FIELD CBOPS. 427 



reference to the earliest and latest killing frosts, rainfall, and winds in the 

 State are recorded. 



Variety tests with two-rowed barley for 21 years, M. L. Mortensen and 

 K. Hansen (Tidn^ikr. Landbr. Plantcavh 16 {1900), No. 1, pp. i-?'.}),— The re- 

 sults of these tests show that for all medium barley soils, especially on the 

 islands, the Tystofte Prentice and Svaluf Princess barley are the two best 

 yielding varieties examined. On very rich ground they lack sufficient strength 

 in the straw but no fully satisfactory varieties for such soils have as yet been 

 found. Under less favorable conditions and where an early maturing sort is 

 required Svaluf Iliiunchen appears preferable. 



The importance of broad breeding in corn, G. N. Collins ( U. S. Dept. Agr., 

 Bur. Plant Indus. Bui. IJfl, pt. J,, pp. 33-//// ) .—The development of the present 

 methods of corn breeding are discussed, the importance of uniformity is con- 

 sidered, and the cultural tendencies toward inbreeding are pointed out. 



It is shown that the present methods tend toward close breeding, and this 

 the author considers detrimental for corn. He states that selection for increased 

 yield with the maximum rather than the minimum cross-breeding seems never 

 to have been tried as a scientific experiment, but calls attention to the fact that 

 a system of broad breeding has been practiced by farmers generally by choos- 

 ing many ears from various scattered plants in large fields and mixing the 

 shelled corn before planting. It is pointed out that the score card operates to 

 intensify the closeness of selection, since uniformity in formal characters can 

 be secured only by close breeding. Several instances are cited which indicate 

 the value of broad breeding in increasing the yield and maintaining vigor, and 

 a method is suggested by means of w^hich the production of hybrid seed for 

 commercial planting is made feasible. 



•' To secure hybrid seed it would only be necessary to plant two distinct 

 varieties in alternate rows, detasseling one variety and using the seed from the 

 detasseled variety for the next year's general planting. Seed from the variety 

 that was not detasseled would not be mixed, and selections could be made to 

 supply the breeding plat for the two following years. By detasseling the other 

 variety in the next year a stock of pure seed of this also could be grown. . . . 

 The same result could be approximated by planting in the same way and 

 detasseling one of the varieties in one-half of the field and the other variety in 

 the other half of the field. By this method seed of both the varieties would be 

 secured each year, but there would be considerable indiscriminate crossing." 



The elimination of barren stalks from a field or seed plat is considered a 

 practice of doubtful value, inasmuch as it results in increasing the percentage 

 of self-pollinated plants. With characters that are not affected by decreased 

 vigor continuous advance may be made liy selection. 



A preliminary report on cotton experiments, F. G. Krauss {Hawaii Sta. 

 Press Bui. 2.'f, pp. 16). — This describes the investigations in the culture of 

 cotton in progress under the direction of the station, and also contains an 

 account of the propagation of selected plants by means of cuttings. Nine 

 varieties of strains representing 3 distinct classes of cotton are under compara- 

 tive test for yield, quantity of lint, habits of growth, and methods of culture. 



The Florida and the Georgia strains of Sea Island cotton were grown. The 

 Florida strain yielded at the rate of 1,322 lbs. of cotton seed per acre, or 409 

 lbs. of lint, while the Georgia strain gave 2.270 lbs. of seed cotton or 703 lbs. 

 of lint. The first picking gave by far the largest yield, mainly because later 

 the bollworm infested the plants. 



An Upland type of cotton of Chinese origin gave an average yield of approxi- 

 mately 1 lb. of seed cotton per plant, equivalent to 1,150 lbs. of lint cotton per 

 acre. The plant is described as extremely prolific and a continuous bearer. 



