940 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



tion, farm manures, and clover production are much more profitable than when 

 used as the only means of increasing fertility. 



The seeding, growing', and curing of alfalfa, R. A. Moore (Wisconsin Sta. 

 Special Bui., pp. 12, figs. 6). — This bulletin contains general directions for 

 alfalfa culture. 



Type and variability in corn, E. Davenport and H. L. Rietz {Illinois Sta. 

 Bui. IID, pp. 38, figs. J). — This bulletin outlines and defines type and variability 

 as factors in corn breeding, and presents certain data showing conditions that 

 influence type and variability in corn. 



It is pointed out that the three conceptions of type which should rest in the 

 corn breeder's mind are the ideal or standard for selection which is attained 

 by few individuals or perhaps none, the mode or prevailing type as represented 

 by the highest proportion of what the breeder actually produces, and the mean 

 or average of all the breeder produces. Variability is defined as deviation from 

 type and is considered as best indicated by the standard deviation in mathe- 

 matical expression involving the deviation of every individual. Variability may 

 be reckoned from the mean, the mode, the selection standard, or any other 

 desired basis. The coefficient of variability is a purely abstract expression for 

 variability, so that by its means the variability of one character may be com- 

 pared with that of another either in the same or dilTerent races. 



The shifting of the type without greatly reducing variability is considered 

 the effect of selection. It is stated that each character of every race has a 

 natural variability which can not be greatly reduced by selection, and that the 

 indirect effect of selection is to influence physical or other characters corre- 

 lated with those selected. So far as length, circumference, and weight are 

 concerned the type of ear is directly affected by fertility, but this factor does 

 not affect the number of rows in the ear. It has been found that variability 

 is slightly less on fertile lands than on lands giving lower yields. 



The subject of type and variability in general is treated in this bulletin by 

 the statistical methx)d, now everywhere employed, for the study of the more 

 complicated questions of variation and heredity, and a graphic representation 

 of this method concludes the bulletin. 



Studies of Egyptian cotton, W. L. Balls (Yearhoolc Ehediv. Agr. Soc. Cairo, 

 1906, pp. 29-89, pis. 12). — Some of the cotton problems of Egypt are pointed out 

 and notes on heredity in cotton are given. Experiments in cotton breeding are 

 reported. Texas Wool cotton was crossed with Abbassi, Hindi with Hindi 

 hybrid, Afiti with Truitt Big Boll, Hindi with Charara, and Charara with Moqui, 

 the female i)arent in each one of these pairs being mentioned first. 



The author concludes from a comparison of the results that there are probably 

 allelomorphic pairs of characters in cotton hybrids, which exhibit complete 

 dominance and recession in the heterozygote. The allelomorphic pairs for the 

 seed characters were as follows : 



Dominant : 



Long staple. 

 Regular distribution. 

 Regular length. 

 Colored lint. 

 Silky lint. 

 More fuzz. 



Recessive : 



Short staple. 

 Irregular distribution. 

 Irregular length. 

 White lint. 

 Harsh lint. 

 Less fuzz. 



Cotton futures and their influence on the cotton industry, H. Heizmann 

 {Das Baumicoll-Tcnningcschaft und dcssen Einfluss auf die Baumwoll-I ndustrie. 

 Inaug. Diss. Univ. Zurich, 1901, pp. Zy+i29).— This publication is the fifth in a 

 series treating of cotton in its commercial aspects. The different parts are 



