42 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



made when 400 lbs. of fertilizer was used, aud with the Jones Improved 

 69 per cent; where 800 lbs. was applied the gain fell to 13 and 2G per 

 cent, respectively; and with 1,200 lbs. there was a gain of 15 per cent 

 and a loss of 33 per cent, respectively. 



Apphjing feriiUzerH in the driU (pp. 405, 406).— In different cases fer- 

 tilizers were ai)plied (1) all before jdanting, and' (2) two thirds before 

 planting and one-third with the seed; the results favored the latter 

 course. 



Tennessee soft phosphate rs. aeid phosphate (pp. 407, 408).— Superphos- 

 phate in a complete fertilizer was compared with 1, li, and 2 times the 

 same amount of Tennessee soft phosphate. The latter was applied in 

 each case at a loss. 



Effect oftopphui cotton (pp. 408, 409).— Single rows were topped July 

 1 and 15 and August 1 and 15; others were not topped. The author 

 con('ludes that the topping proved a decided injury. 



General fertilizer experiments (pp. 410-416). — In 1895 the formula giv- 

 ing best results was 468 lbs. of acid phosphate, 36 lbs. of muriate of 

 potash, and 286 lbs. of cotton-seed meal (or nitrate of soda 130 lbs.) ; the 

 mixture contained 8.77 per cent of available phosphoric acid, 2.54 per 

 cent of potash, and 2.54 per cent of nitrogen. 



Cowpea, W. O. Stubbs, W. E. Dodson, and M. Bird {Louisiana 

 Stas. Bnl. 40, 2(1 ser., pp. 1139-U6fi). — This is mainly a popular bulle- 

 tin, partly compiled, on the cowpea. 



In an experiment to determine whether the present varieties had been 

 produced by cross-fertilization 78 plants were selected, including 24 

 varieties. When the flower buds were formed each plant was sur- 

 rounded by a wooden frame. One-half of these were covered with 

 mosquito netting and the remainder with thin muslin. Pollen was 

 dusted by hand on the stigmas of 12 jilants covered with netting, but 

 no difference in results was observed. Over 95 per cent of tlie pro- 

 tected flowers matured seed, showing that the flowers are self-fertiliz- 

 ing. Close observations failed to detect any cross-fertilization by 

 insects. Flowers fertilized artificially failed to produce seed. 



From a study of 63 varieties the authors conclude as follows: 



"It ^Aould seem, tbeu, that as far as we can tell 1 original form of the cowpea 

 was selected for cultivation, and in the natural tendency to vary from that original 

 form under new environments some forms would arise exhibiting new characters. 

 These individuals were selected and preserved, the new characters tending to become 

 more i)ermanent. The offspring of these would often tend to revert, and other A'aria- 

 tions arising would keep in existence many of the connecting links between the 

 original and the new forms. 



"Many of the so-called varieties of the cowpea are forms of these connecting 

 links. All forms studied by me can not claim to he more than 1 species, Tiyna sinen- 

 sis, with the possible establishment of a small number of varieties." 



During 3 years a green-manuring experiment was conducted at 

 the station with 12 varieties of the cowpea on 12 plats, 9 by 9 ft. The 

 seed of each variety was sown at the rate of 2 bu. per acre. On one- 



