434 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.38 



Concerning alfalfa and soy beans, J. L. Hiixs (Vermont Sta. Bui. 20J, (1911), 

 pp. Ji0-'12). — This article is a compilation of general information relating to the 

 production and use of alfalfa and soy beans, with special reference to Vermont 

 conditions. 



Irrigation of alfalfa, S. Foutier (U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. S65 (1911), 

 pp. 40, figs. S6).—A revised and abridged edition of Farmers' Bulletin 373 

 (E. S. R., 22, p. 13.'5). The use of portable pipe for irrigating alfalfa in 

 regions where water is pumped at considerable expense is described. Addi- 

 tional data are presented on the amount of water required as indicated by 

 field tests at several experimental centers. 



Influence of the frequency of irrigation on the yields of alfalfa, R. W. 

 AxLEN (U. S. Dcpt. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus., Work Umatilla Expt. Farm,, 1015-16, 

 pp. 18, 19). — Three years' experiments, designed to show the influence of the 

 frequency of irrigation on yields of alfalfa, showed " the highest duty of water 

 to result from irrigating alfalfa at intervals of three weeks, while the greatest 

 return from the land comes from irrigating weekly. The amount of hay 

 produced by weekly irrigations over that derived from biweekly irrigations 

 averages but 0.56 ton for the three years and does not warrant the additional 

 labor of applying the extra 10 irrigations and tlie 3J ft. of water used. This 

 excess labor and water are approximately sufficient to produce 4.76 tons of hay 

 per acre when applied to other land. Biweekly irrigations are definitely shown 

 to give the best results from the labor and water involved." 



Bean growing in eastern Washington and Oregon and northern Idaho, 

 L. W. Fluhakty, revised l>y B. Hunter (U. /S'. Dcpt. Agr., Farmers' Bui. 907 

 (1917), pp. 16, figs. 3). — A revision of Farmers' Bulletin 561 (E. S. R., 30, p. 

 138). 



Red clover experiments. — A second series of investigations relating to the 

 improvement of red clover, H. M. Gmelin (Cultura, 28 (1916), No. 3Jf, pp. 4H- 

 1,30; 29 (1917), Nos. 31,1, pp. 1-21, figs. 8; 3^2, pp. 49-62; 343, pp. 73-85).— 

 Continuing work previously noted (E. S. R., 33, p. 131), the author reports 

 rather extensive observations of inheritance of flower color (white and red), 

 leaf spot, and compound leaves with more than three leaflets in red clover. 

 Further observations are reported on the isolation of individual plants, the 

 crossing of different clover varieties, the verification of seed color, and the grain 

 weight of different clover races. 



Selecting corn seed, E. B. Babcock (California Sta. Circ. 180 (1917), pp. 7, 

 figs. 3). — A brief, popular discussion on the handling of newly harvested corn, 

 with directions for field selection and for individual plant tests as a means of 

 Improving the corn crop. 



Manufacturing tests of the of&cial cotton standards for grade, W. S. Dean 

 and F. Taylor (U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 591 (1917), pp. 27, figs. 11). —This de- 

 scribes spinning and weaving tests conducted during 1916 in representative mills 

 at Fall River, Mass., and in the textile department of the North Carolina College, 

 and bleaching tests made in Fall River and in the New Bedford (Mass.) Textile 

 School to determine the relative intrinsic values of cotton of the grades of 

 middling fair, good middling, middling, low middling, and good ordinary of the 

 official cotton standards of the United States. The chief factors considered 

 were the percentage of waste, the tensile strength of the yarn, the bleaching 

 properties of the yarn and cloth, the moisture content, and other manufacturing 

 properties of the cotton. The cotton employed was from the 1914 crop pur- 

 chasefl during May and June of 1915 from the following zones or .sections of the 

 cotton belt : Piedmont Plateau, Atlantic Coastal Plains, eastern Gulf Coastal 

 Plains, western Gulf Coastal Plains, and western Prairie Lands and Plateau. 



