134 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.38 



Pastures on peat soils, H. von Feilitzen (Om Betesvailar pd Torvjord. Oote- 

 borg, Sweden: OiJteborg Lithographing Co., 1917, pp. 92, figs. 59).— The discus- 

 sion presented is based largely oo the results obtained on the experiment fields 

 of the Swedish Moor Culture Association. The subjects considered include 

 the adaptability of peat soils to pastures, the kind of peat soils best suited for 

 the purpose, methods of establishing pastures on such soils, the maintenance 

 of the pastures to give satisfactory results for a series of years, conditions in 

 long and recently established pastures on mossy soils and on peat soils high in 

 nitrogen content, and the use of pastures for the production of hay. 



The 1918 grain crop, T. F. Hunt (California Sta. Circ. 169 (1911), pp. 8).— 

 Tlie author brielly discusses the advisability of employing a portion of the 

 barley acreage in Culifornia for wheat production during the present emergency, 

 and outlines other possible means of increasing the wheat yield as (1) in- 

 creased acreage through the utilization of new land, and (2) increased produc- 

 tion on the existing acreage through improved farming methods. 



The effect of different methods of inoculation on the yield and protein con- 

 tent of alfalfa and sweet clover, II, A. C. Arny and R. W. Thatcher {Jour. 

 Amer. Soc. Agron., 9 (1917), No. 3, pp. 127-137; abs. in Physiol. Abs., 2 (1917), 

 No. 6, p. 375). — This paper, continuing inoculation studies (E. S. R., 33, p. 633), 

 reports the results secured with the 191.5 crop and presents the conclusions 

 drawn and the data obtained. 



Inoculation at seeding time produced a large increase in yield of dry matter 

 per acre and in percentage of protein in tlie dry matter in the second season 

 thereafter (first harvestable crop) as compared with the yield and composition 

 of the crop from adjacent tminoculated plats. In the next season's growth 

 (second harvestable crop) the differences are much less noticeable, and practi- 

 cally disappear the following year because of the rapid spread of the inoculating 

 bacteria to the uninoculated plats. Inoculation of either alfalfa or sweet clover 

 vpith soil from either alfalfa or sweet clover fields was equally efficient in pro- 

 ducing these effects. Inoculation with soil was generally more efficient in these 

 respects than inoculation with the commercial cultures used in the experiments. 

 Liming at seeding time (2 tons ground limestone per acre) slightly intensified 

 the above-mentioned effects of inoculation. Inoculation produced an increased 

 capacity of the plants to utilize mineral soil nutrients, the increased growth 

 resulting in the removal from the soil of very much larger amounts of potassium, 

 phosphorus, and calcium. Inoculated plants were also enabled to elaborate a 

 somewhat larger amount of dry matter from a given amount of mineral plant- 

 food element. 



Barley in Wyoming, T. S. Parsons (Wyoming Sta. Bui. 115 (1917), pp. 11- 

 S5, figs. 2).— Tliis reports experimental work for the 5-year period 1911-1915. 



Hanna and White Hull-less, the only varieties grown for 5 years, gave average 

 yields of 41.4 and 40.3 bu. per acre, respectively. California Feed and Chevalier, 

 with 4-year average yields of 60.9 and 58.1 bu., and Success, with a yield of 

 62 bu. per acre for one year, were the leading varieties reported. 



At the station barley required a growing period of from 106 to 122 days. 

 With early plowing and good seed-bed preparation it showed little difference in 

 yield on spring or fall ploweil land. Good soil preparation was deemed more 

 advantageous than very early seeding. The 2-year average yield of all home- 

 grown seed at the station was 54.1 bu. per acre as compared with a yield of 

 50.6 bu, for imported seed. Barnyard manure is reported as giving good 

 results with barley, with a marked cumulative effect. Idaho, Utah, and Colo- 

 rado winter barleys tested at the Wyoming Station winterkilled, although 

 successful yields of winter barley have been reported from Platte County. 



Approved methods of barley production are briefly outlined. 



