316 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  20,  1899. 
EXPERIMENTAL  HORTICULTURE.— L 
{Continued  from  page  271.) 
In  Germany  experimental  work  is  carried  on  extensively,  but 
cbiefly  in  connection  with  asfriculture.  There  are  fifty-four  ’  such 
stations,  besides  numbers  of  cnemical  laboratories,  where  analyses  of 
soils  i.nd  products  can  be  obtained  by  farmers  or  others;  but  Dr. 
^  oelckor  iniorms  me  that  in  few  cases  does  horticulture  receive  much 
attention,  though  there  is  one  important  establishment  at  Geissenheim, 
near  Bingen  on  the  Rhine,  which,  besides  being  a  kind  of  national 
school  of  horticulture,  is  also  devoted  largely  to  fruit  culture  in 
demonstrative  or  experimental  work. 
In  other  European  countries  something  is  done  in  experimental 
work,  especially  in  Switzerland  and  France.  The  total  number  of 
stations  on  the  continent.  Professor  Warington  tells  us,  is  190,  besides 
120  laboratories. 
At  Versailles,  near  Paris,  is  a  national  school  of  horticulture, 
though  little  elaborate  experimental  work  is  done  there,  and  the  same 
remark  applies  to  the  30,000  school  gardens  in  France,  useful  as  they 
undoubtedly  aie  for  demonstration  and  instruction. 
In  some  of  our  colonies  a  few  stations  are  established,  especially  in 
Australia  and  New  Zealand,  but  there  is  little  of  a  systematic  or 
general  character. 
British  Experiment  Stations. 
Coming  to  Great  Britain,  in  which  both  agriculture  and  horti¬ 
culture  is  of  so  much  importance,  we  find  that  the  State  has  done 
nothing  in  aid  of  experimental  work.  Whatever  has  been  undertaken 
has  been  at  private  expense,  by  local  bodies,  or  by  societies,  and  it  has 
thus  wanted  tbe  uniformity  of  organisation  so  necessary  in  work  of 
this  kind.  There  is  an  institution,  however,  which,  though  devoted 
solely  to  agriculture,  deserves  a  lew  words  in  these  remarks,  because 
it  is  a  model  of  experimental  organisation  and  patient,  continuous 
research  that  stands  unrivalled.  1  refer  to  Rothamsted,  in  Hertford¬ 
shire,  where  Sir  John  Lawes  and  Sir  Henry  Gilbert  have  conducted  a 
most  elaborate  series  of  manuring  and  cropping  experiments,  the 
records  of  many  of  which  now  extend  over  fifty  years.  The  work  was 
commenced  in  1834,  and  more  systematically  in  1843,  so  that  the 
results  of  a  long  period  under  the  same  system  and  management  are 
now  available  lor  comparison.  The  system  of  recording  results  is  also 
very  thorough,  and  some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  work  when  it  is 
stated  that  45,000  bottles  of  experimentally  grown  vegetable  produce, 
animal  products,  and  soils  or  ashes,  are  now  stored  in  the  laboratory. 
8ir  John  Lawes  has  not  only  maintained  this  great  institution  at  his 
own  expense,  but  has  further  most  munificently  devoted  a  sum  of 
£100,000  to  continuing  the  work  after  his  death,  the  matter  being 
vested  in  trustees  and  a  committee  of  management. 
Another  institution,  framed  on  a  similar  basis,  is  the  Experimental 
barm  at  Woburn,  established  by  a  former  Duke  of  Bedford,  and 
carried  on  by  the  Royal  Agricultural  8ociety  under  the  direction  of 
Dr.  A.  V^oelcker.  There  some  twenty  years  of  valuable  work  has  been 
performed,  and  the  chief  records  have  been  recently  made  available  in 
a  condensed  form. 
County  Councils. 
