740 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. [Vol.88 



Cotton in the San Joaquin Valley, J. W. Gilmobe (CaUfomia Sta. Circ. 192 

 (1918), pp. S). — This circular briefly outlines the possibilities of cotton produc- 

 tion in the region indicated, with special reference to the growing of Egyptian 

 cotton. The soil, cultural, and moisture requirements of the crop are noted. 



The adoption of a constructive policy embodying the economic features of 

 labor, community organization and education, and the cultural features of soil 

 preparation, planting, cultivating, irrigating, harvesting, and crop improvement 

 is deemed essential in making the crop of permanent value to the agriculture 

 of the State. 



Cotton production in the United States: Crop of 1916 (Bur. of the Census 

 [U. S.], Cotton Prod. U. S., 1916, pp. ^3).— This presents tabulated statistics 

 of the cotton ginned from the 1916 crop for the United States, for the several 

 States, and for individual counties. 



Oats investigations, T. A. Kiesselbach and J. A. Ratcuff (Nebraska Sta. 

 Bui. 160 (1917), pp. 4-48, figs. i7).— This reports on the status of oat growing 

 in Nebraska on the basis of observations covering a long period of years, and 

 including variety and selection tests, comparisons of irrigated and unirrigated 

 oats for seed, a study of the effect of grading on the seed value of oats, rate-of- 

 planting tests, notes on the relative yields of oats and other crops at Lincoln, 

 and general observations on growing the crop and on substitute crops. Consid- 

 erable tabulated data are presented and discussed. 



The crop is said to be grown frequently at a loss in Nebraska, except in the 

 northeastern part of the State. Early varieties are deemed superior to late 

 varieties, tests covering a period of 15 years, 1902 to 1916, inclusive, showing 

 an average yield of 54.7 bu. per acre for six early varieties as compared with 

 41.7 bu. for 13 late varieties. Similar tests covering a 12-year period, 1905 to 

 1916, showed an average yield of 58.3 bu. per acre for three early varieties and 

 47.2 bu. for four late varieties ; while in tests covering a period of six years, 

 1911 to 1916, 4 early varieties showed an average yield of 56.4 bu., and 10 

 late varieties, a yield of 39.7 bu., there being an average difference of eight 

 days in time of ripening for the last two periods. The best early variety was 

 Burt, and the best late variety Swedish Select. 



Forty strains of Kherson oats, originating from 750 head selections, have 

 been grown for six years, 1911 to 1916, in the nursery, and 10 of these selec- 

 tions for four years, 1913 to 1916, in field plats. A white strain designated as 

 Nebraska No. 21 is considered best, giving an average yield of 57.39 bu. per 

 acre in the nursery and 61.9 bu. in field plats as compared with yields of 52.62 

 and 54.1 bu., respectively, for the original Kherson, and 64.5 and 62.3 bu. per 

 acre, respectively, for Burt and Texas Red grown in the field during the same 

 four-year period. 



Kherson and Swedish Select unirrigated seed grown in eastern Nebraska 

 produced an average yield for a five-year period, 1912 to 1916, of 47.6 and 33.6 

 bu. per acre, respectively, as compared with yields from irrigated seed grown 

 in western Nebraska of 51 and 36.8 bu., respectively. 



Fanning mill tests are noted from Research Bulletin 11, on page 732. 



During five years, 1912 to 1916, large and small hand-selected seeds of Kher- 

 son oats were compared for yield when sown in equal numbers and equal 

 weights per acre at an optimum rate for large seed. The average yield from 

 seed planted in equal numbers amounted to 46.1 bu. for large seed and 40.9 bu. 

 for small seed. In plantings of equal weights, a yield of 46.1 bu. was obtained 

 from both large and small seed, and of 45.3 bu. from unselected seed. 



Rate-of -planting tests extending over a period of 12 years are held to indicate 

 that a rather wide range in rate of planting may prevail without materially 

 affecting the yield per acre, but the data suggest a rate of from 10 to 12 pk. per 



