A practical adaptation of a method devised by Miss Glynne for testing indoors the immunity or susceptibility of potato varieties to wart disease is described. The method consists of infecting by summer sporangia the young sprouts of the tubers under test. Extensive test has given such satisfactory results that there is little doubt that the method is infallible.

The writer wishes to render his grateful thanks to Mrs N. McDermott, who has been actively associated with him throughout the work described and who is largely responsible for the technique employed; to Miss M. D. Glynne, of the Rothamsted Experimental Station, for her many helpful suggestions; to Mr W. H. Parker, Director of the National Institute of Agricultural Botany, Cambridge, for his assistance and advice; t o Dr R. N. Salaman for supplying material for test, and to Dr G. H. Pethybridge for his kindness in examining tubers sent to him.

It is generally recognised that the study of arid soils frequently necessitates sampling to a depth of 6 feet or more. The most satisfactory way of doing this is to dig a pit and take samples from a vertical face. This method is obviously unsuitable for the examination of small plots and some kind of boring tool must be used instead. In the tenacious clay soil of this area hand augers have been tried without success, but the mechanical difficulties involved have been largely overcome by use of the apparatus illustrated, which (a) secures a truly vertical bore, (b) resolves the thrust into two components.

The distribution of salts in the soil is generally related to compactness of the soil profile as judged by the distribution of gypsum, of calcium carbonate aggregates and of soil colour. The relation already established between salt content and fertility is now expressed as a relation between compactness of profile and fertility. The data agree well with geological views as to the origin of this soil. Influences of which the soil profile is the product are also discussed.

I am much indebted to Mr G. W. Grabham for practical instruction in field work and for information as to the origin of Gezira soil. I wish also to thank Dr A. F. Joseph for his interest in this work and for facilities placed at my disposal.

An account is given of studies of moisture content in the field. The results are in agreement with Joseph's (1) view that the relation between salt content and fertility is chiefly due to the effect of sodium salts on soil texture. At the Gezira Research Farm a single watering moistens only the top 3 ft. of soil, although in the course of an irrigation season some small percolation continues below this depth. The water requirement of cotton in this region is extremely high and danger of water strain is correspondingly acute. The effect of 14 days' flooding is taken as a measure of permeability in the field and this test was applied with confirmatory results to two areas whose agricultural value had previously been gauged both by laboratory studies and by field observation of the soil profile. The genesis of the Gezira soil is briefly discussed with regard to the relation between salb content and fertility and with regard to the use of gypsum as a corrective. Marked improvements in permeability have been brought about by applications of this substance.

I am indebted to Dr A. F. Joseph, under whose direction this work was done, for his useful suggestions and for facilities placed at my disposal.

The object of the investigation which has been described in the present communication has been to secure information concerning the feeding value of sugar beet pulp as produced at the present time in this country. Data have been obtained respecting:

(1) The composition and digestibility of wet sugar beet pulp.

(2) The composition of dried sugar beet pulp and the digestibility of this feeding stuff when fed to ruminants (a) in the dry condition, and (b) after preliminary soaking in water.

(3) The composition of molasses-sugar beet pulp.

Data have been given showing the amounts of sugar beet by-products which are becoming available for use on the farm.

The commercial processes of drying wet sugar beet pulp, and the method of manufacture of molasses-sugar beet pulp, have been described.

It has been shown that crude fibre (20.3 per cent.) and N-free extractives (65.7 per cent.) constitute together more than four-fifths of the dry matter of sugar beet pulp, the latter being deficient in respect of protein, ash and oil. The carbohydrate of sugar beet pulp is invested with, special interest, being mainly in the form of pectose. A short account of the chemistry of the pectic substances has been given.