HORTICULTURE. 335 



Utilization of the nutritive substances from manure by oats and wheat, 

 A, V. Kluciiakev {Dneim. XII. S^'tczda Rvss. Est.-Isp. i Vrach. [Moscow], p. 

 665; abs. in Zhur. Opytn. Agron. (Russ. Jour. Expt. LaMw.), 11 {1910), No. 4, p. 

 602). — In sand culture tests manure was compared with other sources of nitro- 

 gen, phosphoric acid, and potash. 



Three years' experiments show, in part, that the lowest yields were obtained 

 from the vessels with manure without other nitrogen. On introducing manure 

 in place of potash and phosphoric acid the yields were no less than in the normal 

 vessels, and in some cases even higher. Up to 60 per cent of the phosphoric acid 

 was utilized, and up to 93 per cent of the potash as compared with 24 per cent 

 or less of the nitrogen in the manure. 



Spraying- to eradicate dandelions from lawns, G. T. French (New York 

 State Sta. Bui. 335, pp. 35-.'i3).— In 1909 a strip of lawn infested with dande- 

 lions was sprayed 6 times between April 23 and September 24 with iron sul- 

 phate dissolved at the rate of 1.5 lbs. in each gallon of water. The strip was 

 again sprayed 6 times between April 15 and June 29, 1910, with a solution of 2 

 lbs. of the sulphate per gallon of water. The blooming of the dandelions was 

 entirely prevented and many of the plants were killed, but there were still 

 1,085 live dandelions on 1,000 sq. ft. of the lawn in July, 1910, when treatment 

 was discontinued for fear of ruining the lawn. After all but one orf the appli- 

 cations the area sprayed was blackened for several days. The grass did not 

 appear materially injured during 1909, but in 1910 the stronger solution and 

 more frequent applications considerably injured it. 



The author attributes the lack of success to the vitality of the dandelion 

 roots. To test this, one plant was cut off 7 times and another 8 times below 

 the crown before being finally killed. He briefly summarizes some results of 

 work already noted (E. S. R. 15, p. 360; 19, p. 1036; 21, pp. 635, 737; 23, p. 733). 



Spraying fails to kill New York dandelions, F. H. Hall {New York State 

 Sta. Bui. 335, popular ed., p. 1). — A popular edition of the above. 



Some investigations of the appearance and longevity of weed seeds, 

 K. Dorph-Petersen {Tidsskr. Larulbr. Planteavl, 17 {1910), No. Ji, pp. 584- 

 626). — The investigations here reported were conducted at the Danish seed 

 control station during 1896-1910. The extensive material presented shows that 

 commercial seed, especially clover and grass seed, often contain many thousand 

 weed see<ls per kilogram. These seeds possess a good germinating power and 

 often germinate slowly in the course of several years. A large number of weed 

 seeds retain their germinating power for a long period whether in a dry condi- 

 tion or in the ground. It is shown that many weed seeds are not destroyed by 

 the milling process or by passing through the alimentary canal of cattle, 

 swine, or poultry. 



Weeds of Ontario, J. E. Howitt {Ontario Dept. Agr. Bui. 188, 1911, pp. lU, 

 figs. 106). — Brief discussions of weeds and weed seeds and of sections of the 

 Canadian Seed Control Act are followed by popular descriptions of numerous 

 common weeds and notes on their eradication. 



Weeds and their destruction, H. C. Long {Trans. Highland and Agr. Sac. 

 Scot., 5. ser., 23 {1911). pp. 45-83, figs. 20). — Descriptions of the worst weeds of 

 Scotland's grass and arable lands are accompanied by directions for their 

 control or eradication. 



HORTICULTURE. 



Horticultural information. — How to obtain it, B. S. Pickett et al. {New 

 Hampshire Sta. Circ. 11, pp. 2-8). — This circular contains suggestions relative 

 to the sources of horticultural information, together with lists of books, bul- 



