BORTICULTUEE. 871 



tively limited. One of the most striking characteristics of the tobacco plant is it- 

 very rapid growth, which makes a liberal supply of readily available plant 1 1 



necessary for its proper development. 



Report of the wheat experimentalist, W. Farreb i Agr. Gaz. New South Wales, 

 15 {1904), No. 11, />/>. 1047-1050). Work with wheat was carried on at the experi- 

 mental farm- at Wagga, Bathurst, Coolabah, the Hawkesbury College Farm, and 

 Lanibrigg. The testof wheats at Wagga led to the adoption of Belotourka, Kubanka, 

 Macaroni No. 1. ami Medeah as varieties suitable for general cultivation. 



I>| thebr ling of wheats an effort is made to obtain beardless varieties of macaroni 



wheats and to reduce the length of stra^ to facilitate harvesting with the stripper. 

 Heard!.— varieties have already been secured from a cross between an Indian 

 macaroni variety and Triiicum polonicum. A large collection of unfixed crossbred 

 wheats has heen planted with a view to obtaining bunt-resisting varieties. Con- 

 siderable attention is also given to macaroni wheats at Coolabah. An entirely rtist- 

 re-istant variety of wheat is reported bj the Hawkesbury College Farm. 



Cultivation of wheat in permanent alfalfa fields, I). <.. Fairchild I U.S. Dept. 

 Agr., Bureau of Plant Industry Bui. ; .'. pt. /. pp.5).— A description is here given of a 

 method of growing wheat and alfalfa together at the same time on the dry uplands 

 of North Africa. The method has been tried for several years in Algeria, and is 

 there considered a commercial success. 



HORTICULTURE. 



American varieties of lettuce, W. W. Tracy, Jr. U. S. f>>/>i. Agr., Bureau of 

 Plant Industry Bui. 69, pp. I"-:, pis. :', |. — An exhaustive study has Keen made of the 

 varieties of lettuce offered by seedsmen iii the United states. A classification of 

 varieties is given with a key to the same, together with descriptions and synonyms 

 of all of the varieties 'if lettuce so far as known now grown in the Tinted States 



The 445 varieties which have heen found listed in seedsmen's catalogues were 

 found to consist of 115 true varieties, the others being synonyms or identical with 

 what is believed to lie true varieties. A description is given of each true variety 

 with notes on the history of the same, an account of its present status in the trade, 

 and an estimate of its value. A large number of the varieties are illustrated. The 

 work is based on tin- results of about seven years' study in which all of the varieties 

 have heen grown out of doors, the seed of each variety being obtained where possi- 

 ble from a number of different seedsmen. 



A table is given showing the time of maturity of each variety when grown in 

 Washington, I». ('.. the date of the first appearance of the seed stalk, the weight 

 and diameter of the matured plants. The following list is recommended as contain- 

 ing some of the best varieties for the purposes named: 



Honu •. Deacon, Hartford, Bronzed Head, New York, Prize Head, Mignonette, 

 Black-Seeded Simpson, Paris White Cos, California Cream Butter, Iceberg, Tennis 

 Ball Black-Seeded. Market gardening outdoors. — Big Boston, Tennis Ball Black- 

 Seeded, Black-Seeded Simpson, Hanson, Reichner, California Cream Butter, Paris 

 White Cos, Mammoth Black-Seeded Butter, Hubbard Market, White Chavigne. 

 Market gardening under glass. — Grand Rapids, Crumpled-Leaved, Hothouse, Black- 

 Seeded Simpson, Golden Queen, Meete Forcing, White Star, Hubbard Market. Ten- 

 uis Ball White-Seeded. Detroit Market Gardener Forcing. 



Winter forcing of rhubarb, L. P. Hitchcock ii'mm/ri/ Life in America, 7 (19 

 No.4,pp- fO2-404, fig*- •''■-An account is given of the winter forcing of rhubarb in a 

 house cellar, with a record of expenses and receipts. 



The best results in this work have heen secured from roots that have heen grown 

 hut one summer in the open ground. Older roots have proved less satisfactory. 



