FIELD CROPS. 536 



graiu of liigli milling power and peaty soils one of low milling power. The dif- 

 ference is considered as probably due to the thinner husk and better matured 

 kernels from clay lands. A dry season was found favorable to meal production, 

 the grain containing less moisture and being better matured. Excessive nitrog- 

 enous manuring tended to thicken the husk, to delay ripening, and to decrease 

 the percentage of water in the grain. Phosphates and potash appeared to in- 

 crease the proportion of kernel and certainly accelerated ripening. It is stated 

 that if oats are not carefully graded loss occurs because grains of unequal size 

 do not dry uniformly, in shelling the larger grains are broken and the smaller 

 escape, and very small grains are blown away with the husks. 



A comparison of the milling properties of different varieties indicated that the 

 milling value depends on the thickness of the husk and the shape of the kernel. 

 It is pointed out that the relation of these two factors is not always apparent, 

 and by way of illustration attention is called to the fact that the husk of New- 

 market oats is actually thicker than the husk of Potato oats, although the pro- 

 portion of husk in the Newmarket is less than in the Potato, so that Newmarket 

 in spite of a thicker husk is the better milling varietj*. A'arieties in which the 

 kernel fills up and is closely covered by a thin husk have the highest milling 

 value. It is stated that owing to the shape of the kernels of Newmarket, Abun- 

 dance, and Thousand Dollar these varieties compete successfully as milling 

 oats with Potato and Scotch Birlie. Storm King has a short pointed kernel and 

 thick husk and is for this reason a poor milling variety. 



Experiments on transmission in the potato, E. Grabner (ZtscJir. Landto. 

 Versuchsic. Osterr., 10 (1907), Xo. 7, pi). 6'07-(>.}7). — The results of cooperative 

 investigations carried on for several years showed that tubers from the best 

 developed hills were more productive than those from smaller hills, and the 

 conclusion is drawn that the yielding capacity may be increased by selecting 

 tubers for seed from the heaviest hills, 



, Comparisons of the same quantity of seed by weight of small and large 

 tubers resulted in the obtaining of the higher yields from the small tubers. 

 The determination of size from the weight of the seed was not applicable in 

 these experiments, nor was the starch content as based on the specific gravity 

 of the seed tubers transmitted. The average results, however, indicated that 

 starch content is a varietal character, and it is believed that its transmission, 

 although influenced by several factors, is very probable. 



Observations on the form of tuber in its relation to yield and starch content 

 showed that within the variety globular seed tubers influenced the starch con- 

 tent while cylindrical tubers influenced the yield. No similar connection was 

 observed between varieties with globular tubers and those of which cylindrical 

 tubers are typical. It was found difficult to change the form of the tuber when 

 this appears as a character of the variety. 



Selection of potato varieties for distilleries, G. Rossman (Abs. in Zhtir. 

 Oindtn. Agron. [Riiss. Jour. Expt. Luudw.\, 7 (1906), A'o. 6. pp. 725, 726). — Ob- 

 ser\ations made at different exijeriment stations showed that larger vields of 

 I iota toes and a higher quality of tubers were secured on compact soils than on 

 sandy soils, and that varieties with red tubers grew especially well on clay 

 soils, but did not make as good a growth under these conditions as white 

 varieties on light soils. 



The violet Solanum commersoni, A. and P. Andouard (Bui. Sta. Agron. 

 Loire-Inf., 1905-6, pp. 30-33). — Several cultural experiments with the violet 

 variety of Solanum commersoni are reported. In one instance an average of a 

 little over 8 kg. of tubers per hill was secured from 40 hills, and in another 

 test the yield corresponded to ■20.f>00 kg. per liectare as compared with 10,000 

 kg. for the Early Itose potato grown under the same conditions. 



