FIELD CROPS. 737 



At Sabina, the Sabina-grown seed produced better by 47 per cent, while at 

 Sunbury, the Sunbury-grown seed produced better by 11 per cent. 



Germination tests made by the Seed Laboratory of this Department of 1,708 

 samples of seed com from 17 of the principal corn-growing States and intended 

 for use in the spring of 1912 gave an average germination of 81 per cent, the 

 lowest germination for the different States ranging from to 30 per cent. The 

 seed corn sent from 7 of these States contained samples with per cent of 

 germination. Tests made by this laboi'atory of 73 samples of seed corn from 

 8 different States gathered and dried early by the Office of Corn Investigations 

 gave an average germination of 98.1 per cent. 



The care of seed corn is discussed and the results of experiments to demon- 

 strate the possible profits from the good preservation of seed corn are reported. 

 It is stated that 17 tests of seed corn diied and stored in a seed-corn dry house 

 and of seed corn stored in the crib gave ligures showing an average increase in 

 jield of 5 bu. per acre in favor of the special storage. A more extensive field 

 test along the same line gave similar results. 



Inheritance in corn, H. K. Hayes (Connecticut Stute 8ta. Rpt. 1911, pt. 6, 

 pp. J{01-.'i25, pis. S). — This article summarizes in a popular manner the results 

 of corn breeding work carried on by the station for the last 6 years and pre- 

 viously noted (E. S. R., 17, p. 857; 25, pp. 736, 737). The way of detecting and 

 culling out the accidental hybrid seed is described and the manner in which 

 desirable qualities are inherited is pointed out. In discussing crosses showing 

 dominance, the appearance of the crosses, the production of the seed of pure 

 varieties, and the inheritance of characters is considered. The behavior of 

 crosses not showing dominance is also discussed and notes are given on abnor- 

 malities, including dwarf forms, divided ears, and irregularity in the I'ows of 

 seeds. 



Results of cotton experiments in 1911, O. F. Cook (U. 8. Drpt. Agr., Bur. 

 Plant Indus. Circ. 96, pp. 21). — This bulletin reports the progress in experi- 

 ments with cotton and summarizes briefly the principal conclusions, especially 

 those affecting general problems of breeding and crop production. 



Attention is called to the utilization of improved varieties of American Up- 

 land cotton bred by this Department for the improvement of the cotton industry, 

 and to the results secured in Texas and other southwestern States with acclima- 

 tized new types of Upland cotton introduced from weevil-infested regions of 

 Jlexico and Central America. One of the new varieties from Mexico, known as 

 Durango, was found to be the most promising Upland long-staple cotton for 

 irrigated districts in that region. The advantages to be gained from coopera- 

 tive organization on a community basis for the production and marketing of a 

 single superior variety of cotton are pointed out. 



Improved methods of selection in which the value of distinctive characters 

 by which the plants may be recognized in the field is taken into account, and 

 better methods of distributing select varieties to avoid waste and to encourage 

 the production of superior fiber on a community basis were devised and are 

 described in detail. Cultural methods are suggested for avoiding malformations 

 of young seetllings which often delay the development of the plants and reduce 

 the yield. Several methods of utilizing superior first-generation hybrids be- 

 tween Egyptian and Upland varieties of cotton, including the propagation of 

 such hybrids from cuttings, are reiwrted as being under test. 



Experiments have shown the possibility of controlling the development of 

 vegetative branches by thinning the plants gradually and restricting the supply 

 of water in the early stages of growth. This control, it is pointed out, facili- 

 tates cultivation and picking and favors greater production. 



