104:2 EXPERIMENT STATION KECORD. 



The first plat gave au increase of 13.7 per cent, the second of 10 per cent, and 

 the fourth of 37.2 per cent over the check plat. 



Tobacco investigations, E. P. Sandsten {Wiscotisiti Sta. Rpt. 1906, pp. 201- 

 208, fig. 1). — Wurk has been carried on for 3 years in the lines of improving 

 Wisconsin tobacco by breeding and selection, the use and value of commercial 

 fertilizers and bai'nyard manure in growing the crop, the use of cover crops 

 in this connection, and the proper handling and curing of the leaf. 



A variet>' of Wisconsin-grown Connecticut Havana was selected as a type 

 suited to Wisconsin conditions in the work of improvement by breeding and 

 selection. The object in view was the production of a broader and larger leaf 

 with a more rounded outline than the Connecticut Havana, but retaining the 

 high quality and compactness of this variety. This work at present indicates 

 excellent results. 



The fertilizer work has led to the conclusion that the best application con- 

 sists of 10 tons of barnyard manure, 100 lbs. of nitrate of soda, 150 lbs. of 

 sulphate of potash, and 200 lbs. of desiccated bone per acre. 



Very satisfactory results have been secured during 2 years with hairy vetch 

 as a cover crop on tobacco fields. The seed was sown immediately after the 

 tobacco was harvested, at the rate of 60 lbs. to the acre and cultivated in. 



A description is given of the shed constructed at the station for the purpose 

 of studying the conditions of curing. 



Tobacco breeding, A. D. Shamel and W. W. Cobey ( C. *S'. Dept. Agr., Bur. 

 Plant Indus. Bui. 96, pp. 11, pis. 10, figs. IJf). — This bulletin treats of the vari- 

 ability in tobacco plants and the introduction and acclimatization of varieties, 

 describes the structure and arrangement of the flowers, discusses the necessity 

 for inbreeding, the improvement of the shape of the leaves, their modification 

 in size, and the control of their number on individual plants, considers the 

 production of nonsuckering types of tobacco and of early varieties, and points 

 out the value and desirability of improving the burning quality. Rules are 

 given for the selection of seed plants, and the method of keeping the records 

 of breeding work made in the field, as well as the permanent record, is out- 

 lined. Methods of saving seed and a process of separating the seed with a 

 tobacco seed separator are described. The possibility of selecting disease- 

 resistant tyiies is also discussed. 



A description is given of a new variety of tobacco produced by seed selection. 

 This new variety is known as Uncle Sam Sumatra and was produced by seed 

 selection begim in a Connecticut shade-grown crop in 1903. The characteristics 

 of the variety are extremely round leaves of fine texture, small fine veins at 

 right angles fi'om the midrib, and a large number of leaves with great uni- 

 formity of size and shape from the base to the top of the plants. The quantity 

 of seed produced by the variety is very small, and very few and small suckers 

 develop at any time during the growing season. The pedigree record of the 

 original plants and their progeny shows the following averages : 21 leaves per 

 plant, leaves 204 in. long and 14* in. wide, 3 small suckers, plants C ft. high, 

 growing period 90 days, length of internode 3i in., and circumference of stem 

 34 in. 



Descriptions are also given of the Cooley hybrid and the Brewer hybrid, 

 new varieties produced by hybridization and seed selection, and described in 

 former reports. 



Eradication of wild mustard, R. A. Moore and A. L. Stone (Wisconsin Sta. 

 Rpt. 1906. pp. 259-269, figs. 6). — Spraying grain fields with a 20 per cent 

 solution of iron sulphate desti'oyed pi'actically all the wild mustard plants. 

 It is recommended that the spraying be done on a calm, bright day after the 

 dew has disappeared and at a time when the mustard plants are in the third 



