536 EXPEEIMENT STATION EECORD. 



was perpetuated in the experiments just described leading to useful commercial 

 results." 



He also reports the results of crosses with curled kale in which it was 

 observed that the Swede-like crosses were the least diseased. The reciprocal 

 crosses of turnips and Swedes In which the seed parent was the same as that 

 used in the pollen parent in the series just discussed were traced for several 

 generations, but " they varied in a fashion not to be distinguished from those 

 of the crosses described in the foregoing pages." 



Weeds in relation to soils, W. E. Bbenchley {Jour. Bd. Agr. [London], 18 

 {1911), No. 1, pp. 18-2Ji). — These pages report the results of observations on 

 about 150 fields yielding 107 si^ecies of weeds of 74 different genera. 



Thirty species representing 28 genera were each seen but once. A table 

 states the frequency with which each of 36 of the weeds was observed on (1) 

 clay and heavy soil, (2) chalk, and (3) sand and light loam. "While the 

 nature of the soil plays such an important part in determining the local weed 

 flora, the character of the crop, generally speaking, is a matter of indifference. 

 The one exception to this rule is in the case of seed crops — clover, lucern, sain- 

 foin, and trefoil." 



In view of the fact that 6 species were found to be popularly designated as 

 " twitch " or " couch " grass in different localities, the author suggests that 

 it is advisable to apply the name " couch " to Triticum repens, only " designat- 

 ing as ' twitch ' all other grass weeds of the characteristic habit of growth." 



Special investigations indicate that colts-foot and horsetail, which are often 

 found together, occurred indiscriminately on acid or alkaline soils, but could 

 not be regarded as indicative or symptomatic, while spurrey {Spergula 

 arvcnsis) " is very symptomatic of acid soils, and it often disappears entirely 

 where lime is applied, reducing the acidity." 



HORTICULTURE. 



A new method of forcing plants, S. T. Parkinson {Jour. Southeast. Agr. 

 Col. Wye, 1910, No. 19, pp. 245-257, pis, 3).— The various methods which have 

 been experimented with in forcing plants are briefly noted, and demonstration 

 experiments conducted at the Southeastern Agricultural College, Wye, Kent, 

 to test the use of the warm bath method of forcing plants employed by Molisch 

 (E. S. R., 23, p. 40) are described. The method was used with more or less 

 success, but the results as a whole indicate the importance of knowing the 

 best time for treatment in the case of any particular variety of plant. 



In the experiments with rhubarb, in addition to the forcing stimulus noted, 

 the treated plants gave a much larger yield. The latent effect of the bath 

 was also illustrated, since the treated plants were not potted for 4 or 5 days 

 after dipping. 



Report of the professor of pomology, J. W. Crow {Ann. Rpt. Ontario Agr. 

 Col. and Expt. Farm, 36 {1910), pp. i42--Z-i8).— Notes are given on the man- 

 agement of the college orchards, and a table showing the yields of white, red, 

 and black currants tested for the 5 years, 1904 to 1908, inclusive. 



In tests reported of spacing strawberry runners by hand instead of allow- 

 ing them to find their places naturally, the yield from the hand-layered run- 

 ners was about double that from the naturally-layered runners. The marked 

 difference is attributed to the dryness of the season whereby crowded plants 

 would suffer much more than those not crowded. 



A trial of the overhead irrigating system with lettuce gave highly satisfac- 

 tory results and indicates that in times of drought an artificial system of irri- 

 gation can be profitably used by the market grower. 



