136 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. tVol.36 



90 per cent, the greatest amount of moisture used, tlie aerial portions showed 

 the smallest and the roots the largest growth. Under field conditions, the flax 

 being drilled, the roots were found to extend into the soil to a depth of about 

 20 cm. (7.4 in.) when the plants had from 10 to 12 leaves, of 52 cm. when in 

 bloom, and of 65 cm. when the blossoming period had ended. Deep planting 

 of the seed affected root development adversely. 



[The effect of freezing on flax seed], I. Shulov and V. Mokozov (Trudy 

 Opytn. Sta. Moskov. Selsk. Khoz. Inst, No. 1 (1915), pp. 42-66, figs. 16).— 

 Air-dry seed of flax exposed for one month to a temperature never above — 2° 

 R. (27.5° F.) showed no signs of deterioration, while similar seed moistened 

 until swelled suffered a reduced germination through freezing. The results of 

 pot experiments indicated the value of a high moisture content in sandy soil 

 during the early growth of flax. 



Chang'es in specific gravity in their bearing on the starch and dry matter 

 content of potato tubers during the rest period, L. Szell (Kisdrlet. Kozlem., 

 18 (1915), No. 5-6, pp. 1020^1029).— Tubers of RIchter-Imperator and Up-to- 

 date were stored in a cellar and in a pit out-of-doors. The lot stored in the 

 cellar was examined every two weelvs with reference to specific gravity and 

 starch and dry matter content, while the other lot was so examined only at the 

 beginning and close of the storage period. 



The specific gravity and relative starch and dry matter value increased in 

 general during the rest period in both varieties of the cellar-stored lot, but 

 decreased in the tubers stored in the out-door pit. Tlie increase in specific 

 gravity followed no definite regularity, which is regarded as due in the first 

 place to such factors as condition of health, respiration, sprouting stage, 

 moisture, temperatiire, etc., and in the second place to the sources of error in 

 determining specific gravity such as size, shape, degree of maturity, hollowness, 

 of tubers, skin structure, depth of buds, adhesiveness of water to the surface 

 of the tubers, inaccuracies in the method employed, etc., all of which are of 

 irregular influence. Richter-Imperator exhibited a marked tendency to rot, 

 and showed a much greater difirerence between maximum and minimum specific 

 gravity during the rest period than did Up-to-date. The author does not 

 believe that the methods of determining the specific gravity of potato tubers 

 now employed on farms give reliable results. 



[Variety tests with potatoes], E. F. Gaskill {Massachusetts Sta. Ept. 1915, 

 pt. 1, pp. JfJta, 45a). — The yields of seven early and eleven late varieties of 

 potatoes are reported. Among the early varieties Early Surprise led with a 

 yield of 314.8 bu. per acre, being followed by Trust Buster with 2S9.7 bu. 

 Both of these varieties ranked among the five best yielders in all of the three 

 preceding years. The largest yield of the late varieties, 374.5 bu. per acre, was 

 secured from Farmer, with Quick Crop ranking next with 371.3 bu. The late 

 varieties averaged the higher in yield. 



Commercial handling, grading, and marketing of potatoes, C. T. Moke and 

 C. R. Borland (U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. 753 (1916), pp. 40, pi. 1, figs. 

 18). — This deals with the problems of handling and marketing potato crops, 

 and is meant to be of special interest to commercial growers and shippers. 

 The methods employed in handling the southern early or " new " potatoes and 

 the northern late potatoes are discussed in detail. The use of machine potato 

 diggers and the machine sizing of potatoes are discussed, and the necessity for 

 the establishment and maintenance of definite standards is pointed out. Co- 

 operative marketing oi'ganizations are recommended as a means of securing a 

 standardization of the product. Growers are urged to study market conditions 

 and to give careful attention to shipping details. Middlemen ai-e urged to buy 

 potatoes strictly on their merits, thus encouraging careful grading. 



