FIELD CROPS. 



1045 



and 3, as early as the conditions of the soil permitted, and between 

 the time of plowing - and planting the soil was brought to a superior 

 condition of tilth and a soil mulch established by harrowing frequently. 

 All plats were planted May 7. The rows were 40 in. apart and single 

 pieces of seed were planted 14 in. apart in the row. Large marketable 

 potatoes, free from scab and as perfect as could be obtained, were se- 

 lected for seed, and the cuttings were made of good size, with 1 or 2 

 strong eyes to each cutting. The practice of using parings or single 

 eyes or buds for seed and the use of small potatoes for the same purpose 

 is discouraged. 



The following table gives the results for this season: 



Field of potato plats for 1897. 



No. ill' 

 plat. 



Variety. 



Number of 

 cultivations. 



Number of 

 sprayinga 



with Total 



Bordeaux yield per 

 mixture aire. 

 and Paris 

 greeii. 



Carman No. 3 8 level... 



do do ... 



do 5 level... 



... ili i !. do . . . 



ili i 5 hilled.- 



Rural New Yorker Xu. 2 5 level. .. 



do du ... 



do 7 level... 



Rose of Sharou - do . . . 



do 5 level. . . 



4 

 4 

 4 



4 

 4 

 None. 

 4 

 4 

 4 

 4 



384 

 357 

 349 

 325 

 288 

 234 

 305 

 347 

 320 

 311 



In 1896 forage crops were grown on all the plats, except on plat 34, 

 on which spurry was grown, the first and second crops being plowed 

 under. After the second plowing the spurry reseeded again and was 

 left as a cover crop. The large yield of this plat is credited to its 

 better treatment. Plats 37 and 38 were treated alike, except that at 

 the last cultivation plat 37 was left level and plat 38 was hilled. There 

 was a difference in yield of 37 bu. per acre in favor of level culture. 



"The general results with culture verify the results obtained in 1896, 

 i. e., that in the ordinary season about 7 to 9 cultivations with a fine- 

 toothed implement are likely to give best results." 



Sugar beets in Michigan in 1897, C. D. S:\iiTn and R. C. Kedzie 

 (Michigan Sta. Bui. 150, pp. 133-158, Jigs, ff, map 1). — This bulletin gives 

 reports of experiments with sugar beets at the station and of cooper- 

 ative experiments made by farmers throughout the State. Results of 

 numerous analyses are tabulated, notes on the soil and climatic con- 

 ditions for sugar beets are given, and a number of varieties of beets 

 are described. The mean weekly temperature and rainfall for the beet 

 season is given in a table. 



At the station plats of well-drained, sandy loam soil were plowed 8 

 in. deep on April 17, followed by a subsoil plow which loosened the soil 

 from 8 to 10 in. below the furrow. After the soil had been brought to 



