FIELD CROPS. 533 



about 50 crops grown in tliis country and many crops in foreign lauds, and tlie 

 data are designed for the use of this Department and the agricultural experi- 

 ment stations, and to meet the demands of correspondents. The basis of the 

 undertaking is the information obtained as the result of a world-wide inquiry 

 addressed to thousands of practical and intelligent farmers, to agricultural 

 teachers, and to the experiment stations. The collection and preparation of 

 this information combine to make this a large undertaking and provide ma- 

 terials for future work by phenologists and expert agi'iculturists." 



The treatise is divided into 2 parts. Part 1 deals with corn, wheat, oats, 

 barley, rye, buckwheat, flax, cotton, and tobacco. The dates and length of the 

 ])lanting and harvesting season of each are presented by tables and are dis- 

 cussed. Part 2 deals with the northward and southward movements of the 

 planting and harvesting of the various crops and presents planthig curves. 

 The length of the growing season and the relation of the statistical data 

 presented to farm practice are discussed. 



Preparation of new land for crops, A. Keysep. (Colorado Shi. C'lrc. ]0, 

 pp. 11). — Brief suggestions are given as to the preparation of sagebrush, small 

 timber, and other lands for crops. 



[Moisture content of fallowed land at Poltava], S. Tretyakov {Khuto- 

 rianin, 1910, No. 16; abs. in Zhur. Opytn. Agron. (Russ. Jour. Expt. Landw).. 

 11 (1910), No. 5, pp. 7.'i3, 7//-)).— At the Poltava experiment field corn-fallowed 

 land showed a moisture content July 7 of 14.24 per cent in the surface 25 cm. of 

 soil and 16.6 per cent in the surface 100 cm. as compared with 9.57 and 16.22 

 per cent, resi^ectively, on black fallow. After a winter of light snowfall it was 

 found that the cornstalks left on the land had been conducive to the accumula- 

 tion and retention of soil moisture. Such laud showed a moisture content of 

 6.35 per cent in the surface 100 cm. as compared with 5.83 per cent in case of 

 black fallowed land. Data presented show that there was a deficiency of winter 

 wheat on corn fallow, but that it was more than offset by the better yield of 

 the summer crop and by the corn crop. 



Experiments in the improvement of old pasture, 1908—1910, W. Bruce 

 (Eflin. and East of Scot. Col. Agr. Rpt. 23, 1911, pp. 8).— This reports thd 

 results of the application of fertilizers to old pastures as indicated by the 

 number of pounds of muttou produced. A 4-acre fertilized plat produced in 3 

 years 655 lbs. live weight more mutton valued at £3 13s. M. than was produced 

 on an unfertilized plat. 



Report on experiments on the improvement of poor permanent pasture, 

 J. Hendkick (West of Scot. Agr. Col. Ann. Rpt. 10 (1911), pp. 1-J,0).— The 

 results obtained have been noted from another source (E. S. R., 25, p. 372). 



Report on experiments on the improvement of poor permanent pasture 

 by manuring, Pi. P. Wright (West of Scot. Agr. Col. Ann. Rpt. 10 (1911), 

 pp. 171-1S3). — The pasture on which this experiment was conducted was 

 covered with moss and its soil was a uniform pure peat to a depth of about 10 

 ft. and thoroughly drained. The grasses consisted mostly of common bent 

 grass (Agrostis vulgaris) and Yorkshire fog (Holciis lanatus). The results of 

 applications of basic slag and kainit are reported and compared in terms of the 

 effects produced upon sheep gi'azed on the fertilized and unfertilized plats 

 during the period 1904-1910. 



Basic slag alone, 10 cwt. per acre, produced a considerable and profitable 

 effect, but the addition of 8 cwt. of kainit greatly increased the profits and 

 produced a more permanent improvement in the pasture. Tables state the 

 weights of the sheep pastured on these plats during each of the grazing seasons 

 of the experiment. 



