338 



EXPEKIMENT STATION RECORD. 



In tests at the station, poor land seeded to a mixture of red clover, alsike 

 clover, and timothy in September was top dressed during each of the two 

 succeeding years with nitrate of soda, acid phosphate, and muriate of potash, 

 singly or in various combinations and amomits. Nitrate of soda gave the 

 largest returns when used singly or in combination, and no application without 

 nitrogen paid for the fertilizers used. 



Separation of Swiss cerea,ls into different types, G. Martinet (Ann. Agr. 

 Suisse, 12 (1911), No. 4, pp. 223-258, figs. 5). — The author states that Swiss 

 cereals are mixtures of types because of variation, mutation, and hybridiza- 

 tion. He states in detail the observations made and the data gathered in 

 separating types of oats, barley, and wheat during the period 1906-1910. 



[Small grain varieties recommended] (Agr. Gaz. N. S. Wales, 23 (1912), 

 No. 2, pp. 137-140). — These pages present lists of the varieties of wheat, oats, 

 barley, and rye recommended by the department of agriculture of New South 

 Wales. The recommendations were made by experimentalists and managers 

 of the farms of the department in conference with others. 



Alfalfa seed production, J. M. Westgate, R. McKee, and M. W. Evans 

 (U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bid. 495, pp. 36., figs. i^).^This publication i.s 

 intended to set forth the best known methods for the successful production of 

 alfalfa seed. The topics discussed include the soil, climatic, and other condi- 

 tions affecting alfalfa seed production, methods of managing fields, harvesting 

 the seed, utilizing the straw, cultivating in rows for seed, weeds, seed adultera- 

 tion, and the commercial aspects of seed production, together with notes by 

 F. M. Webster on the insect enemies of alfalfa seed. 



The authors have found that the most successful crops of alfalfa seed are 

 produced when a relative shortage of soil moisture accompanies comparatively 

 high temperatures while the seed is maturing. The soil moisture must be suffi- 

 cient to permit the setting of seed but not great enough to start new vegetative 

 growth for the succeeding crop. This narrow margin is the principal cause of 

 the great uncertainty in the alfalfa seed crop. 



Seed 1, 5, and 10 yeai-s old gave germination tests of 93. 68, and 44 per cent, 

 respectively. The following table summarizes the results of 5-day tests of seed 

 about 3 months old conducted to determine the proper stage at which to cut 

 for seed: 



Condition of seed as affected by stage of maturity. 



stage of maturity. 



Pods green and not yet fully filled out 



Pods green but full size 



Pods just turning from green to a light-straw color; plump . . 



Pods turned to a light brown; plump 



Pods turned brown; fully matured 



Dead. 



Per cent. 

 94 

 73 

 17 

 11 

 9 



Alive. 



Per cent. 

 6 



27 

 83 

 89 

 91 



Hard. 



Per cent. 

 

 12 



58 



Capable of 

 sprouting 

 promptly. 



Per cent. 



[Alfalfa seed in color, germination, and structure], E. Mackinnon (Agr. 

 Gaz. N. S. Wales, 22 (1911), No. 12, pp. 1058-1063, fig. i).— The author sum- 

 marizes earlier work on this subject giving numerous citations to authorities 

 quoted. Yellow seed averaged 92 per cent in germination tests as compared 

 with 44 per cent for brown seed, 9.3 for yellow hard seeds, and 4 per cent for 

 brown hard seeds. 



Second generation of the cross between velvet and Lyon beans, J. Belling 

 (Florida Sta. Bpt, 1911, pp. LXXXII-CIV, figs. 17).— The characters of th^ 



