FIELD CROPS. 135 



potash per acre, 8.4 tons were produced, and 8.5 tous on plats fertilized with 

 200 lbs. of Peruvian guano, 100 lbs. tankage, 200 lbs. acid phosphate, and 

 100 lbs. of muriate of potash per acre. 



Irrigation of alfalfa, S. Fortier ( IJ. 8. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. 373, pp. J/S, 

 figs. 32). — This discusses the adaptation of alfalfa to varying conditions, the 

 removal of the native vegetation from arid land, its preparation for irrigation, 

 the border, check, flooding, and furrow methods of irrigation, and the estab- 

 lishment and maintenance of ditches. Subirrigation, winter irrigation, and 

 the winterkilling of alfalfa are also discussed. Directions are given for seed- 

 ing, and the effects of ground water, silt, and disking discussed. The profits 

 of growing alfalfa in various districts are tabulated. 



Barley cultivation in Ireland. A. McMtjllen [1909, pp. 130). — This pamphlet 

 summarizes at length the results of experiments with barley together with 

 other observations made on the crop. General notes on barley cultivation are 

 given, manuring and soil analysis are discussed, the classification of barley 

 varieties is presented, and the results secured in barley experiments in Ireland 

 are reviewed. 



The barley experiments conducted in Irehuid for S years indicate that Archer 

 is the most profitable of the so-called narrow-eared barleys. The pure selected 

 strains of this variety, known as Danish Archer and single-ear Archer, gave the 

 best results. Goldthorpe was the most profitable of the wide-eared barleys, 

 and its most profitable strain was the pure/selected seed raised by cultivation 

 from a single ear. It is considered that on most farms it would pay better 

 to grow Archer than Goldthorpe. 



A pure selected seed raised by cultivation from a single ear resulted in i 

 greater evenness of growth and a smaller amount of infertility in the ear as 

 compared with ordinary commercial seed. It is stated that barley can not be 

 profitably grown on the same land for more than 3 or 4 years in succession. 



Twenty-three years' field trials with varieties of six-rowed barley, M. I^. 

 MoBTENSEN and K. Hansen (Tidsskr. Landhr. PUintravl, JG (1909), No. 2, 

 pp. 19-'f-2Ji2). — Experiments with 10 different varieties of barley begun in 1886, 

 and since then in i)rogress at 5 Danish exi)eriment stations, are repoi'ted. The 

 origin and general characteristics of the different varieties are described and 

 data relating to yields of grain and straw, bushel weight, maturity, and the 

 strength of the straw are included. 



Tystofte Korsbyg and Frederiksen Six-rowed gave the heaviest avei-age yields 

 of grain. Tystofte Korsbyg gave the highest yields of straw and ripened 

 latest, while the other variety gave the lowest yield of straw and ripened 

 earliest. 



Results of experiments with domestic and foreign barleys at the Jubilee 

 Exposition, 1908, O. Neumann (Wchnschr. Bran., 26 (1909), No. 39, pp. J/GS- 

 469) .—The principal points determined were that the influence of the nitrogen 

 content of the barley on the malt and extract production is practically the 

 same in barleys of different countries; that the weight of the grain ceases 

 to be a factor in determining the value when it is more than 42 gui. per 

 thousand grains; and that heavy barleys which germinate vigorously do not 

 require a longer time for their dissolution than relatively thinner and lighter 

 barleys. 



Report of the society for the encouragement of the culture of brewing bar- 

 ley in France, A. Kreiss, P. Petit, and Blaringhem (Societe d'Encouragciiivnt 

 de la Culture des Orgcs dc Brasserie en France. Paris, 1908, pp. 28, pis. 4). — 

 This report describes the situation of the brewing barley industry in France 

 and discusses the results of numerous experiments conducted with brewing 

 barley throughout the country. 