Some  of  the  County  Councils  have  commenced  experimental  work 
on  a  small  scale,  but  it  seems  that  they  might  well  devote  more  of 
their  energies  and  finances  to  such  purposes,  with  great  prospective 
advantages  to  their  districts.  In  Wiltshire,  for  several  years  experi¬ 
ments  have  been  well  conducted  in  the  Warminster  district  in  connection 
with  Potatoes,  manures,  spraying,  size  of  set.s,  and  wide  planting  being 
dealt  with  very  carefully  and  thoroughly.  The  results  have  also  been 
pmblished  in  a  convenient  form.  In  Essex,  experiments  have  been 
commenced  in  relation  to  manurial  trials  and  other  matters  concerning 
agricultural  crops,  and,  the  Journal  of  the  Technical  Laboratories  at 
Chelmsford,  edited  by  Mr.  D.  Houston,  F.L.S.,  gives  the  results  of 
these  in  a  series  of  reports  and  special  articles. 
At  Droitwich,  in  Worcestershire,  an  experimental  and  trial  garden 
has  been  established  under  Mr.  James  Udale,  the  chief  Instructor  in 
Horticulture  for  that  county,  and  the  report  issued  at  the  end  of  the 
year  showed  how  comprehensive  and  useful  such  horticultural  stations 
can  be  rendered  in  good  hands. 
In  Derbyshire  experimental  fruit  stations  are  established  in  certain 
districts.  All  the  more  useful  varieties  and  forms  of  trees  are  grown 
in  the  best  manner  in  which  the  soil  and  situations  permit,  and 
demonstration  lectures  given  to  visitors  who  attend,  by  Mr.  Edward 
Luckhurst. 
Amongst  all  the  Count)'^  Councils  Surrey  stands  pre-eminent  in 
the  attention  devoted  to  horticulture,  and  has  developer!  a  system 
w’hich  is  admirable  in  every  respect  from  an  instructional  point  of 
view.  This  has  taken  the  form  of  establishing  continuation  school 
gardens  where,  under  the  direction  of  qualified  local  teachers,  the  boys 
are  encouraged  to  learn  the  best  methods  of  treating  the  principal 
garden  croj  s.  As  both  manures  and  seeds  are  supplied,  it  is  obvious 
that  such  gardens  can  be  rendered  partly  experimental  as  well,  and  I 
believe  this  is  done  to  some  extent  under  general  supervision.  There 
are  no  less  than  370  plots  in  thirty  different  districts,  and  during  the 
past  year  5000  distinct  crops  have  been  raised,  affording  great  s^’ope 
for  observations.  In  connection  with  this  work  the  chief  instructor 
says : — 
“  Every  year  experience  proclaims  more  clearly  that  there  is  more 
virtue  in  deep  culture  and  soil  division,  with  frequent  hoeings  for 
weed  prevention,  and  the  incorporation  of  good  natural  or  farmyard 
manures  for  imparting  humus  and  holding  moisture,  than  is  found  in 
the  application  of  chemical  manures  alone,  and  apart  from  good 
manipulative  work.  Given  this  work,  and  natural  manure,  a  supple¬ 
ment  of  wisely  chosen  artificials  may  be  profitably  applied  to  some 
soils  and  crops,  but  unless  they  are  used  with  knowledge — which 
cannot  w^ell  be  had  without  actual  experience — nothing  is  more  easy 
than  to  waste  money  by  investing  largely  in  them.” 
In  addition  to  the  school  gardens  trials  of  selected  varieties  of 
Peas,  Potatoes,  Kidney  Beans,  Carrots,  Onions,  and  Beet  are  conducted 
in  large  groups  of  allotments,  in  order  that  the  allottees  may  see  for 
themselves  what  are  adapted  for  the  particular  site  and  soil,  and  tlie 
resulting  produce  is  used  in  the  school  gardens.  This  method  is 
considered  more  directly  useful  to  large  numbers  of  workers,  and  also 
more  economical  than  having  an  extensive  trial  in  one  district  alone, 
where  the  soil  cannot  be  the  same  as  that  which  of  necessity  differs 
so  much  in  the  vaiious  allotment  stations. 
One  trial  of  Potatoes  was,  however,  of  wide  scope,  as  the  same 
seventy  varieties  w'ere  grown  in  soils  widely  differing  in  character. 
