continued his research work and endeavoured to induce his farmer friends to carry out experiments on the lines he suggested. Some there were who did so, but the experimental work so done was not carried out under conditions which could attract public attention. Truth to tell also, the progress of the New Soil Science was greatly hindered by Mr. Hunter's rasping criticisms on the views held, and the experimental work done, by other scientists.

But everything comes to him who waits, and at last the time came when the doctrines of the New Soil Science could be tested under the most favourable conditions. The post of land agent on Lord Rosebery's Scottish estates became vacant and Mr. Drysdale, the gentleman who was appointed to that highly responsible post, was an old pupil of Mr. Hunter's. Mr. Drysdale was wholly unfettered by any feeling of blind loyalty to orthodox doctrines in agricultural science, and, after carefully examining for himself the later developments in the New Soil Science, he came to the conclusion that it was desirable to have these new ideas put to the test in actual farm practice. He accordingly commenced experimenting on a small scale in various fields, and with such satisfactory results that, with the cordial approval of Lord Rosebery, it was decided to extend the work. In the spring of 1895, therefore, a thoroughly well equipped experimental station was established on his Lordship's farm at Dalmeny Park, with Mr. Hunter as scientific adviser, the practical work being under the personal supervision of Mr. Drysdale himself. Part of the station was devoted to testing the relative productiveness of different varieties of grain, potatoes, &c., another part was devoted to bacteriological research work, and the remainder of the station was worked as a miniature farm on the four-course rotation, each section being sub-divided into sixteen plots, which were all differently manured on a regular system. A good-sized volume would be required to detail the results, which have been most consistent throughout, obtained at this station in the last four years, during which time the station has been annually visited by hundreds of deeply interested agriculturists. A few of the more notable results may, however, be briefly summarised. In the first season the beneficial results of a small dressing of ground lime were so marked that the system of applying to every field on the farm an annual dressing of 4 cwts. of lime was commenced, and has been continued ever since. In order that the small dressing should be equally distributed over the soil, Mr. Hunter procured ground lime, i.e. ordinary burned lime shells mechanically ground to a fine state of division. At first this ground lime was applied in the compost form, but the second year's experience showed that it was equally effective and less costly when applied direct in the hot state when the land was being worked, the small quantity of hot lime applied being insufficient to injure the nitrifying and other soil organisms,

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besides being rapidly converted into the carbonate form when worked into the soil. It was also found that when the lime required by the nitrifying and other soil organisms was thus supplied, the plots which had received their nitrogen in the form of sulphate of ammonia showed much better crops, alike as to quantity and quality, than were obtained from the plots which got their nitrogen in the form of nitrate of soda. Mineral superphosphate, supplemented in the case of the potato and root crops with fermented bones, proved the most satisfactory form of phosphate. The Dalmeny experiments also emphasised the importance of potash for every crop, particularly the leguminous, potato, and root crops. With a moderate dressing of farmyard manure, supplemented with 4 cwts. ground lime applied at the time of working the land, and followed by 4 cwts. superphosphate, 1 cwt. fermented bones, 2 cwts. of kainit, and 1 cwt. sulphate of ammonia, the Dalmeny Home farm produces crops which are the admiration of all who see them. Another most important branch of investigation was in regard to the destructive pest of finger-and-toe in turnips-a pest which had previously baffled the skill of experimenters. The Dalmeny experimenters knew that a heavy dressing of caustic lime would kill the germ of finger-and-toe, but it would also kill the nitrifying and other advantageous soil organisms, while, on the other hand, a small dressing of 4 cwts. per acre would be insufficient to kill the disease germ. They therefore steered a middle course so as to avoid the Scylla on the one hand and the Charybdis on the other, by applying 1 ton of ground lime per acre when the land was being ploughed in the autumn, and another ton per acre when the land was being worked in the spring. In this case they rigidly avoided the use of dissolved phosphates and used undissolved phosphates supplemented with 8 cwts. kainit and 1 cwt. sulphate of ammonia. This treatment proved a complete success, and the root crops grown by this system on infested soil were found to be sound and good, while those grown on the same soil under different treatment were so rotten as hardly to be worth removing. It was noted, however, that though this treatment was successful in eradicating the disease, the crop was decidedly smaller than that grown on uninfested land to which only a tenth of the same amount of lime had been applied.

