1918] FIELD CROPS. 637 



four or five hours after cutting. The loss in dry matter in the silage from 

 such sources is said to be about 10 per cent, while in material containing only 

 from 20 to 25 per cent dry matter the loss was more than 20 per cent. 



Silage crops for western Washington, B. B. Stookey {Washington Sta., 

 West Wash. Sta. Mo. Bui., 5 (WIS), No. 10, pp. 1^8-152) .—The production and 

 relative value of corn, clover and grass, winter wheat and spring vetch, and 

 spring oats and peas or vetch for silage in western Washington are briefly 

 outlined. 



Names of textile plant fibers, L. H. Dewey (In The Rubber Industry, 

 London: Inlernat. Rubber and Allied Trades Ex. [1911^, pp. SIfl-SSO) .—T\\q 

 author presents a check list of the principal textile plant tibers and fiber- 

 producing plants, giving the names of the fibers, the common and botanical 

 names of the plants, and the countries of production. 



Crotalaria usaramoensis as a green manure, W. M. van Helten {Dept. 

 Landb., Nijv. en Handel {Dutch East Indies'^, Meded. Cultuurtuin, No. 6 

 {1917), pp. 3, pi. 1). — Observations of field tests with C. usaramoensis (form- 

 merly C. muyussi) are briefly noted. 



The improvement of the jute crop by pure-line selection, R. S. Finlow 

 {Agr. Jour. India, 12 {1911), No. 2, pp. 283-290). — This is a progress report on 

 the production of improved seed of pure lines of Corchorus olitorius and C. 

 capsularis, with the view of improving the crop in Bengal. 



New grasses for California. — I. Phalaris stenoptera, P. B. Ivennedy {Univ. 

 Cal. Pubs. Agr. Sci., 3 {1917), No. 1, pp. 24, pls. 8). — P. stenoptera is described 

 and illustrated and its value as a perennial grass, capable of standing the 

 winter temperatures and long, dry seasons in the central valleys of California 

 Is discussed. 



The after-ripening of cane. — Chemical changes which take place after 

 cutting, .T. H. Barnes {Agr. Jour. India, 12 {1917), No. 2, pp. 200-215).— Bx- 

 perimental evidence is presented by the author indicating that the custom of 

 storing cut sugar cane before crushing, as practiced in the Gurdaspur District, 

 India, is justified, as it tends to further ripening with a consequent increase 

 in sucrose. It was also observed that the practice was attended with a danger 

 of loss if the storing was continued for too long a period. 



The length of time for which cane can be stored without suffering a decrease 

 of sucrose and during which a natural increase may be expected is said to vary 

 Vvith the temperature of the air and the condition of the cane, decreasing with 

 a rise of temperature. Excessive cold, including too great a change in tem- 

 perature, may cause losses in sucrose, probably due to suspended cell activity 

 and a consequent loss of control of the ordinary fermentation changes occurring 

 in the cell. 



The Gurdaspur practice of covering cut cane with damp trash to keep the 

 cane stem alive maintains a uniform temperature with little loss of moisture 

 and, according to the author, should result in a natural increase rather than a 

 decrease in the sucrose content of the cane for a limited time, depending on the 

 temperature and the condition of the cane. It is pointed out that moist heat 

 will also induce the growth of molds, fungi, and bacteria, resulting in decay 

 fermentations and ultimate loss of sucrose. 



Considerable tabulated data are presented giving the results of numerous 

 analyses and calculations. 



Behavior of sweet potatoes in the ground, H. Hasselbring {U. S. Dept. 

 Agr., Jour. Agr. Research, 12 {1918), No. 1, pp. 9-17, fig. 1). — Experimental 

 work suggested by the author's previous investigations (E. S. R, 32, p. 633) is 

 described in which the carbohydrate metabolism in Big Stem sweet potatoes 

 grown in a sandy field at Bell Station, Md., was followed in order to determine 



