772 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



intended for the general reader and the agricultural student, is a treatise on the 

 cereal crops, principally with reference to their American environment. 



The purpose of the work is to present "a fairly comprehensive, although concise, 

 statement of experimental results as well as of farm methods relating to the cereals 

 in America." The crops discussed are wheat, maize, oats, barley, rye, rice, sorghum, 

 and buckwheat, several chapters, as a rule, being devoted to each one. The different 

 topics treated under each crop are structure; composition; botanical relations; classi- 

 fication and improvements of varieties; climate; the soil and its amendments; cul- 

 tural methods; weeds, fungus diseases, and insect enemies; harvesting and preserva- 

 tion; uses and preparation for use; production and marketing; and history. 



Examining- and grading grains, T. L. Lyon and PL G. Montgomery ( Nebraska: 

 Authors, 1904, pp. 64, figs. 16). — The classification of species and varieties, a descrip- 

 tion of characters with outlines for the same, and an enumeration and discussion of 

 points to be observed in grading and judging, are given for wheat, corn, oats, and 

 barley. An outline for use in studying the common cultivated grasses, hay and straw- 

 inspection rules, and grain weights per bushel for 56 different farm crops are also 

 presented. 



Methods of cereal breeding in Kansas, II. F. Roberts (Hort. Soc. Nor York 

 Mem., 1 (1902), pp. 179-183). — This paper deals mainly with the work of breeding 

 corn and wheat at the Kansas Experiment Station. The experiments have now also 

 been extended to cover rye, oats, barley, Kafir corn, soy beans, and cowpeas. 



HORTICULTURE. 



Report of the horticultural department, J. Troupe (Indiana Sin. Rpt. 1904, 

 pp. 16-18). — A review is given of the work of the department during the year, with 

 the results of some experiments in grafting and in forcing vegetables. In an experi- 

 ment to determine the reciprocal action of scion and stock, scions of Yellow Trans- 

 parent apple were inserted into branches of the wild crab. After fruit spurs were 

 formed on the Yellow Transparent scion, all the leaves from the scion were removed 

 so that all of the sap was elaborated by the leaves of the wild crab. "At the same 

 time a scion of the same Yellow Transparent tree was inserted into a twig of the 

 same branch and allowed to form its own leaves." The fruit produced on the scions 

 thus treated was practically alike in size, color, and flavor, and in both instances the 

 fruit was clearly Yellow Transparent. 



Experiments in grafting apple on whole or piece loots have now been under way at 

 the station for a number of years. Some of the trees have borne fruit. Up to the 

 present time it is difficult to detect any difference in the size of the different trees 

 treated. "It seems to be practically settled that each variety will form its own root 

 system regardless of the length of root used as a starter." 



In some tomato forcing experiments a test was made of the relative value of sub 

 v. surface irrigation, and also garden soil v. light sand. The three varieties, Burpee 

 Combination, Success, and Stone, were used. The results obtained are given in con- 

 densed form. The heaviest yields in every case but one was produced by subirriga- 

 tion. The variety Combination produced more fruits by surface irrigation, but the 

 average weight was less than by subirrigation. 



"The yield in sand was less in every case, and the weight below those in garden 

 soil." Fruit ripened about a week earlier on the surface-irrigated plats than on the 

 subirrigated [flats. 



The variety Success was pollenized with pollen obtained from itself and from 

 Combination and from Stone. The yield of Success when pollenized by itself was 

 187 fruits; when pollenized by Combination, 149 fruits, and when pollenized by Stone, 

 196 fruits. The fruits were of practically equal size in all cases. The results indi- 

 cated that success in tomato forcing may be governed to a considerable extent by 

 the variety of pollen used in cross fertilization. 



