FIELD CROPS. 431 



of the North ranked first. Burpee PLxtra Early second, and Seedling No. 230 

 last. Rose of the North, which produced 104.30 bu. per acre, also ranked first 

 in comparative value. The leading early variety was Early Dawn, which 

 ranked first in yield and comparative value in 144 trials. 



[Notes on alfalfa and sugar beets], P. K. Blinn {Colorado Sta. Bui. 121, 

 pp. 1-6, fltj.s. .'/). — Brief conunents on the alfalfa seed nursery established in 1905, 

 and on the work of developing a disease-resistant sugar beet are presented. 

 The characteristics of a number of Individual alfalfa plants are noted, and some 

 of the points observed in the sugar-beet work are summarized. These notes are 

 intended as a report of progress. 



The work of selecting mother beets for gi'owing seed has pointed out the wide 

 variation of the seed-producing tendency of individuals and has demonstrated 

 that the seed yield can be materially influenced. It was found that a large 

 number of beets wouJd not grow a seed stock and that uniform seed production 

 depends largely upon the proper soil conditions and the manner of setting out 

 the beets. Well-matured beets of good shape and size are selected, the leaves 

 removed without injury to the center or crown buds, layered in dry soil in deep, 

 narrow ventilated pits protected from frost, and set out early in April for seed 

 production. 



Alfalfa, P. G. Holden {Iowa Sta. Circ. 1, pp. })• — Popular directions for 

 alfalfa culture are given and the advantages and disadvantages of the crop are 

 pointed out. The points emphasized are " the manuring of the ground before 

 plowing, removing the small grain and i)reparing just as .soon as possible after 

 the small grain hAs been harvested, thorough preparation of the ground, and 

 sowing not later than August 10 to 20, and beginning on a small scale." 



Th.e nitrogen content of barley in its relation to the structure of the meal 

 in the kernel, E. Jalowetz {Ahs. in Zentbl. Agr. Chem., 36 {1907), No. .'/, pp. 

 229-232). — The formalin method of treatment was used in testing the relative 

 mealiness and hardness of the kernels. 



Barley grains were soaked for 30 minutes in commercial formalin at the 

 boiling point of water. After this treatment they were washed 4 or 5 times with 

 cold well water and dried between filter papers for the purpose of removing the 

 formalin solution. As grains from the upper half of the head are known 

 to be richer in nitrogen than those from the lower half, samples were prepared 

 to determine the effect of this treatment on the grains from the two parts. The 

 dis.solutiou of the lower kernels was effected more readily than that of the 

 grains taken from the upper part. The action of the formalin was best observetl 

 in grains containing from 1.6 to 1.8 per cent of nitrogen. 



On account of their higher nitrogen content the grains from the upper part 

 of the head differ in structure from those produced in the lower portion of the 

 spike, this difference being manifested by hardness and glassiness. Attention 

 is called to the fact that with all* grains mealy, or nearly so, the barley is low 

 in nitrogen, while if the kernels are glassy and hard the barley is high in 

 nitrogen content. If a sample after formalin treatment shows both mealy and 

 glassy grains it is evidence that the barley is composed of some kernels low 

 and others high in nitrogen. An analysis showed that the mealy kernels con- 

 tained 1.10 per cent nitrogen, half glassy kernels 1.159 per cent, and glassy ker- 

 nels 1.70 per cent. 



On the physiological effects of an excess of magnesia upon barley, S. 

 KuMAKiRA {Bui. Col. Agr. Tokyo Imp. Unir., 7 {1907), Xo. 3, pp. J,.',l, -'lU).— 

 Six pots holding 8 kg. of loamy humus soil, containing 0.5 per cent CaO and 

 0.4 per cent MgO soluble in 10 per cent solution of hydrochloric acid, were 

 fertilized with double superphosphate, sodium nitrate, ammonium sulphate, and 

 potassium sulphate. Twenty-five grains of barley were sown in each pot 



