660 EXPERIMENT BTATION RECORD. 



Influence of the color of seeds on the yield of clover, V. KHARCHENKO 

 ( Vyestnik Selsk. Khoz., 1908, No. 48; abs. in Zhur. Opwitn. Agron. [Russ. Jour. Expt. 

 fjui'hr.], 5 ( t904), No. ■>', p. 400). — A series of experiments was carried on to tesl the 

 claim nf Fruwirth that yellow clover seeds yield larger crops than variegated ones. 

 l)i fferent lots of Russian and American clovers were examined and divided according 

 to the color of the seed, after which the samples were sown, but it was later found 

 that the soils were hardly comparable. It is believed, however, that the yield of 

 hay in the case of the yellow seed was slightly greater than that produced from 

 variegated seed. 



Incidental to the other investigation, the author determined the percentage of the 

 different colored seeds, and found that on an average the Russian clovers contained 

 35.89 per cent of variegated seed, L8. 77 per cent yellow, 15.91 percent brown, 26.84 



percent intermediate, and 1.35 percent weed seed, and 1.25 percent of dirt; while 

 for the American clovers the figures are 32.9 per cent variegated, 20.3 percent yellow, 

 lil.07 per cent brown, 20.47 per cent intermediate, with .'198 per cent weed seed, and 

 3.48 per cent of dirt. 



The germinative capacity of the variegated, yellow, and brown seeds in the Rus- 

 sian varieties were 87 percent for the variegated, 85.6 percent for the yellow, and 

 13.6 per cent for the blown; for the American samples the figures were 94.7 per cent 

 for the variegated seed, 94.2 per cent for the yellow, and 13 per cent for the brown. 

 The brown seeds, which have such a uniformly low germinative capacity, were 

 believed to be caused by the prolonged action of rain on the seeds, and this opinion 

 seems to be confirmed by laboratory experiments in wetting and drying seeds for a 

 considerable time. — P. fireman. 



Hairy or sand vetch and bur clover, B. W. Kilgore, C. B. Williams, and 

 R. W. Pod {Bid. North Carolina Slate Bd. Agr., 25 {1904), No. 7, j>j>. 85, figs. 18).— 

 The culture, uses, and value of these leguminous crops are discussed. The average 

 yield of air-dry material of hairy vetch obtained for two years amounted to 4,060 lbs. 

 of stems, leaves, pods, and blossoms, and 1,489 lbs. of roots and 2-in. stubble per 

 acre; and for bur clover the corresponding figures were 5,842 and 1,131 lbs. per acre. 

 The composition and fertilizing value of the two crops are given in tables. 



It is stated that soil which has produced green peas with nodules upon their roots 

 can be used for inoculating soil for the vetch crop. The observation was made thai 

 the bacteria of sweet clover and bur clover will inoculate alfalfa. 



The mangel and its cultivation, A. Holm {Transvaal Agr. Jour., 3 {1904), No. 

 9, pp. 40-45). — General directions for the culture of mangels are given, and the 

 results of a fertilizer experiment with the crop are shown in a table. Yellow Globe 

 mangels were grown on a reddish loam soil with a gravelly subsoil, and commercial 

 fertilizers were applied with and without barnyard manure. 



The largest profits were secured from the use of 200 lbs. of nitrate of soda, 400 lbs. 

 of superphosphate, and 150 lbs. of sulphate of potash, followed by an application in 

 which the potash in this formula was replaced by 10 tons of barnyard manure 

 per acre. 



Oats, R. W. Peacock {Agr. Gaz. Neiv Smith Wales, 15 {1904), No. 8, pp. 765-772, 

 figs. 8). — A classification of the types of oats and general directions for the cultivation 

 of the crop are given. A list of varieties is presented, in which the chief character 

 of each group is pointed out. In a test of different varieties those maturing early 

 gave the highest yields, and those maturing late, the lowest. Of the intermediate 

 varieties, Abundance ranked first. Algerian and Red Rust-proof were comparatively 

 rust resistant. A yield of 62 bu. per acre is recorded for Algerian. 



On the difference in behavior of potatoes and fodder beets toward crude 

 and pure potash salts, W. Schneidewind and D. Meyer {Landw. Jahrb., 33 {1904), 

 ]>/>. 347-353). — Pot experiments were conducted to study the influence of different 

 potash salts, as well as the effect of common salt, on potatoes and fodder beets. 



