FIELD CROPS. 435 



value of potatoes and their content of dry matter, starch, and nitro<ren, but in the bet- 

 ter varieties the relation l^etween starch and total nitrogen is found to be narrow. 



Electro-culture of crops {Agr. Jour. Cape Good Hope, 20 [1902), No. 12, pp. 666, 

 667). — The resuks of experiments in electro-culture with potatoes are reported. 



Experiments in storing potatoes, O. Appel {Arh. K. (iemndJieitsamte, Biol, 

 AbL, 2 {1902), No. 3, p. 373; abs. in Centbl. Bakt. «. Par., 2. Abt., 8 {1902), No. 21, 

 pp. 683, 684). — Cooperative experiments on storing potatoes by burying them in the 

 ground were made and the results are here summarized. The methods of covering 

 the potatoes are described and the results compared. The development of bacteria 

 on the stored potatoes in some cases killed the eyes or buds. 



Report on ramie, E. Dazey {Jour. Agr. Trop., 2 {1902), No. ll,p>p. 148, 149). — 

 A brief description of a cheap process of decorticating ramie. 



Bice cleaning- and polishing, D. C. Roper {Twelfth Census United States, Census 

 Bid. 201, pp. 14) ■ — This is a report on rice cleaning and polishing in the United 

 States and the Hawaiian Islands during 1900. The information presented is largely 

 statistical. Historical and descriptive notes on rice culture are also given. 



Rational fertilization of soil seeded to winter rye, S. Bogdanov {Selsh. Klioz. 

 % Lyesov.,201 {1901), Apr., pp. 96-116). — After a survey of the literature on the sub- 

 ject and a discussion of the experimental work of various investigators, the author 

 lays down a plan for the fertilization of soil seeded to rye. If the soil still contains 

 a certain degree of fertility, it is considered unnecessary for the satisfactory develop- 

 ment of winter rye to fertilize before winter; but if not fertile enough, a small quan- 

 tity of a readily assimilable nitrogenous fertilizer should be applied. On light, 

 sandy soils all the necessary fertilizers may be applied in the spring. If the soil is 

 not a sandy one and also when the fertility of the soil is very low so that fertilizer is 

 required before winter, it is recommended to apply the potash and phosphoric acid 

 and only a part of the nitrogen in a slowly assimilable form before sowing. The 

 remainder and larger portion of the nitrogen is to be given in 1 or 2 applications in 

 the spring. — p. fireman. 



Notes on sugar-beet culture {Amer. Agr. {imd.ed.),69 {1902), No. 10, p. 350). — 

 An article giving complete details of the production of a prize crop yielding 74,306 

 lbs. of beets per acre with an average sugar centent of 16.1 per cent and a purity of 

 82.3. The yield of sugar per acre was 11,963 lbs. 



Sugar cane report, season 1901, H. J. Blyth {Dalsing Serai, India: Indigo 

 Improvements Syndicate, 1902, pp. 3). — Notes and analyses of different varieties of 

 sugar cane grown in 1901 at the Dalsing Serai Experimental Farm, in the Pronnce 

 of Behar, India. 



Sweet potato experiments, C. L. Newman {Arkansas Sta. Bid. 72, pp. 33-43). — 

 The results of variety tests with sweet potatoes for the years 1898-1901, inclusive, 

 are given in a table. Of the varieties under test for 4 years, Providence, Southern 

 Queen, Notch Leaf Bunch Yam, Polo, Nancy Hall, Jersey Yellow, and General 

 Grant, given in the order of productiveness, yielded on an average over 200 bu. per 

 acre. Pumpkin, Florida Yam, General Grant, and Southern Queen showed the 

 best keeping qualities. Pumpkin, Vestal New Arkansas Yellow Yam, Florida Yam, 

 General Grant, Nancy Hall, and Tennessee are recommended for their superior table 

 qualities. 



Small, medium, and large seed was planted in beds and an equal number of slips 

 from each lot planted on equal areas for comparison. The slips from the large seed 

 yielded 4.8 bu. per acre more than those from the small seed, but the yield of mer- 

 chantable potatoes was 9.8 bu. greater. "While the results of this test show but a 

 small increased yield from slips from large seed as compared with slips from small 

 seed, it is probalDle that the progenitors for a number of generations were all small 



13507— No. 6—03 3 



