762 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Inspection of commercial fertilizers, 1904, F. W. Wolf, and G. A. Olson 

 ( Wisconsin Sta. Rpt. 1904, pp. 338-341, 377, 378).— A brief account is given of the 

 results of inspection during the year with the text of the State fertilizer law. 



Mineral resources of the United States, calendar year 1903, D. T. Day 

 (/'. S. Geol. Survey, 1904, PP- 1-04). — This is the twentieth annual report of this 

 series, an advance summary of which has already been noted (E. S. R., 16, p. 557). 

 Among the substances of agricultural interest for which statistics are given are phos- 

 phates, marls, gypsum, clay products, cement, and salt. 



FIELD CROPS. 



The Agricultural Department, F. B. Linfield (Montana Sta. Rpt. 190.',, pp. 

 19-27). — The work of the department for the year is briefly noted. Fifty-two varie- 

 ties of wheat were grown on plats one-sixtieth of an acre in size. The yields ranged 

 from 20 to 72 bu. per acre, with an average of 42.6 bu. The yields of 30 varieties of 

 oats varied from 56 to 145 bu. per acre, and averaged 103 bu., while 33 varieties 

 of barley, ranging in yield from 50 to 97 bu. per acre, gave an average of 64.1 bu. 



A series of 1-acre plats used for a 6-course rotation experiment during the past 6 

 years was this year sown to oats, and the yields of this crop as it followed peas, 

 wheat, clover, barley, sugar beets, and oats were compared. After wheat the yield 

 was 1,590 lbs. and after peas 3,405 lbs. of grain per acre. Where the oats followed 

 clover, 2,760 lbs. of grain per acre was obtained, while after barley the yield was 

 only 1,335 lbs., and after oats 1,952 lbs. The plat which had produced sugar beets 

 the year before yielded 2,620 lbs. of grain per acre. 



The results of an experiment with nitrate of soda and Thomas slag as fertilizers 

 for wheat, oats, and barley showed that the use of 200 lbs. of nitrate of soda per acre 

 increased the yield of wheat by 15 bu. ; oats, 4.7, and barley 21.5 bu., as compared 

 with the plat receiving no fertilizers. Thomas slag alone increased the yield of wheat 

 and barley, remaining apparently without effect on the yield of oats; while Thomas 

 slag and nitrate of soda applied together gave an increase in yield for all 3 crops. 

 Cooperative tests with varieties of wheat, oats, barley, peas, and potatoes previously 

 tested at the station for 4 years, are described. 



Experiments with grain and forage plants, 1904, R. A. Moore and A. L. 

 Stone ( Wisconsin Sta. Rpt. 1904, pp. 289-316, figs. 11). — Of 18 varieties of oats under 

 test, Swedish Select, also known as Wisconsin No. 4, has given the best general results 

 during several years. The straw of this variety is stiff, and about 60 per cent are 

 twin oats. The station work with oats is discussed and a classification with regard 

 to the development of kernels of grain in the plant is given. 



Among the varieties of barley Manshury, Golden Queen, and Silver King, both 

 believed to be from Manshurian stock, and Oderbrucker stand at the head. The 

 6-rowed varieties have led in yield and in ability to stand up well, while the 2-rowed 

 produced a heavier grain. Oderbrucker and Manshury stand close to each other in 

 yield and weight of grain. The albumen content of Oderbrucker is about 15 percent 

 and that of Manshury 13 per cent, and in order to test the value of a barley high in 

 albumen for brewing purposes, arrangements have been made by the station to 

 furnish 100 bu. of Oderbrucker for a malting test. Petkus and Schlanstedt fall rye 

 continued to give good returns. 



A yellow variety of peas obtained from the Minnesota Station in 1902 matured in 

 104 days and again gave good returns, yielding 38.5 bu. per acre. The yields of 10 

 varieties of soy beans ranged from 10.2 to 24.5 bu. per acre. In 1903, U. S. No. 9407 

 and Early Brown yielded 50 and 40 bu. of dried beans, respectively, but this season 

 the yields were reduced by unfavorable weather. Analyses made by G. A. Olson, of 

 the station, show that the samples of soy beans contained 10.53 per cent of moisture, 

 36.25 per cent of protein, 16.90 per cent of fat, 4.15 per cent of crude liber, 25.97 per 



