much  lighter  character  than  Warren  Field, 
a plot  of  the  new  Dutch  spring  wheat  “ Wilhelmina.”  The 
wheats  (winter  sown)  were  drilled  on  November  19,  1909  ; 
the  first  to  show  were  the  English  varieties,  then  the  “ Red 
Marvel”  and  “White  Marvel”  (French);  “Dreadnought,” 
“ Sensation,”  and  “ Treasure  ” were  very  backward.  There 
was  a good  deal  of  frost  in  January,  1910,  and  by  February 
the  failure  of  these  last  three  lots  was  so  pronounced  that  they 
had  to  be  ploughed  up,  and  were  resown  March  8-18.  Mean- 
while the  two  “ Cambridge  ” wheats  had  gone  on  very  well  and 
stood  the  frost,  as  did  also  the  two  ordinary  English  wheats. 
The  Dutch  “Wilhelmina”  wheat  was  drilled  in  Lansome  Field 
on  March  5,  1910,  at  the  rate  of  9 pecks  per  acre.  A top- 
dressing of  soot  (8  cwt.  per  acre)  was  given  to  it  on  May  3, 
and  a very  nice  crop  was  obtained,  which  was  marked  by  its 
standing  up  well  and  by  “ tillering  out  ” splendidly.  This 
crop  was  greatly  admired  by  visitors  to  the  farm. 
