FIELD CROPS. 43 



Mutation in tobacco, H. K. Hayes and E. G. Beinhart (Science, n. se>'., 

 39 (1014), No. 092, pp. SJf, S5). — This iinper notes the appearance of a new type 

 of tobacco plant, discovered in a crop of " Cuban " tobacco in Connecticut that 

 had been selfed for five generations. The new type occurred in about one in a 

 million from the 1910 seed crop and bore from 62 to SO leaves per plant, about 

 50 per cent more thau the normal type, aud thus far has bred true, thus indi- 

 cating that mutation must have taken place after fertilization. 



The inheritance of certain characters of beets and turnips. — II, Turnips, 

 B. Kajanus (Ztschr. I'flanzcnziicht., 1 (1913), No. J/, pp. 410-.'i63, pis. 3, figs. 

 2). — This continues work previously noted (E. S. R:, 29, p. 832). 



From the results of ci'ossing turnips of different colored flesh, of different 

 shape of roots, and of different leaf characters of several species, the author 

 concludes that form is a constant factor; that violet red color (anthocyanin) 

 is either stabile or labile; that dark red is dominant over light red or colorless; 

 that there are two types of green color, one of chlorophyll origin at the root 

 crown, and the other a greenish tint accompaning the yellow topped roots; that 

 the color of the yellow topped turnips is recessive with green and red; that the 

 j-ellow flesh color is i-ecessive with the white flesh ; that the orange-yellow 

 flower color and yellow flesh, and lemon-yellow flower color and white flesh, are 

 correlated; that smooth and hairy characters of the leaves form a Mendelian 

 jiair; and that the side tubercules on the roots of the hybrids are probably due 

 to bacteria infection. 



Hairy vetch, C. B. Williams (North Carolina 8t<i. Circ. 10 (101 S), pp. 5, 

 fig. i).— Cultural notes, together with comments on its use for soil improve- 

 ment, pasturage, and food value, are given. 



Notes on wheat, J. Casc6n (Bol. Agr. Tec. y Econ. 5 (1913), No. 59, pp. 1013- 

 1024). — N study of the effect of climatic factors on the yield and baking quali- 

 ties of wheat showed that the rainfall was very important in connection with 

 clean cultivation and the use of nitrate of soda as a fertilizer. 



The methods employed in testing' grass seeds, G. H. Pkthybridge (Jour. 

 Econ. Biol., 7 (1912), No. 2, pp. 41-49, fig. i).— The author believes that the 

 method used by the Irish Seed-Testing Station, in which the seed containing 

 no caryopsis is not counted as an impurity, gives nearer the correct value of the 

 seed sample than the method used on the Continent that attempts to discard 

 the empty seeds and bases the germination test on the full seeds only. 



Shall seed be tested in artificial media or in soil? L. Hiltneb (Prakt. Bl. 

 Pflanzenhau u. Scliutz, n. ser., 11 (1013), Nos. 7, pp. 85-01; 8, pp. 104-106).— 

 From a review of investigations on the subject the author concludes that brick 

 dust is the most practical medium for .seed-testing stations, but that the ideal 

 way would be to use soil from each field where the seed is destined to be planted 

 in oi'der to determine the true agricultural value. 



Germination tests, G. H. Tkue et al. (Nevada St a. Rpt. 1913, pp. 23, 24). — 

 Results of testing seed for growers, dealers, and farmers in the State led to 

 the conclusion " that the presence of either brown or green seeds lessens the 

 value of [alfalfa] seed from a commercial standpoint. Our many tests of 

 western-grown alfalfa seed have shown that in practically all samples there is 

 quite a large percentage of hard seeds that will not germinate in even 28 days. 

 Dry-farm alfalfa seed contains a larger percentage of hard seeds." 



Seed inspection (Maine Sta. Off. Insp. 52 (1913), pp. 93-104) .—This publi- 

 cation gives the chief requirements of the Maine seed law, discusses the seed 

 industry in the State, and gives results of inspecting 1,211 samples of seeds 

 during 1913. 



Culture and weed extermination experiments at Warsaw in 1&13, K. 

 Stoemer (Dent. Landw. Presse, 40 (1013), No. 37, pp. 445, .^.^6).— The best 



