FIELD CROPS. 733 



per .-icrc for corn with fowiiens tlrilkHl hctwci'ii Iho rows at the last culti- 

 vatioii. 



Wheat si'owii conthiuously for H years from liK)4- lOOS, inclusive, save an 

 average yield of 12.;U hu. per acre, while wheat grown continuously hut with 

 cowpeas as a catch crop averaged l(i.(il bu. per acre. From 1!)()4-11)07, inclu- 

 sive, corn was grown in rotation, both following cowpeas as a catch crop after 

 wheat and without this intermediate green manure crop, the average yields 

 of the corn being 50.75 bu. and 41.77 bu. per acre, respectively. The average 

 yield of the wlieat per acre amounted to i(!.49 bu. where the cowpeas had been 

 grovyn and 14.01 bu. where they had not been used. 



Rotation experiments with corn and soy beans resulted in an average annual 

 increase of over 14 bu. of shelled corn i^er acre as apparently due to the soy 

 beans immediately preceding tlie corn. Wheat in rotation witli soy l)eans or 

 cowpeas gave an average yield per acre for 5 years of 29.8.3 bu. where the 

 crop was grown continuously and of 28.39 bu. where it was alternated with 

 soy beans or cowpeas. 



During the past 6 years some 40 varieties of cowpeas and 35 varieties of 

 soy beans have been tested for seed and hay production. Among the cowpeas 

 Mount Olive ranked first in hay production, having produced an average of 

 2.08 tons of hay per acre for tlie G years, with Whippoorwill second with an 

 average of 2.03 tons. In the average seed production for 5 years Warren New 

 Hybrid heads the list with 13.40 bu. per acre, Rlacl^ Eye second with 12.71 

 bu., and New Era third with 12.44 bu. These tests indicated Black Eye, New 

 Era, and Warren New Hybrid as the best varieties for seed, Whippoorwill for 

 hay, and New Era for a catch crop after wheat. 



The results of planting cowpeas on different dates in 1905 and 1900 show 

 that i)lantiug June 9 gave the highest yield of grain, and planting June 3 the 

 largest production of hay. In 1904, the greatest yield of hay was produced 

 from the June 3 planting, while the plantings made June 10 and June 28 

 produced the most grain. In 1905, the June 28 planting and in 1904 the July 

 14 planting was injured by frost. 



The method of ad.iusting a connnon thrashing machine for thrashing cow- 

 peas is described and a list of manufacturers of cowpea machinery is given. 



The soy bean in the United Kingdom (Oil, Paint and Drug Reporter, 76 

 (J 900), No. 9, p. 16). — This article discusses the use of the soy bean in the 

 manufacture of soap, feeding cake, paint, varnish, edible oil, burning oil, and 

 linoleum. 



Comparative tests of sugar-beet varieties, J. E. W. Tracy and J. P. Reed 

 ([/. /S*. Dcpt. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Circ. 37, pp. 21). — The work here described 

 was carried on for a term of 5 years in cooperation with the New York State, 

 Michigan, and Utah experiment stations and with private parties at Holland, 

 Mich., and Fairfield, Wash. The Colorado Station and the Eastern Oregon 

 Substation also cooperated with the Department for 3 years. 



The experiments at the various stations were uniformly conducted to test 

 the ability of each strain or variety to produce a paying crop under varying 

 local conditions. At each station all plats were planted the same day and in 

 the same manner. Tal)les are given sliowing the relative performance of varie- 

 ties at the various stations and during the dilferent years. 



The greatest amount of sugar obtained in 1904 and 1!X)5 was 4,094 lbs. i)er 

 acre and the average 3,477 lbs., while in 1900 and 1907, the highest sugar ob- 

 tained was 5,729 lbs. and the average 4,947 lbs. per acre. The last 2 seasons 

 were in general much the more favorable to the growth of the crop. 



