438 EXPEKIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The improvement of local rice (Jour. Bd. Agr. Brit. Guiana, 5 (1911), No. 2, 

 p_ g7). — This is a report of 7 years' tests of a number of local and imported 

 kinds of rice. 



Wild rice in tropical Africa, A. Chevalier {Bill. Mus. Nat. Hist. Nat. 

 \ Paris], 1910, No. 7, pp. -'tO-'i-JiOS). — A botanical study of Oryza barthii, with 

 references to the literature of the subject. 



The soya bean of Manchuria, N. Shaw {Shanghai: Insp. Oen. Customs, 

 1911, pp. 32, pis. 8, fig. 1). — This is a manual of information on the varieties, 

 production, uses, and products of the soy bean. The author deals with its 

 uses both in the far East and in the western world. 



The soy bean in India, D. Hooper (Agr. Ledger, 1911, No. 3 (Veg. Prod. Ser.. 

 No. ll'i), pp. 17-33). — These pages very briefly review soy-bean experiments, 

 races and varieties, and cultural methods in India. 



Experiments on the influence of common salt and green manuring on the 

 yield and composition of the sugar beet, together with their residual effect, 

 J. C. De liuiJTER DE WiLDT, D. MoL, and A. D. Bekkiiout ( Verslag. Landbouwk. 

 Onderzoek. RijkslandbouiDproefstat. [Netherlands], 1911, No. 10, pp. 94-122). — 

 In these experiments common salt was applied at the rates of 150, 225, 300, 

 375, and 450 kg. per hectare in connection with the culture of sugar beets. 

 The highest yield was secured where an application of 300 kg. per hectare 

 (267 lbs. per acre) was made. The sugar content of the beets on this plat 

 was not perceptibly affected and, therefore, the total yield in sugar was also 

 heaviest with this application. 



In the green manuring experiment, vetch, serradella, and yellow lupines 

 were used. Half of each field was plowed under in the fall and the other 

 half in the spring. In addition to this treatment a general application of 

 commercial fertilizers was given the entire tract. The sugar beets grown on 

 these plats were the more vigorous where vetch had been turned under, and 

 these plats also furnished the highest yield of beets. The fields on serradella 

 and lupine plats were about the same but smaller than on the vetch plat. With 

 vetch plowing under in the spring, and with the other two crops turning under 

 in the fall, seemed to have the most favorable efliect. The sugar content in 

 all three cases was highest on the spring plowing, the difference being greatest 

 on the yellow lupine plat where it amounted to about 1 per cent. The results 

 as a whole showed the highest sugar content on the serradella plat, the next 

 highest on the yellow lupine plat, and the lowest on the vetch plat. When the 

 yield and sugar content were both taken into consideration there was practi- 

 cally no difference in the total sugar production on the spring and the fall 

 plowing. 



The following year these plats were sown with Chevalier barley. The vetch 

 plat again gave the largest yield. In this experiment turning under the green 

 crop in the spring did not give as favorable results as where the crop was 

 turned under in the fall. 



In a third test, sugar beets were grown on land which had been flooded with 

 sea water, and contained, as shown by analyses, 35,000 kg. of common salt per 

 hectare to a depth of 60 cm. The composition of these beets showed that the 

 salt content of the soil had reduced the sugar content, changed the relation of 

 potassium and sodium by greatly increasing the sodium content, and increased 

 the chlorin and ash content. Although an increase of albuminoid nitrogen had 

 taken place, the increase in the nonalbumioid nitrogen was so much greater 

 that the relation between the two had been disturbed. 



The sexual reproduction of sugar cane, G. Wilbbink and F. Ledeboeb 

 {Meded. Proefstnt. Java-Suikervndus., 1911, No. 6, pp. 61-88, pis. 5).— This 

 article describes the process of blossoming and fruit setting in the sugar-cane 



