FIELD CltOPS. 735 



Common salt as a fertilizer for sugar beets, K. AndriJk and J. Urban 

 (Zlsvhr. Zuck(rUHlu><. Bohmcn, 33 (1900), yo. 8, pp. -'f77-fi85 ; ahs. in Jour. Chem. 

 iSVm'. [Loiuhjii], ix; ilHO!)), So. 5(J0, If, p. oiJ).— Kxporiiuents with salt as a 

 fertilizer for sujrar boets are reviewed. The results obtained seemed to indicate 

 to the authors that since this treatment did not cause an increase in the sodium 

 content in the root or in the whole plant there is no danger that the use of salt 

 as a fertilizer can be very injurious to the sugar content. Further experiments 

 are deemed necessary to determine whether or not salt may be injurious or 

 advantageous when used as a fertilizer for this crop. 



Sodium chlorid as a fertilizer for sugar beets, II. ^NIette {Ztschr. Zucker- 

 imlii.^. Bohmen, 33 (l!>09), Xo. 10, pp. 6.20, 621).— The publication of the results 

 noted in the abstract above induced the author to present observations made by 

 him along the same line. 



Experiments were conducted on land which had received a general applica- 

 tion of 40,000 kg. of barnyard manure, 300 kg. of superphosphate, 200 kg. of 

 anuuouium superphosphate, and 100 kg. of nitrate of soda per hectare. Sugar 

 beets were gi'own on plats 0.01 hectare in size and on some of the plats common 

 salt was applied in August at the rate of 400 kg. per hectare (356 lbs. per acre). 

 This application was made after continued dry weather which caused the plants 

 to suffer from the lack of moisture. 



The yield of beets on the plats receiving the salt was increased 2,312 kg. per 

 hectare (about 2,058 lbs. per acre) over the yield on the plats not so treated. 

 The average sugar content on the plats receiving salt was 21.48 per cent as 

 compared with 20.58 per cent on the check plats. The authors believe that the 

 use of salt on good soils under temperate climatic conditions with normal 

 rainfall may not be very effective, but that very satisfactory results may be 

 secured on the lighter soils and in warm climates. The favorable results in 

 these experiments are attributed largely to the hygroscopic activity of the salt 

 during the dry weather. 



Estimation of the sugar-beet crop, H. Mette (Ztschr. Zuckcrindus. Bohmcn, 

 33 (1909), Xo. 10, pp. 618-620). — A record of meteorological data at Quedlin- 

 burg is presented and attention is called to the fact that during the week of 

 September 12 with only 27 hours of sunshine and an average temperature of 

 12.7° C, there was an increase in the sugar content of only 0.1 per cent, while 

 the following week there were 50 hours of sunshine, an average temperature of 

 11.3° C, and an increase in the sugar content of 0.9 per cent. 



Variations in seedling sugar canes (La. Planter, Ji3 (1909), No. 12, p. 178). — 

 This article discusses the variations encountered with the seedling canes D 74 

 and I) 95. 



D 74 is described as standing very erect, the stalk somewhat larger at the 

 base than farther up, the foliage somewhat restricted, the canes rather brittle, 

 and the stalks green in color, while D 95 has leaves rising up erect and droop- 

 ing over at the extreme tip, the stalks red or purple in color, and the eyes or 

 buds very much more prominent than in D 74. The article discusses the possi- 

 bility of fixing the chief characteristics of excellence of these seedling canes by 

 means of persistent culture. 



[Storm resistance of D 74 sugar cane] (La. Planter, 1,3 (1909), No. 15, p. 

 229). — This article discusses the relative merits of caue D 74 as a storm- 

 resistant variety. It is stated that this cane possesses a wind resistance at or 

 near the root very far superior to its strength in the upper joints of the stalk. 

 This strong root resistance may be a virtue in moderate storms but in violent 

 hurricanes a great deal of damage is done through breaking of the canes. 



