( 1 ) 
FERTILIZER EXPERIMENTS WITH RICE. 
During the past season ( 1887 ) experiments were under¬ 
taken with a view to ascertain what influence the principal 
fertilizer elements have on the growth of the rice plant, both 
on paddy land and on upland. Some interesting results have 
been reached which are set forth in the following pages. A 
single’season’s experiments cannot/of course, establish anything 
definitely. But the results are of sufficient value to warrant 
their publication, as pointing to the elements which should 
predominate in the fertilizers applied to this crop, and 
indicating also, in the case of paddy land rice, their relative 
influence on the tillering of the plants, on the relative 
percentages of grain and straw, and on the size and weight of 
individual grains. 
I PADDY LAND RICE. 
Some difficulties present themselves in experimenting 
with this crop, due to the trouble in properly controlling 
irrigation. The arrangements of the rice fields in Japan, and 
their, irrigation are models of perfection, admirably suited to 
the system of hand culture in vogue. 
The whole field is divided into small level areas, varying 
from about \ to ^ of an acre in extent, each enclosed by a 
slightly raised edging of green sward. These separate levels 
have a trifling elevation one above the other, so that the water 
running into the upper one will run over them all in succession, 
avoiding stagnation anywhere, and irrigating all levels 
thoroughly and alike, with a minimum of water. For 
