446 EXPKHIMENT STATION RECORD. 



plantain. Malacbra and Sida. with spoeial reference to their present distribn- 

 tiou in the iirovinees of India and their extension to new areas. 



[Field and manurial experiments with potatoes and mangels, 1909 j, B. 

 SWANWUK and E. KiNcii (.lyr. Sludrnts' Gaz., n. tier., J.', (I'JO!)), No. 5, pii. JiJ.i- 

 767). — The exi)eriuients reported were conducted at the Iloyal Agricultural 

 (Ville?j:e farm, Cirencester, and a private farm at Coates. Those with potatoes 

 consisted of 2 parallel series, one with Scotch seed and the other witii Irish 

 seed. The Irish seed i)roduced the more salable potatoes, but showed the more 

 disease. The chief object was to comiiare the value of various connnercial forms 

 of phosphorus, nitrogen and potash, all the i)lats beins dressed with fai-myard 

 manure at the rate of S tons per acre. 



An increased yield of 1 ton 1,(>00 lbs. of salable potatoes apparently resulted 

 from fertilization at the rate of 200 lbs. calcium nitrate and 400 lbs. of super- 

 phosphate (2(; per cent soluble) per acre, while there was a corresi)ondini:: 

 increase of 2 tons 1,;]00 lbs. from an application of 400 lbs. of superphosphate 

 and 100 lbs. of potash per acre. An application of 400 lbs. of supeiplu)si)hate, 

 300 lbs. of potash, and l.'>0 lbs. of sulphate of ammonia yielded 44 tons more 

 salable potatoes than the check plats. The use of 1 cwt. of sulphate of potash 

 has apparently increased the yield by 17 cwt. of good potatoes. Sulphate of 

 ammonia gave better results as a nitrogenous dressing for potatoes than cal- 

 cium nitrate, although the latter with superphosphate, and with superphosphatje 

 and potash, gave reasonable profits. The general experience on this farm is in 

 favor of sulphate of anunonia as the best' nitrogenous manure for potatoes, 

 always with addition of superphosphate. 



The chief object of the experiments with mangels was to test the comparative 

 value of 4 different forms of nitrogen, and also that of kainit and common salt. 

 Superphosphate was applied at the rate of 300 lbs. per acre, kainit at the rate of 

 400 lbs., and nitrogenous fertilizers at the rates required to supply the amount 

 of nitrogen contained in 100 lbs. of sulphate of ammonia. The results indicated 

 that no increase in yield was obtained without the application of nitrogenous 

 manures, and that nitrogenous manures in all cases increased the yield of roots, 

 but that in some instances the increase was secured at a financial loss. Valuing 

 the roots at $2.40 per ton, profits wei'e secured from the i)l:!ts fertilized with 

 (1) superphosphate and nitrate of lime. (2) superphosphate, kainit. and nitrate 

 of lime, (3) superphosphate, kainit, and sulphate of ammonia, and (4) 

 superphosphate, kainit, and nitrate of soda. The addition of kainit io a mix- 

 ture of superphosphate, calcium nitrate, and calcium cyanamid produced no 

 apparent increase in yield, but when added to a mixture of superphosphate, 

 sulphate of anunonia, and nitrate of soda a marked increase in yield resulted. 

 On the plats near Coates the most striking result was as to the value of the 

 addition of kainit (400 lbs. per acre) to phosphates and nitrogen, the plats so 

 treated sho\Aiug an average increase in yield of 3A tons of roots as compared 

 with the plats receiving superphosphate and nitrogenous manures only. 



A new forag'e crop, G. Lopriore {BoI. Quind. Soc. Agr. Ital., I'f (1909), No 20, 

 pp. ,9,//7-9.70). — The grass Stenolaphrum ainericanuni is discussed as a drought 

 resistant plant, with special reference to its botanical characters, history, and 

 geographical distribution. 



[Cereal breeding at Cambridge] (Jow. Dcpt. Agr. So. Aust., 13 (1909), No. 

 3, pp. 183-1S6, figs. 3). — Crosses were made to combine the baking qualities and 

 cropping power of English wheats and sucli Canadian varieties as Ked Fife. 

 This type was fixed, then crossed with American Club wheat to introduce rust re- 

 sistance. Experience with 8 generations shows that " a plant which breeds 

 true once breeds true always." 