As  a  result  220  dishes  were  arranged  in  the  Public  Hall,  Carshalton, 
and  from  these  thirty  varieties  w'ere  chosen  as  being  suitable  in  size 
and  shape  for  use.  These  were  cooked  by  a  County  Council  expert, 
with  the  results  published,  but  a  brief  digest  can  only  be  given  here. 
“For  quality  Goldfinder,  Supreme,  and- Satisfaction  w^ere  the  best  from 
dark  boggy  soil  :  Windsor  Castle,  Satisfaction,  and  Renown  from  clay 
soil ;  Supreme,  Satisfaction,  and  the  Bruce  from  dark  sandy  soil ; 
Colossal,  Satisfaction,  and  Windsor  Castle  from  chalky  soil;  Challenger, 
Chancellor,  and  Duke  of  York  (early)  from  sandy  peat  soil  ;  Future 
Fame,  Satisfaction,  and  Best  of  All  from  gravelly  soil ;  Triumph, 
Satisfaction,  and  Windsor  Castle  from  marly  soil;  Yictorj',  Early 
Regent,  and  Dean’s  Renown  from  loose  sand  ;  Triumph,  Victory,  and 
Satisfaction  from  strong  loam ;  Puritan  (early),  Windsor  Castle,  and 
Dean’s  Renown  from  dark  porous  soil.”  Such  practical  woik  as  that 
indicated  in  these  notes  must  appeal  strongly  to  all  who  are  concerned 
in  the  advance  of  gardening. 
Continuation  school  gardens  are  numerous  in  Kent,  and  more  is 
done  for  allotment  holders  than  in  any  other  county  by  the  giving  of 
prizes  for  the  best  plots.  The  work  is  carelully  estimated,  and  a 
penny  a  point  given  to  those  men  who  obtain  above  a  certain  specified 
number  that  is  considered  to  represent  creditable  work.  This  is 
probably  the  simplest  and  best  method  of  allocating  such  prizes  that 
has  yet  been  devised. 
In  Northumbeilaud  I  understand  an  experimental  farm  has  been 
established  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Somerville,  and  in  a  few  other 
counties  some  efforts  are  being  made  in  a  similar  direction.  For 
instance,  in  the  Isle  of  Wight  a  small  experimental  garden  is  being 
formed,  under  the  management  of  the  horticultural  instructor,  Mr. 
S.  Heaton ;  and  I  am  informed  that  youths  and  adults  are  taught  the 
principles  and  practice  of  gardening  in  Shropshire.  Some  of  the  agri¬ 
cultural  colleges  and  farmers’  societies  also  carry  out  experiments  of 
various  kinds,  but  necessarily  in  an  isolated,  and  in  some  cases  in  a 
fragmentary  way. 
ChISW'ICK. 
Amongst  strictly  horticultural  institutions,  established  and  carried 
on  by  societies,  honourable  mention  must  be  made  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society’s  garden  at  Chiswdek,  where  for  a  long  period 
useful  work  has  been  performed  in  the  trial  of  varieties,  and  in 
experiments  with  stocks  and  other  ways.  It  must  be  a  subject  of 
regret,  how'ever,  that  the  funds  of  this  Society  have  never  seemed  to 
permit  its  garden  to  be  developed  on  a  wider  basis.  There  has  been 
no  lack  in  the  administrative  skill,  for  the  R.II.S.  has  been  fortunate 
in  procuring  able  secretaries  and  superintendents,  while  its  councils 
and  committees  have  included  the  foremost  horticulturists  of  the  day 
throughout  the  present  century;  therefore  it  is  to  financial  difficulties 
of  many  years  that  w’e  must  look  for  the  explanation  of  the  fact  that 
experimental  work  has  not  been  more  extended.  There  is  no  question 
that  the  R.H.S.  fas  rendered  more  service  to  horticulture  during  the 
present  century  than  any  other  organisation,  and  in  recent  years  its 
usefulness  and  finances  have  been  so  much  increased  that  we  may 
hope  for  still  further  improvement.  More  light  is  needed  on  many 
difficult  problems,  and  it  will  only  be  by  the  multiplication  of 
experimental  stations  and  the  accumulation  of  accurate  records  that 
systematic  and  reliable  data  can  be  furnished. — R.  Lewis  Castle. 
