24 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECORD, 



cent of phosphoric acid and is ground so that not less than 75 per cent of it will 

 pass a sieve having 0.17 mm. meshes. 



AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 



Agricultural botany, E. Schribaux and J. Nanot {Botanique Agricole. 

 Paris: J. B. Bailliere d- Sons, 1906, pp. XI + 316, figs. 297,).— This work, which 

 is a part of the Agricultural Encyclopedia issued by the publishers, is a general 

 treatise on the subject of botany, in which the morphology, physiology, anatomy, 

 etc., of the different parts of plants are described, and special chapters are given 

 on the preservation of agricultural products, their improvement by breeding 

 and selection, etc. 



Native economic plants of Montana, J. W. Blankinship {Montana Sta. Bui. 

 56, pp. 38). — The object of this bulletin is to enumerate, so far as pDssible, the 

 native plants of the State utilized by the Indians, the early explorers, trappers, 

 and settlers, as well as to mention the chief species now emi)loyed in our own 

 industrial life. The lists are given arranged alphabetically according to the 

 scientific names. Additional lists are given grouped according to their use in 

 various arts, as foods, medicines, etc. 



Report of the botanist, H. L. Bolley CSorth Dakota Sta. Hpt. 190,), pp. 

 23-32). — The Investigations of the botanist have been confined largely to studies 

 on wheat, flax, potatoes, grass, and native plants, breeding nnd selection for 

 resistance being prominent items in his work. 



Attention is called to some of the results of selection for resistance to wheat 

 rust, and the discovery of uredo and teleutospores in the grains of shriveled 

 samples of durum and fife wheats is noted. Thus far attempts to propagate 

 the rust from these infested grains have failed, but the occurrence of these 

 spores in the seed is believed to offer a possible explanation for the wintering 

 of the rust. 



In connection with the author's studies on the wilt of flax, innnime strains 

 have been found that seem to be quite resistant to the wilt, but during the 

 reason's observations it was found that these plants were especially attacked 

 by a form of rust {Mcluni psora Uni). So severe was the rust that in some 

 instances the flax plants were almost completely destroyed. It has already 

 been observed that some sorts of flax are more resistant to rust than others, 

 and in the future investigations will be carried on for immunity both to rust 

 and wilt. 



Some notes are given on potatoes, and the variation of some varieties and of 

 individual plants in resisting disease is pointed out. 



A brief account is given of the use of counnercial cultures in inoculating 

 legumes, and in the experiments no distinction could be drawn between the 

 treated and the untieated plats. 



The tree-feeding experiments, which have been described in previous reports 

 (E. S. K., 10, 1). 131; 17, p. 201). were discontinued in 1!J(I5 on account of other 

 work, but some observations made showed that the native plum trees which 

 had been treated for the prevention of plum pockets were less attacked than 

 untreated trees in the immediate vicinity. Trees treated for apple l)light in 

 1904 remained healthy during 1905 and produced fruit. 



Further observations on the germination of the seeds of the castor-oil 

 plant, .7. R. Green and II. Jackson (Proc. Rot/. Soc. [London], ,Scr. B, 77 

 {1905), Isio. B 51Ji, pp. 69-85). — The results of a series of investigations extend- 

 ing back about 15 years in which the authors endeavored to ascertain the course 

 of the decomiiosition and utilization of the reserve materials in the seed of the 

 castor-oil plant during germination are given. 



