, 1893-09-02

Rothamsted is BY much the oldest of exist
ing agricultural stations The earliest
German experimental station was founded
IN 1862, the earliest III tile United States III
1915. The first. agricultural experiments of
Mr.. Lawes seems to have been made III 1897
in this and the two foIlowing years he tIied
numerous experiments on farm crops
grown IN pots. His trials III the field com
mrnced in Is40. In lS43he wes fortu nate IN
securing the services IT DIR. }. II. Giirert, q
former pupil Of Llebig's, who hencef'rth took
the superintendent d the chemical part Of
the Investigations. DR. @llbelt has devoted
his life to the conduct Of the ltotharlytDd ex-
permeuts, aud The valuable results which have
been obtained are largely duo to his u~utiring
energy. and to the method and order winch
his character has impressed upon tue work
The Jubilee II bt celebrated this week ia
reckoned from the year when DR.. Gilbert be
gan to takt . share in the work the same
yelr also sa5 the irst Of the experimental
wheat crops sown in BroadOatK Field, Which.
at the present time. bears lis tfiieth success
s;ve crop, having grown wheat without inter
mission during half a century. Numerous
honours have been conferred on Messrs
Lawes and Gilbert in the course of their long
career. Our Universities have bestowed OH
them degrees. The Royal Society III 1867
awarded them royal medal. The Society of
Arts has during the current year decided to
present them with its Albert Medal. Foreign
societies and academies have elected them
members Of their body. III 1882 Mr.. Lawea
received a baroKetcy from the Queen
The jubilee commemoration Of the present
week took It's rise At a meeting held in the
rooms of the Royal Agricultural Society on
March /, the Prince Of Wales occupying the
chair. A committee Of distinguished men.
with the Duke Of Westminster as chairman.
and Mr.. Earnest Clarke, Secretary to the
Royal Agricultural Society, as secreta-
~, was appointed to carry ont the scheme.
The celebration on Saturday will consist, as
the readers OF Nature are already aware. III
the dnveillug Of a granite memorial erected in
front Of The laboratory; in the presentation
of congratulatory addresses to Sir J.R. Lawes
and FIR. Gilbert, and il the presentation to
Sir =. 3. Lawes of his portrait, by Hubert
Herkomer. RIA. 1t is hoped that the Right
Hon. Herbert Gardner, Mp, the Minister of
Agriculture, viii preside.
The laboratory, III front Of which the cele-
bralicn ~ t. take place, is itself a testimony
to the appreciation with which the labours 81
Lawes aud Gilbert have been regarded 1t Is
not the laboratory originally employed in the
early years Of the experiments this was
barn which had beer fitted up for chemical
work, and has long ago been pulled dowa
The present laboratory was built and present
ed to Sir j. B. Lawes in 1850 by q number Of
agriculturists, al a time when agriculture
was q more profitable pursuit tlan it is at
present. Since th9n the needs Of the work
have grown, and a large storeholse for soil
and crop samples has been erected by the
side Of tic new laboratory.
OF greater interest to most visitors than the
laboratory is the old manor Of Rothamsted.
This charming red brick bull ling dates from
G70, though, like most old buildings, It has
since undergone alteration and enlargement.
This manor house has been the home of Sir
J. b.. Lawes' ancestors since 1923. The his
tory Of The family is remarkable. 1t was in
1864 that jacques Wittewronge came to Eng
land from Flanders in consequence of the
religious persecution then prevailing. Tho
family first resided in Buckinghamshire
they afterwards purchased the manor of
R~othamsted. SirJ. B. Lawes is q descendant
Of this family through the female line.
In the manor house Of Rothamsted Sir J.
b. Lawes was born in 1914. His whole life
has been one of great activity probably few
men have accomplished more work. Though
for many years a handwriting man Of
business, he has always loved a retired coun-
try life, and has been rarely seen at public
meetings. A keen observer and all untiring
experimenter, he has giveu his whole mind
H.