10 
IMPEBIAL COLLEGE OE 
By reference to column 8 in the last table it will be seen 
that nitrogen (as ammonia) has a most decided influence on the 
tillering of the rice plant. Hundred and eighty plants were 
set in each frame. The number of panicles harvested in excess 
of 180 is the result of the branching or tillering of the plants. 
I am convinced that the potent influence of the sulphate of 
ammonia in increasing the yield is due to a power it has of 
inducing the plants to send up new shoots from the roots. It 
not only has a stimulating effect on individual culms, causing 
them to grow tall and stout, but it increases their number—it 
stimulates the plant to produce more panicles to bear seed. 
This view is strengthened by reference to the weights in 
columns 4 ahd 5, and to the percentage of grain to the whole 
crop in column G. There it will be seen that the weight of 
a given number, or of a given measure, of grain grown under 
excessive nitrogenous stimulus, is below the average; andin 
plats 1 and 9, where nitrogen alone was furnished the panicles 
are also light (col.7). Hence whatever increase in the yield 
there is with this fertilizer above the normal, is due to an 
increase in the number of panicles. I consider that the 
experiment proves this beyond a doubt. 
EFFECTS OF POTASH AND PHOSPHOIUC ACID. 
The effects of these two elements are less pronounced than 
that of nitrogen, and they are in consequence not so easily 
traced. Of the two, whether taken singly or in combination, 
potash appears to have influenced the yield most. It has a 
greater effect on the tillering of the plants, and compared with 
nitrogen it increases the weight of individual grains, as well as 
the percentage of grain to that of straw. Phosphoric acid, on 
the other hand, has but little if any influence on the growth of 
the straw, but it has a marked effect on the w r eight and 
percentage of the grain. In all cases where P 3 0 5 had a 
dominating influence the percentage of grain to that of straw is 
highest. And comparing cols. 4 and 5 it seems also to increase 
the size of the grain though not the density. 
