1917] FIELD CROPS. 131 



The colony characters and the morphology of this group are described, after 

 which alphabetical lists of the species, with citations of publications, are given 

 of all the forms which have been described as black or brown. 



Agar agar for bacteriological use, H. A. Noyes {Science, n. ser., 44 (1916), 

 No. 1144y PP- 757, 798). — The author claims that the increased acidity due to 

 autoclaving and to titration made in hot solutions can be made the basis of 

 selecting agar agar for laboratory use. 



FIELD CEOPS. 



[Field crop experiments] (Kansas Sta. Rpt. 1915, pp. 13, 14, 22, 23, 48, 44). — 

 Experiments on the effect of seed bed preparation on the yields of wheat (E. S. 

 R., 34, p. 632) showed that the highest yield in 1914 was obtained where the 

 seed bed was double disked in July and plowed deep in August. 



Over 940 tests of varieties and head selections of small grain were made, 

 together with rate- and date-of-seeding tests. An improved strain of wheat de- 

 veloped at the station outyielded both Turkey and all local varieties of wheat. 

 Sweet sorghums produced 11.67 tons more silage and 4.57 tons more dry stover 

 than Kafir corn. Sudan grass planted in 7- and 10-inch drills produced three 

 cuttings, with a total of 8.25 tons of field-cured hay per acre. 



The development of drought-resistant strains of corn has been continued with 

 32 third-generation strains segregated from Hybrid 58. The ratio of the weight 

 of leaves and stems to the weight of the root system of milo maize, Kafir corn, 

 and corn was found to be 9.6, 10.9, and 9.6, respectively. 



At the Colby substation, 11 varieties of sorghums and 10 varieties of corn 

 were tested. Honey sorghums gave the best returns in forage. The home-grown 

 varieties of corn proved superior to varieties adapted to eastern Kansas. 



At the Tribune substation variety tests with sorglmms indicate that Dwarf 

 Milo is the highest producer for that section. Experiments with planting corn 

 84 in. apart instead of 42 in., with the idea of approaching summer fallow con- 

 ditions but still procuring some return from the soil, gave uniformly higher 

 yields of corn than the closer planting. The home-grown and western-grown 

 varieties gave higher yields than eastern or central Kansas corn. 



[Work with field crops at the Belle Fourche reclamation project experi- 

 ment farm in 1915], B. Aune (U. S. Dcpt. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus., Work 

 Belle Fourche Expt. Farm, 1915, pp. 1-11, 15-25, figs. 3). — Continuing previous 

 work (E. S. R., 33, p. 829), a summary of climatic and general agricultural 

 conditions is given. 



In the crop rotation experiments with irrigated field crops, after four years' 

 observations the following indications are noted : Alfalfa shows no marked 

 increase in the yield of the following crops, grains following cultivated crops 

 have given better net returns than when following alfalfa and grain, the appli- 

 cation of manure has shown a marked increase in the yield of beets and 

 potatoes but not of grains, beets following grain crops give poor results, and 

 early spring seeding of grains has given higher yields and better quality than 

 late spring seeding. 



Three pasture grass mixtures for irrigated lands are being tested. Fall 

 irrigation of annual crops was followed by a decrease of yield. 



Experiments with alfalfa have been quite extensive, including investigations 

 as to the proper time and method of seeding and the rate of seeding. Late 

 summer seeding and the use of flax as a nurse crop gave good results. About 

 10 lbs. of good seed per acre was found to be ample. 



A number of grain variety tests were conducted by J. H. Martin. Turkey 

 gave the highest yield of any winter wheat variety, and Kubanka of the spring 



