FIELD CROPS. 929 



coinplote coiiiniei-fijil fertilizers ;is ,i rule pnxluct'd tlio best rosults. A ton of 

 compressed yeast per ;i< re in <iiie lesl increased the crop of hay by ~t cwt. at a 

 cost of 2s. per cwt., but in anoilier experiment with nian,i;els tlie yeast appar- 

 ently caused a decrease in the crop. Home mixed fertilizers were foitiid more 

 effective and economical than special mixtures in .urowiuj,' potatoes, mangels, 

 and turnips. 



Report on culture tests for 1905-1906, A. Damskaux (Bill. Afjr. [Bnis- 

 s<ls\. .i2 {HXIG), Ao. 7, /)/). !i'i-i-!)'tJ). — The best yields of rye were secured with 

 an application of 150 kg. of sulphate of anunonia per hectare, and the best 

 yields of oats from the use jier h(>ctare of 400 kg. of su])erphosphat(> of lime, 

 KiO kg. of sulphate of potash, and loO kg. of nitrate of soda. Ligowo oats, 

 which is highly esteemed for the quality of its grain, has a tendency to shatter 

 and to ripen togetlier with wheat, interfering with the harvest. In comi)aring 

 200, 300, 400, and 500 kg. of superphosphate of lime i)(>r hectare as a fertilizer 

 for oats, the best results were secured with the api)licatious of 300 and 400 kg. 



Hanna barley yielded 2,400 kg. of grain and 4,200 kg. of straw, Chevalier 

 2.450 kg. of grain and 4,200 kg. of straw, and I'olders 3,400 kg. of grain and 

 5,150 kg. of straw per hectare. 



The results of fertilizer experiments with sugar beets show that on soils 

 containing residual (luantities of plant food, especially potash, the use of salt 

 is not injurious to the beets, the production of sugar, or the purity. 



Connnercial fertilizers harrowed in or covered by hand gave practically the 

 same results in fodder b(H>t culture. Kirsche Ideal fodder l)e(»t j)roved nmch 

 superior to the Eckendorf variety. 



Notes are also ;iven on the culture of potatoes, ruta-bagas, and colza. 



Field tests with fertilizers, P. Wagner {Dent. Laiidir. ]'rcKS(\ S.'i (1907), 

 Xos. 2-'i, pp. 195, 196; 2J, pp. 208, 209; 27, p. 221). — The results of experiments 

 conducted for 5 years on a sandy soil, poor in lime as well as in the three essen- 

 tial elements of plant food, show that the average annual profit where complete 

 connnercial fertilizer applications were made amounted to 123 marks per 

 liectare. ^yhen phosphoric acid was omitted the profits were reduced by 84 

 marks, when potash was omitted by 1)(5 marks, and when nitrogen was not 

 applied by 63 marks. It is estimated that for every 100 marks expended for 

 fertilizers an increase in yield valued at 223 marks was obtained. 



It was further found that in order to produce a maximum yield of 30,000 kg. 

 of iiotatoes, or 3.ti(iO kg. of rye or oats per hectare, 45 kg. of idiosphorie acid 

 and 100 kg. of potash per hectare would have to be applied annually in a rota- 

 tion of potatoes and two cereal crops, but if fodder beets were grown instead of 

 [lotatoes 50 kg. of phosphoric acid and 125 kg. of potash per hectare would be 

 I e(iuired. 



With reference to nitrogen the experiments showed that the use of 200 kg. 

 of nitrate of soda iier hectare gave the best general results. 



A method of breeding a strain of alfalfa from a single individual, J. M. 

 Westgate (Aiiirr. Hn-cilcrx' Assoc. Prof., 2 (1906), pp. 6.')-67). — The method is 

 descrilted and n^snlts of certain experiments are briefly noted. From these 

 experiments the author assumes as a working hypothesis that self-fertilization 

 is not impossible but that the meager data on hand indicate cross-i)ollination 

 to be the rule where different strains are allowed to grow side by side without 

 preventing the visits of insects. 



Judging the quality of barley, C. Bleiscii and P. KEGENsnuRGER (Zciithl. 

 Af/r. Chcm.. .i6 (1907), Vo. /, pp. 33-35). — In a study of this subject it was 

 found that in eomiection with an increase in protein the nitrogen-free extract 

 of barley in tlie sani]iles examined (lei-rease<l fi'om 7S.5 to TI.S per cent, and 

 the malt extract from 7S.7 to 75. i; iier eent. but that the curves of these two 



