FIELD CROPS. 383 



The development of the root system of oats and its relation to nutritive 

 substances, M. A. Egoeov (Dnevn. XII. 8"iezda Russ. Est.-Isp. i Vrach- 

 [Moscuic], p. 666; abs. in Zhur. Opytn. Agron. {Russ. Jour. Expt. Landw.), 

 11 (1910), No. Ji, pp. 602, 603). — These pages report the results of investi- 

 gations of the development of the oat-root system under the couditious in the 

 Moscow government. The tests were made in boxes aud the fertilizers were 

 mixed with the surface 7 in. of soil as it came fi'om the field. 



The author concludes that (1) the maximum depth to which the roots pene- 

 trated was 118 cm. ; (2) the ratio of the roots to the total mass of the plant 

 attains a inaxiuium at the beginning and a minimuin at the end of vegetation, 

 being three-fourths of the total mass at the beginning and one-third at the 

 end of vegetation; (3) readily available fertilizers considerably increase the 

 absolute weight development of the root system but decrease its proportionate 

 amount; and (4) there was full harmony in the development of the under- 

 ground organs and those above the ground. 



Systematic classification of oat varieties and the characters of the oat 

 panicle of importance in breeding, Bohmeb (Ber. Obierhess.- Gesell. Nat. u. 

 Heilk. Gicssen. Natunv. AM., 3 (1908-9), pp. i-S7).— This article discusses the 

 form of the kernel, its weight, size with reference to length, width, and thick- 

 ness, the proportion of hull, the occurrence of twin grains, the color of the 

 grain, pubescence in the grain, and the structure of the base of the kernel. 



Cases of spontaneous disappearance of unit characters in oats, H. Nilsson- 

 Ehle (Ztschr. Indukticc Abstain, ii. VercrbungsJchre, 5 (1911), No. 1, pp. 

 1-37, pi. 1, figs. 2). — The author describes cases of the disappearance of a 

 character as observed in plant breeding work with oats, and discusses at some 

 length the influence which such disai)pearance or suppression may exert in 

 breeding work with this plant. The facts observed indicated that forms of 

 atavism had no connection with crossing, but were entirely spontaneous muta- 

 tions, each being representative of only one factor or unit character. 



Svalbf Fyris oats, H. Nilsson-Ehle (Sveriges Utsddcsfor. Tidslcr., 21 

 (1911), No. 1, pp. 2.'i-26). — The Svalof Fyris oat is a new black variety espe- 

 cially adapted to the stiff clay soils of central Sweden. The author describes it 

 and states the results of a 7 years' test in which it outyielded all other varieties 

 tested. 



The occurrence of a perennial rice in Senegal, P. Ammann (Jour. Agr. 

 Prat., n. scr., 21 (1911), No. //, pp. 107-109). — The author describes a perennial 

 rice which occurs in Senegal and reix)rts analyses of the plant. 



Paddy cultivation in Krlan, H. C. Pratt (Dept. Agr. Fed. Malay States 

 Bui. 12, 1911, pp. 19). — A brief manual of information for the rice grower in 

 the Malay States. 



Three years' experiments with fodder beets at Svalof, I. Kaelsson 

 (Svcriycs Utsddcsfor. Tidskr., 21 (1911), No. 2, pp. 97-105).— The yields of roots 

 and of diy matter obtained in trials of 4 Svalof mangels during the period 

 1908-1910 are reported. Bortfelder and Yellow Tankard excelled Oestersundom 

 and Gray Stone in yield. 



The relation between the dry substance of beet leaves and the sugar- 

 building capacity of the plant, K. ANDRLfK and J. Urban (Ztschr. Zucker- 

 indus. Bdhmen, SJf (1910), No. 6, pp. 33 5-3. 'f 5) .—It was found that the relation 

 of the weight of the dry matter in the leaves to the quantity of sugar stored in 

 the .root is not constant during growth or at the time of harvesting. 



At the beginning of the vegetative period the ratio ranges from about 0..^) to 

 1 : 1, increasing as growth proceeds aud reaching from 2 to 4 : 1 at maturity. 



