966 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Average soil humidity in beet, and barley fields and in fields growing alfalfa, after beets and 



barley. 



The soil humidity in the beet fields was greater than in the barley fields. The 

 following year, when the field was put into alfalfa, this higher moisture content of 

 the soil was still perceptible, and even marked in the deeper layers. The yield of 

 alfalfa was about the same whether it followed beets or barley. — p. pibem \\. 



Yields and keeping qualities of fodder beets, F. Wohltmann et ai.. {Sepa- 

 rate from Illus. Landw. '/Ay., 24 {1904), No. 86, pp. SO). — The yields of the different 

 varieties under test have already been noted (E. S. R., 16, p. 559). Studies on the 

 keeping qualities were made during two seasons. The beets were analyzed before 

 and after storing under dirt cover in the field. The first season the average content 

 of dry matter during 164 days of storing was reduced from 11!..'! 1" 9.6 percent, while 

 in weight, due to a higher moisture content, the beets increased 5.6 per cent. The 

 loss in dry matter represented the loss in sugar, which varied largely with the differ- 

 ent varieties, ranging from 21 per cent in some to over 60 per cent in others. The 

 largest loss in sugar was sustained by the varieties low in sugar and high in moisture 

 content. The constituents other than sugar showed but slight variations. 



The second year the beets were stored in 2 lots, the first being covered with soil 

 immediately upon harvesting and the second allowed to lie in small piles for about 

 18 days after digging and then hauled together and covered with earth. In the 

 spring the first lot showed an average increase in weight of 6.4 per cent and the 

 second of 4.7 per cent. Of the first lot 93.8 per cent were in good condition, while 

 of the second only 83.8 per cent were free from decay. The varieties low in sugar 

 and high in moisture had been most subject to rotting. The results of the second 

 year in general confirmed those of the first. The authors recommend planting 

 sufficiently early to bring about complete development before the beets are har- 

 vested and to store immediately, the work being preferably done in dry, cool 

 weather. In order to raise the total sugar production the beets should be planted 

 rather closely, the distance of 40 by 25 or 30 cm. being suggested as adequate for 

 most sorts. Since the loss in sugar is heaviest in beets low in sugar and of a high 

 moisture content, these should be fed first and only those rich in sugar stored for 

 later feeding. In breeding fodder beets the characters sought should be a satis- 

 factory yielding capacity, a high sugar content, a low moisture content, and a good 

 keeping quality. It is not considered profitable to give special attention to increasing 

 the protein and the fat content. 



Essential steps in securing an early crop of cotton, R. J. Redding (U. S. 

 Dept. Ayr., Farmers' Bui. 217, pp. 16). — Steps in the preparation of the soil, the use 

 of fertilizers, the selection of the variety, and in planting and cultivating cotton for 

 the purpose of securing early maturity are described. The results of experiments at 

 the Georgia Station in spacing cotton, previously noted (E. S. R., 3, p. 691 ; 4, p. 813), 

 are again reported and a table is given showing the actual and comparative yields 

 per acre of certain early varieties of cotton and the average yields of all the varieties 

 tested for 15 years at this same station. The proportion of total crop secured in the 



