838 EXPERIMENT STATION RECOED. 



Hay crops of the United States, 1866-1906, C. C. Clark (f7. H. Dcpt. At/r.. 

 Bur. .S7«fe. Bui. 6'J. pp. J'/). — This bulletin presents in tables a compilation of 

 statistics on the hay crop of the different States and for the different years for 

 the period 1S66-1006. 



Improving the quality of domestic hops, W. W. Stockberger (Wasliington, 



D. C: Govt., [1907], pp. 12). — A paper read at the ^'ew York meeting of the 

 American Brewing Institute, which points out tlie opportunity for improving 

 our domestic hops by curing at lower temperatures, by study of the nature and 

 conditions of resin formation, by the breeding of disease-resistant races, by se- 

 lection of the best and most productive types, and by the breeding of pure 

 pedigreed races. 



Biolog'ical studies on the green and brown color in the grain of rye, 



E. Gross (Ztschr. Laiidir. Versiichsw. (jstcn:, 10 {l!)07),'yo. i), pp. 772^*2/, 

 df/m. 1). — Breeding experiments with rye have been in progress for 10 years and 

 the results have shown that the green as well as the brown color in the grain is 

 readily transmitted. In summarizing the data and considering the results 

 from the green colored strains as 100, the author found tlie following values 

 for the brown grained strains : Length of straw 103.07, number of kernels per 

 plant 107.72, weight of plant 112.92, weight of grain per plant 112.08, weight 

 of straw and chaff iier plant 112.87, indi\idnal kernel weight 107.69, weight of 

 heaviest head 110.94, number of grains in the heaviest head 106.45, weight of 

 grain in the heaviest head 112.84, and individual weight of the grains in the 

 lieaviest head 102.38. 



Distance experiments with sugar beets, J. Bukovansky (Ztscln: Lanilw. 

 Yersiicli'<ii\ (jstcrr., 10 (1907), A'o. 12, pi). S77-S95). — The yields of sugar beets 

 increased with the width of the rows up to 45 cm. The best distance between 

 the beets in the row was from 25 to 30 cm., the quality of the beets improving 

 as the distance between beets in the row decreased. Tlie absolute leaf weight 

 and the relation of the root to the leaves was reduced by close planting and 

 the beets were richer in sugar. 



Experiments in growing Sumatra tobacco under shelter tent, 1904, W. 

 Frear {Penmylvania 8ta. Rpt. 1906, pp. 29-.'i2, pi. 1). — Earlier work in this 

 line has been previously reported (E. S. R., 17, p. 552). 



In 1904 about 50 sij. rods were covered by a shelter tent at a cost of $100.41 

 and it is estimated that under present conditions the cost for touting an acre 

 of lan<l will exceed .$400. The laud was plowed on June 6 and thoroughly cul- 

 tivated, the last harrowing being given on June 15. A homemade fertilizer mix- 

 ture of 450 lbs. of cotton-seed meal, 67 lbs. of carbonate of potash, and 233 lbs. 

 of dissolved South Carolina rock was applied. The tobacco beds were prepared 

 early in April and the tobacco was planted in the field on June 15. The grow- 

 ing season from June through Aiigust was on the average somewhat cooler 

 than usual and the rainfall was considerably below normal. From June 16 

 to 30, 1.88 in. of rain fell, in July 3.87 in., in August 5.29 in., and from Septem- 

 ber 1 to 15, 2.82 in. 



The crop was hoed and harrowed on Juno 27, July and 18, toi^ped August 

 1. 8, and 19 and suckered August 15, 27 and September 5. The lower leaves 

 were primed September 5, those next in position September 13, the third lot 

 September 21, and the last September 26. From the time of planting up to the 

 first priming 82 days elapsed, and to the last priming 103 days. The sum of the 

 mean daily temperature up to the first priming was 5,900' and up to the last 

 priming 7,227°. The cost of producing the leaf ready for sweating, exclusive 

 of the items of rent for laud and curing shed, of the interest on the shelter, and 

 attendance during curing was .$186.30. The leaves were cured without the aid 

 of artificial heat and cured uniformly to a fine light color. 



