534 EXPEKIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Ten rules for the production and selection of " good Pearl seed potatoes " are 

 given. 



The potato and its culture, J. H, Shepperd and O. O. Churchill (North 

 Dakota Sta. Bui. 90, pp. 83-126, figs, 12). — This bulletin gives directions for 

 the production, harvesting, storing, and marketing of the potato crop, with 

 notes on the controlling of diseases and insect enemies, a potato score card, 

 and a plan of a potato cellar. Many of the suggestions are based upon the 

 results of experimental work. 



The use of a rotation consisting of a crop of potatoes followed by 3 crops of 

 wheat resulted in an average annual increase of 3.3 bu. in the yield of wheat 

 during the 12 years of the test. The grain crop secured, even in the least 

 favorable seasons, equaled those following the best summer fallow. In 1900, 

 wheat following potatoes yielded 24.3 bu. per acre as compared with 29 bu. 

 after summer fallow, and 4.7 bu. after grain. 



Large and small potatoes planted whole gave yields of 138.7 and 92.4 bu. 

 per acre respectively as compared with 100.9 bu. per acre secured from plant- 

 ings of pieces containing 2 eyes each. These are the averages of 3-year tests 

 at each of the 3 substations. Twenty bu. more seed per acre was required with 

 large uncut tubers than with the pieces containing 2 eyes each. 



The potato industry of Colorado, C. L. Fitch and E. R. Bennett (Colorado 

 Sta. Bui. 175, pp. 3-80, pi. 1, figs. 44)- — This bulletin describes at some length 

 the potato industry of Colorado and gives advice on different points to potato 

 growers in that State, including data on soils, cultural methods, storage, in- 

 cluding plans for potato cellars, potato standards as to quality, and on potato 

 diseases. An article by S. A. Johnson (pp. 42-45), on Potato Insects, is also 

 included. 



Observations were made on the actual loss which resulted from poor stands 

 and it is reported that hills on either side of a place where but 1 hill is miss- 

 ing make up one-half the loss as a result of their better development, and that 

 where more than 1 hill is missing there are positive losses of yield except for 

 the weight of one-half of 1 hill. Observations on the stand of the potato crop 

 in relation to the yield and the quality of the crop were also made in different 

 parts of the State, and the results are reported in tabular form with comments. 



Study on the culture of the sugar beet in different countries, H. Pellet 

 (Ann. Sci. Agron., 3. ser., 5 (1910), I, Nos. 1, pp. 1-52; 2, pp. 81-Ul; 3, pp. 

 161-180, dgms. 10). — The author reviews the industry of beet-sugar culture in 

 different European countries at some length and shows, among other facts, 

 that Germany and Bohemia have an average production of 30,000 kg. per 

 hectare (about 13.35 tons per acre), and that the sugar content of the beet in 

 Germany rose from 11 to 12 per cent for the years 1885-1890 to from 15 to 17.6 

 per cent for the years 1905-1908, inclusive. In Bohemia, the sugar content 

 of the beet was gradually increased from 13.1 per cent in 1899 to 17.7 per cent 

 in 1908. The average yield of sugar for the European sugar-beet growing 

 countries has ranged for several years from 5,050 to 5,155 kg. per hectare. An 

 increase in yield and in sugar content was also secured in Moravia, Silesia, 

 Hungary, Sweden, Denmark, and Belgium, while in France the development 

 along these lines was the least pronounced. 



The formation of the sugars and starch in the sweet potato, T. E. Keitt 

 (South Carolina Sta. Bui. 156, pp. 3-llt). — Continuing previous work (E. S. R., 

 20, p. 181), this bulletin reports the results of analytical work upon sweet 

 potatoes grown on clay soil in 1908 and sandy soil in 1909. 



In 1908 the sugary varieties chosen were Purple Yam and Fulleton Yam, and 

 the starchy varieties Nancy Hall and Polo. Samples were taken at 5 dates 



