FIELD CROPS. 



43 



beyond which there was a gradual falling off of the yields. The author compares? 

 the eost and increased yield, from which it appears that an addition was obtained 

 in the crop that was equal to 4 times the cost of the chemical applied. 



On the stimulating- action of manganese upon rice, M. Nalaoka (Bui. Col. 

 Agr., Tohyolmp. Univ., >: (1904), No.2, pp.135, 136). — Manganese compounds applied 

 the previous year had increased the yield of paddy rice (see above), ami this season 

 the residual effects of these applications were observed. The best yield was obtained 

 where manganese sulphate had been applied at a rate which furnished 30 kg. of 

 manganic oxid per hectare, while the 'yield on the soil which had received 25 k^r. 

 was nearly as large. The increase over the soil which had been manured but had 

 received no manganese was 16.9 per cent, while the maximum of increase for the 

 Bret year was 37 per cent. 



Progress of the beet-sugar industry in the United States, C. F. Saylor 

 | Washington: Government Printing Office, 1904, pp. 184)- — Earlier annual reports on 

 the beet-sugar industry have been previously noted (E. S. R., 15, p. 356). This 

 report discusses the development of sugar-beet production and of beet-sugar manu- 

 facture in the different States, compares the culture of sugar beets with growing 

 other crops, points out the influence and economic effects of the industry, and drives 

 general cultural directions. 



The quality and source of our sugar-beet seed supply is considered, and the results 

 obtained with home-grown beet seed and in germination tests with home and foreign 

 grown seed, made in the Seed Laboratory of the Bureau of Plant Industry of this 

 Department, are given in tables. The duration of the germination tests was in all 

 except 2 cases 6 and 14 days. The home-grown seed excelled in every respect with 

 the exception of Hoerning seed of Improved Kleinwanzlebener, which in the 14-day 

 test produced the greatest number of sprouts. 



The average sugar content of 185 beets grown in "Washington from seed produced 

 in that State was 20.21 per cent. Other results obtained by the Bureau of Plant 

 Industry in cooperation with several experiment stations are given in the tables 

 below: 



Summary of analyses of beets grown at Geneva, X. Y., fall of 1903. 



Kind of seed used. 



Sugar Purity 



content, coefficient. 



/'< r C( lit. 



German No. 1 17.4 



German No. 2 17. 3 



Washington 16.3 



German No. 3 17.1 



Utah 17. 1 



California 16. 2 



Michigan 15.2 



pi r cent. 

 88.1 

 86.3 

 84.0 



88.1 

 S5.9 

 85. 3 

 83.2 



Yield per 

 acre. 



Tons. 

 18.61 

 17. 48 

 18.10 



15. 71 

 15. 78 



16. 29 

 13.89 



Sugar < 

 purity. 



Sugar ■ 



purity X 



yield. 



15. 33 

 14.93 

 13.69 

 15. 06 

 14. 69 

 13. 82 

 12. 65 



28. 53 

 26. 10 

 24.7s 

 23.70 

 23.18 

 22. 51 

 17. 57 



Summary of analyses of beets grown <it Fairfield, Wash., fall of 1903. 



Kind of seed used. 



Utah 



German No. 1 

 German No. :; 



California 



Michigan 



Washington. . 

 German No. 2 



German No. 1 ami I rerman No. 2 represent selected seed and German No. 3 com- 

 mercial seed, while the other samples were produced in the States mentioned 



