2 AGRONOMY [BoT. Absts., Vol. IX, 



8. Anonymous. The R. A. S. field wheat competition. Agric. Gaz. New South Wales 

 32: 185-190. 1921. — Of 54 original competitors 24 voluntarily withdrew. Fields were scored 

 according to trueness to type and purity, freedom from disease, evenness, cleanliness, condi- 

 tion and appearance, and apparent yield. A field of Hard Federation sown May 6 on summer 

 fallow at 45 pounds per acre with no fertilizer won first place. — L. R. Waldron. 



9. Arnold, J. H. Farm practices in growing wheat. U. S. Dept. Agric. Yearbook 1919: 

 123-150. PI. 5, 20 maps. 1920. — A geographical presentation of farm practices in wheat 

 growing in the U. S. A. The practices used in preparation of seed bed, sowing, harvesting 

 and threshing, have a rather definite adjustment to areal factors of climate, soil, and topo- 

 graphic features. Local variation in factors causes an adaptation of methods. Practices 

 suitable for any given areal conditions cannot be transplanted unmodified to another area but 

 helpful suggestions may be secured. — C. J. Shirk. 



10. Beckman. Neuere Erfahrungen iiber Strohaufschliessung und Lupinenentbitterung» 

 [New experiments in treating straw and in removing the bitter principle from lupines.] Mitteil. 

 Deutsch. Landw. Ges. 36: 145-146. 1921. — After a brief summary of the older attempts to treat 

 straw to make of it a more digestible feed, the author describes his own method. The straw 

 is treated with soda combined with hydrated lime. The process is carried on in a patented 

 apparatus without artificial heat. This apparatus is described and an estimate of expenses 

 given by an engineer, Baetke of Charlottenburg. Out of 100 kg. straw, SO kg. "Beckman 

 straw" are obtained, with a starch value of 56 kg. The details of the quantities of soda and 

 lime are not given but Baetke claims that at a total expense of 70 M. for raw material and labor 

 a feed worth 275 M. may be secured. To the costs should be added the royalty for the use of 

 the patent, which is fixed at 70 M. per head of cattle payable once (einmalige Abgabe). — -.4. J. 

 Pieters. 



11. Bippart, E. Erfahrungen in Ackerbau zur Uberwindung der Kriegschaden fiir Gross- 

 und Kleinbetrieb. [Experiences in agriculture for overcoming war damages by large and small 

 estates.] Landw. Hefte 44/45. 74 V-j 4 fiQ- 1920. — A series of agricultural essaj^s by an 

 experienced farmer. The subjects discussed are as follows: 1. Agricultural production. 

 Nutrition of plants and their ingredients. 2. The difficulties of managing sandy lands and 

 how to overcome them. 3. The difficulties of cattle raising on sandy land. 4. The manage- 

 ment of moor lands and the Rimpau-Cunrau system. 5. Practical agriculture on stiff soils. 

 6. What results have the scientific investigators secured as regards fallowing? 7. How can 

 the nitrogen requirement of winter grain on stiff land be met without manuring? 8. Soil 

 bacteria. 9. Management of stiff soils without livestock. 10. The art of agriculture. 11. 

 Practical rotations with fallow, clover, and hoed crops. 12. How can tillage be conducted 

 to bring about a restoration of a brisk and strong soil fermentation. 13. Conclusion. — C. V. 

 Piper. 



12. Bovell, J. R. Report on the Department of Agriculture, Barbados. Rept. Dept. Agric. 

 Barbados 1917-1918: 51 p. 1920.^ — From a summary of the results of experiments with sugar- 

 canes during the period 1910-18 it appears that B. H. 10 (12), Ba. 6032, and Ba. 7924 have 

 maintained a high standard of yield and that the newer seedlings, such as B. S. F. 12 (45), 

 B. S. F. 12 (34), B. S. F. 12 (27), and B. S. F. 12 (24), are deserving of extended trials under 

 plantation conditions. The results of manurial experiments with sugar-cane were rendered 

 of little value by the attacks of Diaprepes abbreviatus L. and Phytalus smithi Arrow. — Two 

 series of experiments with cotton are reported: (1) An effort to improve Sea Island and certain 

 indigenous and other varieties of cotton by the selection of the best formed plants giving 

 heavy yields of good-quality lint; (2) by similar means to improve a number of hybrid cottons 

 obtained from crossing improved varieties with indigenous cottons. — The Barbados cassava 

 {Manihot utilissima) seedling No. 101 gave a mean return per acre of 11,026 lbs. over a 5-year 

 period. Results of experiments with Xanthosomas and Colocasias prove that better returns 

 are obtained when the former are planted from corms and the latter from cormels. Variety 

 experiments with a number of legumes, yams, and three fodder plants are also reported. 

 Figures are given for the sugar and cotton crops. — J. S. Dash. 



