The development of the mathematical department of the Educational Times from 1847 to 1862.

Mathematics held an important place in the first twelve of years of the Educational Times (1847-1923), and in November 1848 a department of mathematical questions and solutions was launched. In 1864 this department was reprinted in a daughter journal: Mathematical Questions with Their solutions from The Educational Times (MQ). This thesis concentrates on the development of this department from its inception until 1862, when William John Clarke Miller became its editor; and is considered in terms of the editors, contributors and mathematics. To facilitate this research, a source-oriented database using K L E I O (kleio) software was constructed. It contains data taken from the questions and solutions and also miscellaneous items from the journal. Database analysis was used in conjunction with traditional, archival sources; for example, the respective, previously unknown correspondence of two of the main contributors, Thomas Turner Wilkinson and Miller. The development of the department fell into two main periods: the early 1850s when it was edited by Richard Wilson then James Wharton and had an educational bias; and the late 1850s when it was dominated by Miller and Stephen Watson who contributed moderately complex problems of a reasonably high standard on conic sections, probability and number theory. In 1850 Miller started contributing with a group of pupils and masters, including Robert Harley, from the Dissenters' College, Taunton. Another group of contributors which emerged was one of northern geometers, with whom Wilkinson was connected. He collaborated with Thomas Stephens Davies on geometry and this influenced his contributions to the department. Miller edited the department from 1862 to 1897 and MQ from 1863 to 1897 and made MO an international journal of renown for its original research. It contained contributions from some of the most eminent national and international mathematicians, including Cayley, Sylvester, Hirst and Clifford. The start of this new phase is briefly introduced and reviewed

Multiple benefits of manure: the key to maintenance of soil fertility and restoration of depleted sandy soils on African smallholder farms

Manure is a key nutrient resource on smallholder farms in the tropics, especially on poorly buffered sandy soils, due to its multiple benefits for soil fertility. Farmers preferentially apply manure to fields closest to homesteads (homefields), which are more fertile than fields further away (outfields). A three-year experiment was established on homefields and outfields on sandy and clayey soils to assess the effects of mineral nitrogen (N) fertilizer application in combination with manure or mineral phosphorus (P) on maize yields and soil chemical properties. Significant maize responses to application of N and manure were observed on all fields except the depleted sandy outfield. Large amounts of manure (17 t ha¿1 year¿1) were required to significantly increase soil organic carbon (SOC), pH, available P, and base saturation, and restore productivity of the depleted sandy outfield. Sole N as ammonium nitrate (100 kg N ha¿1) or in combination with single superphosphate led to acidification of the sandy soils, with a decrease of up to 0.8 pH units after three seasons. In a greenhouse experiment, N and calcium (Ca) were identified as deficient in the sandy homefield, while N, P, Ca, and zinc (Zn) were deficient or low on the sandy outfield. The deficiencies of Ca and Zn were alleviated by the addition of manure. This study highlights the essential role of manure in sustaining and replenishing soil fertility on smallholder farms through its multiple effects, although it should be used in combination with N mineral fertilizers due to its low capacity to supply N

Effect of farmer management strategies on spatial variability of soil fertility and crop nutrient uptake in contrasting agro-ecological zones in Zimbabwe

Variability of soil fertility within, and across farms, poses a major challenge for increasing crop productivity in smallholder systems of sub-Saharan Africa. This study assessed the effect of farmers’ resource endowment and nutrient management strategies on variability in soil fertility and plant nutrient uptake between different fields in Gokwe South (ave. rainfall ~650 mm year-1; 16.3 persons km-2) and Murewa (ave. rainfall ~850 mm year-1; 44.1 persons km-2) districts, Zimbabwe. In Murewa, resource-endowed farmers applied manure (>3.5 t ha-1 year-1) on fields closest to their homesteads (homefields) and none to fields further away (outfields). In Gokwe the manure was not targeted to any particular field, and farmers quickly abandoned outfields and opened up new fields further way from the homestead once fertility had declined, but homefields were continually cultivated. Soil available P was higher in homefields (8–13 mg kg-1) of resource-endowed farmers than on outfields and all fields on resource constrained farms (2–6 mg kg-1) in Murewa. Soil fertility decreased with increasing distance from the homestead in Murewa while the reverse trend occurred in Gokwe South, indicating the impact of different soil fertility management strategies on spatial soil fertility gradients. In both districts, maize showed deficiency of N and P, implying that these were the most limiting nutrients. It was concluded that besides farmers’ access to resources, the direction of soil fertility gradients also depends on agro-ecological conditions which influence resource management strategie

Relationship between Social Capital and Livelihood Enhancing Capitals among Smallholder Farmers in Uganda

Social capital is an important characteristic of a community and is one of the components of the asset pentagon of the sustainable livelihood framework. The study aimed at assessing the levels and dimensions of social capital and how social capital influences other livelihood capitals. A Cross-sectional survey of a random sample of 208 households was conducted in Masindi and Hoima Districts in Uganda to assess the current livelihood conditions and strategies for improving rural livelihoods. An Index of social capital was generated using density of group membership and three levels of social capital where generated i.e. high, medium and low. Two dimensions of social capital (bonding and bridging) were considered. Results showed that households with high and medium social capital had enhanced skills to solve problems, do research and bargain with middle men. Social capital empowered more women to participate in decision making, fostered asset base creation and use of natural resource management technologies. There was a significant difference between level of social capital and participation in collective farming. Households with high social capital rated highly the community level of trust, reciprocity, and women’s confidence. However, there was no significant effect of social capital on household income. In conclusion, there was a positive relationship between level and dimension of social capital and access to livelihood assets implying that strengthening social capital is a powerful way to improve communities and requires consistent and effective approaches to build and reinforce the social and human capital.Relationship, Social Capital, Livelihood Capitals, Smallholder Farmers, Agricultural Finance, Consumer/Household Economics, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Health Economics and Policy, Labor and Human Capital, Marketing, Production Economics, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

The adoption potential of biomass transfer and improved fallow practices in Eastern Uganda : Determining profitable and feasible options from a farmer perspective

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