FIELD CROPS. 533 



Alfalfa growing in Alberta, W. H. Fairfield and G. H. Hutton (Canada 

 Expt. Farms Bui, 2. set:, 1912, No. 8, pp. l.'i). — Directions for alfalfa production 

 are given. 



Varieties of barley {Bedfordshire County Council, Agr. Ed. Com., Rpt. Bar- 

 ley and Sugar Beet Plots, 1911; ahs. in Jour. Bd. Agr. [London], IS {1912), 

 No. 12, p. 103/f). — This is a report of a test of 10 varieties of barley on a light 

 sandy soil in 1911. In 5-year average yields, Kinver Chevalier, Goldthorpe, and 

 Prize Prolific stood highest. 



Genetic studies of the genus Brassica, B. Kajanus (Ztschr. Induktive 

 Abstam. u. Vererhungslehre, 6 {1912), No. I,, pp. 211-231, pis. Jf). — These pages 

 report the results of studies of color and form of numerous artificial crosses of 

 different varieties of Brassica napus, B. rapa, B. campestris, B. olcracea, B. 

 lanceolata, and Sinapis arvensis {alba and nigra). 



Observations on the inheritance of characters in Zea mays, J. Burtt-Davy 

 {Separate from Trans. Roy. Soc. So. Africa, 2 {1912), pt. 3, pp. 261-270). — The 

 author presents statistical and other studies on an ear of corn obtained from 

 u plant grown from a red flint grain and pollinated from other red-grain plants. 

 His studies include row numbers in ears and the inheritance of row numbers 

 and cob color. 



When red dent was crossed with a white sugar corn, 2 pairs of characters 

 were segregated in the second generation (1) redness and whiteness, and (2) 

 starchiness and sugariness in approximately these proportions: (1) Red, starchy 

 56.25 and sugary 18.75 per cent, and (2) white, starchy 18.75 and sugary 6.25 per 

 cent. One grain distinctly showed a starchy character in one-half and a sugary 

 character in the other. 



Within certain limits the number of rows of grain per ear were found subject 

 to fluctuations. Crossing an 8 row with an 18 row type produced an inter- 

 mediate type in which 10, 12, and 14 row ears appeared, the 12-row type greatly 

 predominating. 



Cooperative tests of corn varieties, E. R. Minns {Neio York Cornell Sta. 

 Bui. 314, pp. S95-410, figs. 3). — This bulletin summarizes the results of testing 

 varieties of corn in cooperative experiments carried on during 3 years. 



It was found that elevation above sea level, as influencing the climate of a 

 locality, and the type of soil, were highly important factors in corn growing. 

 A high elevation combined with a soil type not suited to corn caused a failure 

 or gave very poor results with varieties that gave good yields in other localities. 

 The better type of soils at lower elevations gave much better results, especially 

 when dent varieties were grown. 



For elevations of 1,000 ft. or more, varieties of flint corn appeared better 

 adapted for the production of ripe grain and stover than dent varieties, and 

 for ensilage there were also a few good flint varieties and some early dent 

 varieties that were preferable to very late dent corn. At elevations ranging 

 from 600 to 1.000 ft. some flint varieties gave better yields of mature corn than 

 dent varieties of equal earliness, while for ensilage both dent and flint varieties 

 were found sufliciently productive in a normal season. For elevations lower 

 than 600 ft., dent corn produced more satisfactory yields of grain and stover 

 or silage than the flint varieties. These experiments were not carried on long 

 enough to determine the individual varieties best adapted for either grain or 

 fodder production in the different localities. 



Cotton improvement on a community basis, O. F. Cook (U. S. Dept. Agr. 

 Yearbook 1911. pp. 391--'il0). — This article discusses the desirability and feas- 

 ibility of cotton improvement in the United States, and points out ways and 



