1917] FIELD CROPS. 835 



Irish potatoes in Plorlda, A. P. Spenceb {Florida 8ta. Bui. 133 {1911), pp. 

 21-S2, figs. 4).— This is a revision of Bulletin 120 (E. S. R., 30, p. 528), with 

 brief additional notes on the prevention of frost injury through proper cultural 

 methods, and on potato diseases and their control. 



The yield and nitrogen content of soy beans as affected by inoculation, 

 J. G. LiPMAN and A. W. Blaib {Soil Set., 1 (1916), No. 6, pp. 579-58^ ) .—Ex- 

 periments conducted at the New Jersey Experiment Stations on the relative 

 value of 13 different commercial inoculating materials, both on an unproductive 

 acid sandy loam soil so treated as to make the nitrogen supply the limiting factor 

 of growth and on a fertile silt loam soil, are reported. 



It is concluded " that the use of inoculating material may be very desirable 

 in the growing of soy beans, and perhaps of other legumes. The results re- 

 corded . . confirm results previously recorded by . . . [the] station or by 

 ether stations. It appears that where the soil is lacking in the right type of 

 Bacillus radicicola inoculation is eminently desirable, and that even where the 

 organisms are present in limited numbers the addition of larger numbers may 

 be profitable. It appears, further, that there is a marked difference in quality 

 of different commercial preparations for soil inoculation, and that soils derived 

 from different sources may vary as widely as, though not more widely than, 

 commercial cultures as to their effectiveness in promoting nitrogen fixation by 

 legumes." 



Composition of sugar beets at various stages of the growing season, H. E. 

 ZiTKOwsKi, M. P. PoTVLiET, and I. W. Reed {Sugar [Chicago^, 18 {1916), No. 

 6, pp. 296-298). — Considerable data are presented on the composition of the 

 nonsugars of sugar beets, both leaves and roots, at intervals of two weeks through 

 the growing season. The determinations included the weights of leaves and 

 roots, the sugar content, and analyses of the dry substance and ash. 



The noteworthy changes occurring in the leaves were an increase in the 

 chlorin, sulphates, and calcium oxid, with a definite decrease in the iron and 

 alumina oxids and carbon dioxid. Similar results were obtained in the ash of 

 the roots, except that phosphoric acid, which had a tendency to decrease in the 

 leaves, seemed to increase in the roots. Calcium and magnesium oxids in- 

 creased appreciably, while potassium and sodium oxids remained practically 

 constant. The total ash content per 100 parts of dry substance decreased from 

 20.31 to 4.15 as the beets ripened. 



Sugar-cane culture for sirup production in the United States, P. A. Toder 

 {U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 486 {1917). pp. 45, figs. 19).— The field conditions and 

 practices and the economics of sugar-cane production in the localities where 

 sirup is the chief product of the cane are discussed in detail. 



On the basis of estimates from producers and other data, it is concluded that 

 the price of sirup in bulk must be above 23 cts. per gallon to afford any remu- 

 neration or profit to the owner or manager. The price of sirup in the general 

 market in recent years has ranged from 28 to 35 cts. per gallon, while in 1915 it 

 reached 40 cts. or higher. 



Recommendations are made for the utilization of the by-products, composed 

 of leaves and tops, bagasse (pomace or mash), and the skimmings, all of which 

 are almost entirely wasted under present practices. 



Effect of rate and date of sowing on yield of winter wheat, W. M. Jabdine 

 {Jour. Amer. Soc. Agron., 8 {1916), No. 3, pp. 163-166, fig. i).— This paper, 

 from the Kansas Experiment Station, discusses some investigations on the 

 relationship of the rate of seeding to the date of seeding winter Avheat. It had 

 been observed that varying results were obtained from sowing the same rate 

 of seed on different dates, as frequently occurs in actual farm practice. Con- 

 sequently in the fall of 1912, 24 :jV-acre plats were seeded, four at a time at 



