e 11th of May 1887. It
may be added that the Royal Society of London awarded him the Copley
medal in 1887.

[14] See British Association Proceedings, 1880, p. 511.

[15] It may be pointed out that, while the amount of ammonia washed down
by the rain is small, Schloesing has found in some recent experiments
that a damp soil may absorb from the air in the course of a year 38 lb.
of combined nitrogen, chiefly ammonia, per acre. See p. 132.

[16] The example, set by Germany, has been followed by other countries
in which well-equipped research stations now exist. Perhaps the most
striking example of the rapid development of the means of agricultural
research is furnished by the United States of America. At present over
fifty agricultural experiment stations, more or less well equipped,
exist at present in that country, all liberally supplied by State aid.
The earliest to be founded, it may be added, was that at Middletown,
Connecticut, the date of its institution being 1875.

[17] It may thus claim to be the second oldest experimental station,
that instituted by Boussingault at Bechelbronn in Alsace being the
oldest.

[18] For an account of the Rothamsted experiments, and a short biography
of Sir John Lawes, the reader is referred to a pamphlet by the present
writer, entitled 'Sir J. B. Lawes, Bart., LL.D., F.R.S., and the
Rothamsted Experiments' ('Scottish Farmer' Office, 93 Hope Street,
Glasgow).

[19] Of these numerous elaborate experiments, perhaps those which have
attracted the most widespread interest amongst agriculturists have been
those carried out on the growth of wheat on the same land year after
year for a period of nearly fifty years. The important light which this
series of experiments has thrown upon the theory of the rotation of
crops, and the subject of the manuring of cereals, is very great.

[20] Associated in some cases with phosphorus and sulphur.

[21] It must be pointed out that plant-respiration does not take place
_only_ during the night-time. It probably goes on at all times, but it
is only during the night-time that its action is apparent, as the
reverse process of carbon assimilation, which goes on at an incomparably
greater rate, masks its action during the daytime.

[22] The length of the day has an important influence on plant-growth,
as is evidenced by the rapid growth of vegetation in Norway and Sweden.
In these countries there is a late spring, and a short and by no means
hot summ