No. 4, February, 1922] AGRONOMY 227 



origin of the commission and reports on fertilizer tests. Stable manure was injurious, potash 

 and phosphoric acid increased both quantity and quality of output, and nitrogenous fertilizers 

 were helpful if used sparingly and with extreme care. Microscopical studies of the length, 

 diameter, and tensile strength of fibers were also made. — A. J. Pieters. 



1490. Melle, H. a. Spineless cactus as a fodder for stock. Jour. Dept. Agric. Union 

 of South Africa 3: 68-79. 5 fig. 1921. — Spineless cactus is easily and cheaply grown and is 

 an excellent means of preventing soil erosion. It is a natural silage and may be harvested 

 at any season of the year. Although not a balanced ration it can be fed in large quantities 

 with other foods, especially during the winter months. — E. M. Doidge. 



1491. Navarro, Bkrnab:6 G. La industria de los textiles vegetales en las territories 

 nacionales del norte del pais. [The textile industry in the northern territories of Argentina.] 

 Bol. Ministerio Agric. Naci6n [Argentina] 25 : 499-522. 1921. — The author discusses the textile 

 needs of the country and the prospects of obtaining home-grown supplies. Details of the 

 long staple cotton growing industry in the U. S. A. and of the sisal industry of Yucatan are 

 given, and certain indigenous fiber-yielding plants are described. — John A. Stevenson. 



1493. Noll, C. F., and R. D. Lewis. Soy beans. Pennsylvania |Agric. Exp. Sta. Bull. 

 167. 20 p., 1 fig. 1921. — Soy bean varieties leading in yield of seed in these tests were Ebony, 

 Elton, Manchuria, Merko, Mongol, and Ohio 10,015. Those leading in yield of hay are Ohio 

 7,490, Ohio 10,015, Elton, Ohio 9,035, Ohio 9,010, and Merko. In an 8-year comparison of soy 

 beans and oats, each in a 4 year rotation, soy beans produced much more protein per acre. 

 When cut for hay soy beans also produced slightly more net energy. Wheat gave somewhat 

 lower yields after soy beans than after oats, because of late seeding after soy beans. Soy 

 beans when grown with corn for silage failed to show an increase in total yield over corn grown 

 alone. If soy beans comprise 10 per cent or more of the crop when grown with corn, an ap- 

 preciable increase in per cent of protein is noted in the silage. — C. R. Orton. 



1493. Parish, E. Chicory as a farm crop. Jour. Dept. Agric. Union of South Africa 3: 

 12-130. 1921. — This is a general account of cultural methods for chicory and is supplemented 

 by notes by K. Meldal Johnsen, on the cultivation of the crop in the Alexandria District 

 of the Cape Province. — E. M. Doidge. 



1494. Pratt, H. E. Report of work at the Kodiak live stock and breeding station. Rept. 

 Alaska Agric. Exp. Sta. 1918: 84-90. PI. 10. 1920. — Oats and field peas were grown for hay. 

 Ten acres of Banner oats were grown; also 3 varieties of barley. Red clover and alfalfa were 

 winter killed. A variety of vetch made poor growth compared with field peas. Attempts to 

 introduce tussock-grass {Poa jlahellata) from the Falkland Islands were not successful. 

 Twelve varieties of potatoes were tested. Silage is made chiefly from beach rye {EUjvnis 

 mollis) and beach sedge {Carex cryptocarpa) . Sunflowers grown for silage were not profitable. 

 Native bluetop {Calamagroslis langsdorfii) is the principal grass used for hay. — /. P. Anderson^ 



1495. PuiG, Juan. El cultivo del Phalaris bulbosa en el Uruguay. [Cultivation of Phalaris 

 bulbosa in Urugu.ay.] Inspecci6n Nacion. Ganaderia y Agric. [Uruguay] Bol. 40. S2 p., 6 fig. 

 1921. — Either seed or cuttings may be used to establish Phalaris bulbosa, which has proved 

 an excellent forage crop. It is very resistant to cold, grows on practically all soils, and yields 

 as a rule 4 cuttings each season. The author outlines cultural directions, and tabulates 

 yields obtained in experimental work. — John A. Stevenson. 



1496. PuiG, Juan. El sorgo azucarado. [Sweet sorghum.] Inspecci6n Nacion. Gana- 

 deria y Agric. [Uruguay] Bol. 39. 42 p., 19 fig. 1920. — Sorghum has proved very satisfactory 

 as a forage crop under the dry conditions prevailing in many parts of Uruguay. Cultural 

 directions are given, including methods of harvesting, and preparation of silage. Variety 

 tests were conducted with milo, amber sorghum, pink Kaffir, Sudan grass, and other sorghum 

 ■varieties, the variety commonly grown being Early Minnesota; j'ields obtained are tabulated. 

 A method of making chemical tests for presence of hydrocyanic acid in the forage from the 