A word in conclusion may be added as to the far-reaching effect of the Dalmeny experiments. When these experiments were commenced, ground lime for agricultural purposes had never been heard of, whereas now there are at least six lime works where extensive grinding plant' is kept hard at work to supply the ever-increasing demand for that substance. Since the principles of the New Soil Science have been put in successful practice at Dalmeny, the scientific authorities, who at first had branded these principles as absurd heresies,

have changed their tune, and in the recently published volume of the Highland Society's Transactions, the chemical adviser of that Society has unreservedly declared his acceptance of these new doctrines. Great credit is due to Lord Rosebery for not only providing the means of carrying on this important research work, but also for throwing his home farm and experimental grounds open for the inspection and information of agriculturists.

D. YOUNG.

CRICKET IN 1899

THE VALUATION OF DRAWN MATCHES

THE cricket of 1899 was of unusual interest, and its devotees, an ever-growing multitude, watched its progress, either as actual spectators or through the newspaper reports, with an eagerness which often amounted to anxiety, surprising when it is remembered how entirely free the game is from the stimulus of gambling. The best Australian team that ever visited us, playing with astonishing endurance six days a week for four consecutive months on all the famous pitches of the country, and five test matches between them and the highest talent that England could produce, were attractions which, added to the lengthy programmes of fifteen first-class counties contending for the Championship, kept up a continuous current of mild sensation throughout the season. Glorious sunshine through the principal cricketing months, popular favourites in good form, and records broken every week,-what could the enthusiastic crowds or their faithful providers, the halfpenny evening papers, which fed the excitement on which they live, desire better? 'One o'clock scores,' 'Surrey going great guns,' 'Startling cricket,' 'Abel in fine form,' and similar placard announcements, were more popular lines than the duel between Kruger and Chamberlain, and even ran the Dreyfus trial close in popular favour. The trouble the Australians gave us was just the suspicion of bitterness which redeemed the sparkling draught from insipidity. But the one drawback to general enjoyment of the season's performances was the remarkably large proportion of unfinished games. Four out of the five test matches were drawn, twelve out of the thirty other matches played by the Australian team, and sixty-one out of the 150 events which constituted the tournament for the County Championship. These included many of the best and some of the most critical contests. At times, and especially when the fifth of the test matches had to be left drawn, and England had to be content to accept a verdict of inferiority based on the only one of the series which was finished, suggestions for preventing such unsatisfactory results were offered in all the papers. The familiar proposals of widening the wickets, narrowing the bats, extending the time for important matches,

deciding games by the first innings, playing matches of one innings for each side only, playing matches by relays of batsmen from each side alternately, diminishing the distance between the wickets for the benefit of the bowlers, and other ideas were ventilated. The Australians we were assured would not come again unless provision were made for playing at least the test matches to a conclusion, however long they might occupy. Perhaps the dissatisfied commentators might be excused this year for having forgotten that England has had summer seasons when steady or intermittent rain would have interfered with a test match even if a week had been set apart for it. Curiously very little attention was given, if any, to one or two timidly submitted suggestions that the drawn games should be estimated. And yet this could be done, as I hope to show, in nine out of ten games so exactly as to exhibit the result with a fairness only a little less satisfactory than that of a finished match.

The method of calculation which I should adopt would be that of comparing the actual performance of each side in every match, drawn or finished. I should ascertain the two wicket averages in every game, deduct the lower average from the higher one, and credit and debit the two sides respectively. I would only exclude from this valuation the very few matches, not more than three or four in all the Championship tournament this year, in which at least one innings on each side had not been completed, admitting, however, the few instances when one side had voluntarily declared its first innings closed. This system of valuation may be first illustrated by applying it to the Australian test matches. The record, as has been stated, shows one victory to the credit of the Australians, and four drawn games. Estimated by the method just explained, the valuation comes out as below:

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1. (Nottingham.) England 348 for 17 wickets = 20-47 average; Australia 482 for 18 wickets = 26 77 average. Match value, 6:30 to Australia's credit and England's debit.

2. (Lords.) England 446 for 20 wickets = 22.30 average; Australia 449 for 10 wickets = 44.90 average. Match value, 22·60 to Australia's credit.

3. (Leeds.) England 239 for 9 wickets = 26·55 average; Australia 396 for 20 wickets = 19.80 average. Match value, 6·75, this time in England's favour.

4. (Manchester.) England 466 for 13 wickets = 35.84; Australia 542 for 17 wickets = 31.88. Match value, 3·96, again to England's credit.

5. (Oval.) England 576 for 10 wickets = 57.60; Australia 606 for 15 wickets =40-40. Match value, 17.20 to England's credit.

It thus appears that in this series of test matches Australia claims total match values 28-90, while England's three credits reach a sum of 27.91, leaving a balance of only 99 in Australia's favour, and showing a remarkable evenness of talent.

It is not necessary to give in detail the separate values of the other matches played by the Australians during their stay in this