1917] FIELD CROPS. 335 



seriously deficient as a forage crop in its inability to recover quickly after 

 cutting. Further handicaps of this species as a cultivated crop are that in the 

 West and Northwest, where it appears to hold greatest promise, it can be de- 

 pended upon to make only one crop a season and that it produces seed sparingly 

 and does not retain its seed as does M. sativa. 



The natural distribution of the species, its adaptations, and its behavior 

 under field conditions indicate that it is hardy and drought-resistant. Chemical 

 analyses reported indicate that it is about as valuable for feeding purposes as 

 the common alfalfas. The cultural requirements are much the same as those 

 of M. sativa, although on account of its hard seed and the slow growth of the 

 young plant it is difficult to secure a satisfactory stand. The plants of M. 

 falcata bear transplanting better than do those of Jf. sativa. Sowings on un- 

 broken native sod land gave fair stands, but the plants are not aggressive 

 enough to be of any real value in this respect. 



The greatest value of the species appears to lie in the field of selection and 

 hybridization with J/, sativa. It is hoped that superior strains of alfalfa can 

 be developed from such hybrids. 



A list of 67 articles is given, which comprises the literature cited. 



Lucerne inoculation experiment, J. O. Heinrich {Agr. Gaz. N. S. Wales, 

 27 {1916), No. 5, pp. 305-313, fig. i).— The results of four years' inoculation ex- 

 periments with alfalfa indicated that inoculation with soil from a successful 

 alfalfa field and of the same composition as the land being treated is much more 

 efficient than the use of pure cultures, and that lime greatly increases nodule 

 formation. Pure cultures of the vetch organism were ineffective for alfalfa. In 

 these experiments inoculation without manure gave a lower yield than the check 

 tests, while the plat limed but not inoculated gave the highest yield. 



Alfalfa conditions in New England, H. W. Jeffebs (Agr. of Mass., 63 (1915), 

 pp. lJtJt-160). — A popular article with discussion on the culture of alfalfa in 

 New England. 



Barley improvement, F. A. Spbagg (Michigan Sta. Clrc. 32 (1016), pp. 3-11, 

 figs. 5). — This circular gives the results to date of variety tests of winter barley 

 in Michigan. Two varieties, Michigan Winter and Derr Winter, seem to give 

 promise for the future, with average yields at the station for the seasons of 

 1913-1915 of 58.9 and 51.7 bu., respectively. The effect of climatic conditions 

 upon winter barley is shown by numerous reports from farmers. 



Fasciation in maize kernels, T. K. Wolfe (Amer. Nat., 50 (1016), No. 593, 

 pp. 306-.309, figs. 3). — This paper from the Virginia Experiment Station de- 

 scribes two corn kernels, each with two embryos, occurring on an ear repre- 

 senting a cross between Improved Leaming as the seed parent and Boone 

 County Special as the pollen parent, together with their progeny in the Fi 

 generation. 



Two stalks were produced from each kernel and the four ears secured 

 showed Mendelian splitting with reference to white and yellow kernels. All 

 the kernels had only one embryo. 



Work of the Pskof experiment station for flax culture, N. A. D'Iakonov 

 (Selsk. Klioz. i Lfesov., 2Jt9 (1915), Sept.. pp. 35S0; Oet., pp. i75-i86).— Deter- 

 minations of the moisture content of fiber flax made at this station showed that 

 under otherwise equal conditions the lower quality of flax has the higher 

 moisture content. Fiber from single dry-stemmed plants was found to contain 

 84.24 per cent of dry cellulose, while green branched stems contained 81.43 

 per cent. The results further indicated the value of mass selection of long, 

 single-stemmed plants in improving the quality of the crop. The retting of 

 flax under controlled conditions and with the use of pure cultures of Bacillus 



