FIELD CEOPS. 235 



gether gave crops containing 11.3, 10.7, and 12 per cent of protein, respectively, 

 as compared witli 10.5 per cent for the crop grown on the check plat. The net 

 profits in this locality were lowest in case of the application of potash alone 

 and highest in case of the mixture. 



Nitrogen fertilization of legumes, G. Ritter {Centbl. Bakt. [etc.], 2 Ait., 

 29 (1911), No. 23-25, pp. 650-668, pis. 2).— The author briefly reviews earlier 

 experiments on the subject and states at length the plan and results of his own 

 tests with lupines. 



He concludes that uninoculated virgin soil should be fertilized with nitrates 

 or ammonium salts. A small amount of some nitrogen-supplying fertilizer 

 should be added even when inoculation with pure cultures is practiced, but the 

 best results are obtained by inoculation with soil from fields in which lupines 

 have grown. 



The soy bean and cowpea, C. G. Williams and F. A. Welton [Ohio Sta. Bui. 

 237, pp. 2'fl-26l, figs. 2).— discussions of the uses of soy beans and cowpeas 

 accompany directions for growing and harvesting the crops in Ohio. 



Seeding soy beans at the station at the r.ite of 3 pk. per acre produced higher 

 total and higher gi-ain yields than seeding at the rate of 1, 2, or 4 pk. per acre in 

 rows 28 in. apart. Seeding at the rate of 8 pk. per acre in rows 8 in. apart 

 produced a still higher forage yield but the difference was insufficient to pay 

 for the extra seed used. The forage was more satisfactory because of fineness 

 of stems. Sowing at the rate of 3 pk. per acre also gave the highest grain 

 3'ield in a farmer's cooperative test. 



Tables present descriptions of 32 varieties of soy beans tested and the yields 

 secured during the period 1908-1911. Other tables group these varieties ac- 

 cording to the length of the period required to ripen them, and report analyses 

 as to protein and fat of 23 varieties of soy beans and 2 varieties of cowpeas in 

 comparison with other feeds. 



During the 3-year period 1909-1911, 10 varieties of soy beans produced aver- 

 age total yields of 3,528 lbs., and grain yields of 23.62 bu. of grain per acre. 

 During the same period 3 cowpea varieties produced total yields ranging from 

 2,380 lbs. to 3,080 lbs. and grain yields ranging from 4.44 to 7.94 bu. per acre. 



Alfalfa as a field crop in South. Dakota, A. N. Hume and S. Gabver (South 

 Dakota Sta. Bui. 133, pp. 259-281, figs. 6).— Tables state the results obtained 

 in numerous variety tests at Brookings, Highmore, and other points in co- 

 operation with the Bureau of Plant Industry of this Department. 



From the data presented, the authors conclude that there is nothing to 

 indicate that the source of the seed used at Brookings had any considerable 

 influence on the hay yield, with the possible exception of the French seed. At 

 Highmore, however, 6 years' average yields indicate that a choice of the proper 

 strain may determine success or failure. Of the 4 strains that appeared suffi- 

 ciently hardy for use at this point, "Turkestan proved most able to withstand 

 conditions." It gave an average yield of 1.4 tons per acre during the 6 years. 



In a test of strains of Medicago sativa, M. falcata, M. media, M. ruthenica, 

 and M. platycarpa at Brookings, Highmore, and Cottonwood, plants which had 

 been reset were compared. Almost all the strains tested at Brookings proved 

 sufficiently hardy, but at Highmore a far greater percentage of the reset plants 

 of M. falcata survived than of M. sativa or even M. media. At Cottonwood the 

 surviving plants were practically all either M. falcata or M. ruthenica. 



Hard seed was treated by a machine devised by Nilsson of Svalof, Sweden. 

 This is called the " Preparator," and consists essentially of a hopper so ar- 

 ranged as to drop the seed upon a revolving disk from which it is thrown by 

 centrifugal force against the concave surface of a circular rough stone within 

 which the disk revolves. On striking the rough surface, the seed coats are in- 



