946 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



bused upon the results of au extensive series of experiiueuts.' In a 

 recent report^ lie claims that sound whole tubers of medium size will 

 give the best returns. Vilmorin^ has given the results of experiments 

 with 40 varieties of potatoes in which the yield per hectare and per- 

 centage of starch were determined. Riviere^ has reported upon some 

 experiments on potatoes in the desert regions of Algeria. 



In wheat culture but two important publications have appeared. 

 Vilmorin'^ has investigated the subject of seeding wheat, and he cou- 

 (iludes that the true wheats should be sown in good season in autumn. 

 Late seeding and reseeding Avith spring wheats is to be condemned. 

 Desprez" has reported an extensive series of experiments with wheat 

 at the station of Cappelle, in which many varieties were tested. The 

 tests were made on experimental fields for general culture, on experi- 

 ment plats for detailed tests, and on other fields to apply in ordinary 

 culture tlie results obtained on the experimental plats. 



Among contributions to forestry, attention is called to the work of 

 Henry' on the weight and comi:)Osition of the dead leaves of forests. 

 He shows that the weight of dead leaves in a standard coppice is at a 

 minimum soon after cutting, from which time it gradually increases for 

 about 10 years and then reuuiins nearly constant until the next cutting, 

 the dry matter amounting to about 5,500 kg. per hectare in Lorraine. 

 In (►Ider forests of large trees it may increase to 7,000 to 8,000 kg. per 

 hectare. Small twigs and branches enter into the total, often amount- 

 ing to J or J of the entire weight. From tables given in the article the 

 weight of the different mineral constituents is readily ascertained. A 

 20-year-old coppice growing on calcareous soil yielded 542 kg. of ash 

 per hectare, containing 22.8 kg. of i^hosphoric acid, 15.4 kg. of potash, 

 and 182 kg. of lime. On a clay soil the yield of ash was 490 kg., con- 

 taining 28.8 kg. of phosphoric acid, 33.3 kg. of potash, and 123 kg. 

 of lime. This investigation supi^lements the work of Ebermayer in 

 Bavaria, published in 1876. Briot^ has made a very important contri- 

 bution to alpine economy, in which he treats of the management of high 

 meadows, reforestation, etc. Crevaf^ has made physiological studies 

 of certain conifers that might well be extended to other species of trees. 

 The National Society of Agriculture"' has investigated the subject of 

 introduction of foreign trees capable of growing in France. Mouillefort 

 has recommended the following as promising additions to the forest 



■' Bui. Soc. Nat. Agr. France, 1896, No. 2, p. 107. 



- Aun. Sci. Agrou., ser. 2, anu. 2, 1 (1896), p. 428. 



'Bui. Soc. Agr. France. 28 (1896), Supp. May 1, p. .522. 



^Bul. Soc. Nat. Agr. France, 1896, No. 4, p. 209. 



■Ibid., No. 1, p. 50. 



Jour. Agr., 2 (1896), p. 348. 



' Compt. Rend., 122 (1896), p. 144. 



*'£tudes sur r^couomie alpestre; Paris: Berger Levrault. 1896. 



9 Jour. Agr. Prat., 1 (1896), pp. 89, 132, 204. 



'"Bui. Soc. Nat. Agr. France, 1896, No. 1, p. 37. 



