756 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The pollination and fecundation of rye, K. Ulrich {Inaug. Diss., Univ. .Jena, 

 1902, lip. 63) .—The author reviews the studies of this sul>ject by different investi- 

 gators and reports the results of his own observations. He concludes that the rye 

 blossom is self-sterile, although he found that self-pollination in a head or several 

 heads of the same plant may cause a normal production of grains. In general, self- 

 fertility is very rare and varies with the variety. Within the variety individual vari- 

 ations occur, so that completely sterile, as well as strongly self-fertile plants, are pro- 

 duced. The results, on the whole, indicate that every variety of rye must depend 

 upon cross fertilization for a normal fecundation and grain production. 



Saltbushes, J. J. Thornber {Arizona Sta. Rpt. 1902, jyp. 262, 263).— K lirief note 

 on the work with saltbushes by the station. 



Sugar beets, R. H. Forbks and W. W. Skinner {Arizona Sta. Rpt. 1902, pp. 267, 



9SS). The results of analyses of Kleinwanzlebener sugar beets, grown in Salt River 



Vallev in 1902, are given in a table. The average results of 18 samples show a sugar 

 content in the beets of 15.7 per cent, with a purity of 81.7 The average yield per 

 acre was 19.5 tons. 



The sugar beet from an agricultural and industrial standpoint, L. Gesch- 

 wiNU and E. Sellier {La betteravc agrlcole ct indmtrielle. Parlx: (hmthie.r-Villars, 

 1902, pp. 668, figs. 129). — Historical notes on the culture of sugar l)eets and the man- 

 ufacture of beet sugar are given, and the production of sugar-beet seed and the gen- 

 eral culture of the crop are discussed. The subject is further considered from a 

 botanical and chemical standpoint, and remedies and preventive measures against 

 insect enemies and plant diseases are suggested. The relation of sugar-beet culture 

 to the sugar industry is considered at some length. 



Fertilizer experiments with sugar beets, D. N. Pryanishnikov {KJtozyaene, 

 1902, No. 13-14; rev. in Zhnr. Opuitn. Agrun. [Jour. Expt. Lanchv.'], 3 {1902), No. 3, 

 pp. 376-378). — The results of fertilizer experiments with sugar beets in different 

 localities were presented at the third congress of experiment station workers, which 

 convened on the estate of P. I. Kharitonenko and was attended by Gl persons. The 

 reports from the different regions showed that superphosphate has a very beneficial 

 effec;t on the quantity and quality of the crop, and that this effect is increased 

 when nitrate of soda is used in conjunction with the superphosphate. Although 

 containing twice as much phosphoric acid, bone meal was inferior to superj^hosphate. 

 The same was observed with Thomas slag. — p. fireman. 



Variation in the sugar content of swedes under different conditions of 

 growth, 8. H. CoLMXs {.Tour. Soc. ('hem. Ind., 21 {1902), No.24,pp. 1513-1516, figs. 

 3). — The methods of analysis are described and the results are presented in tables. 

 Storing increased the sugar content from 6.30 to 6.94 per cent, or nearly one-tenth. 

 This is ascribed to the loss of water by evaporation and the conversion of other con- 

 stituents into sugar. The effect of the season is shown by a comparison of the aver- 

 age sugar content of the varieties grown, which was 6.26 per cent in 1900 and only 

 4.05 per cent in 1901. The richest varieties were Stirling Castle, X L All, Fell 

 Bronze Top, and Arctic. It is concluded that under any reasonable conditions the 

 effect of different manures on the sugar content is very small. The weight of sugar 

 produced per acre was not always proportional to the weight of total crop. 



Wheat culture and its profits in Central and Southwestern Russia, A. 

 BoRCHARDT {Dcr Weizevihau ini siidiccstlicJien ^md zcnlralen Russlatid tmd .seine Rent- 

 abilitdt. Berlin: Deal. Landtv. Gesell., 1902, pp. 34). — This is a report on the culture 

 of wheat in central and southwestern Russia including a consideration of the eco- 

 nomic conditions under which the industry exists. 



Assimilation of plant food in wheat and rye, H. Juhlin-Dannfelt {K. Landt. 

 Akad. JIaiidl. Tidsb:, 41 {1902), No. 2, pp. iJ-^-ioV;).— Experiments with wheat and 

 rye were conducted at Ultuna Agricultural College by A. Ulander at the suggestion 

 of the author. The conclusions drawn from the results with reference to the ferti- 



