In an experiment involving sixty Large White pigs fed maize or barley based diets either ad libitum (AL) or to one of two restricted scales (R1 and R2), between 55 and 86 kg live weight, there were no significant cereal × feeding interactions for growth rate and the mean growth rates for the main effects were 0·62, 0·63, 0·81, 0·73 and 0·35 kg/day for the maize, barley, AL, R1 and R2 treatments respectively. There were no significant cereal × feeding treatment interactions for iodine number or calorific value of carcass backfat and the only significant differences between the main effects were those of lower iodine numbers for the barley (cf. maize) and the AT. (cf. R1) treatments.

Plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations are generally a reflexion of the extent of mobilization of depot fats (Frederickson & Gordon, 1958). In non-fasted sheep values are low, usually in the region of 100–200 μ-equiv./litre plasma, but occasionally values up to 500 μ-equiv./litre have been noted in fed, unstressed sheep (Leat & Ford, 1966). To obtain information on the variation in the concentration of plasma glucose and FFA, sheep were studied over a period of two seasons.

Two experiments were made in each of the seasons 1971/72 and 1972/73 to determine the effect of seed treatment on groundnut emergence.

In one of the experiments, groundnut seed germinated at a faster rate when the seed was dressed with Aldrex T at 2·2 g/kg of seed.

In the other experiment, no difference in emergence was found between varieties whether planting was on the same day as shelling or 12 weeks after shelling.

To measure the accumulation of Pb in an area 42 km from London and within 2 km of the A5, A6 and M1 trunk roads, the Pb contents of topsoils collected from sites at Rothamsted Experimental Station since 1881 have been determined. From 1883 to 1972 the increases ranged from 17 to 46% but because of the variable Pb contents within fields, the absolute rate of accumulation is difficult to determine. The Pb content of herbage harvested twice yearly since 1920 has not increased noticeably.