1070 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



A discussion on the improvement of cotton by selection and crossing is presented, 

 and the quality of fiber in the different types of crossbred cottons is noted. Of the 

 264 crosses obtained only 2 were selected for quality of fiber, and these show good 

 results while all the others selected for yielding capacity have not yet had sufficient. 

 time to show their merits in this respect. 



Field experiments conducted at the Cawnpore Farm {Rpt. Cawnpore Farm 

 and other Expt. Stas., United Prov., 1904, pp. 1-12, 14, 15). — The results of fertilizer 

 tests with maize and wheat, and of rotation and green manuring experiments, are 

 tabulated without comment. Of 3 varieties of potatoes Madrasi White gave the best 

 yields and was the quickest to germinate. Extra Early Waterloo Dent, Blount Pro- 

 lific and King Philip field corn, and sweet corn imported from America did not 

 prove superior to common native varieties. 



Hope Experiment Station, W. Fawcett {Ann. Rpt. Pub. Gard. and Plantations, 

 Jamaica, 1904, pp. 9-16). — A culture test of Sea Island, Egyptian, and upland varie- 

 ties of cotton is reported. Plantings were made every month and the best growth 

 was obtained from those made in August, but the ratoons from plantings in February 

 did even better. The plants grew best in rich heavy loams, but yielded best in light, 

 gravelly soil. The best distance on rich soil was 4 by 3 ft. and on poor soil, 4 by 

 2 ft. 



Havana and Sumatra tobacco were grown and a line grade of wrapper secured. 

 The climate was apparently too dry for the perfect curing of the tent-grown Sumatra 

 leaf. 



Report of the agricultural experiments during the crop year 1903-4, J. B. 

 Harrison (Rpt. Agr.Work; Expt. Fields mid Govt. Lab. [British Guiana] 1903-4, pp. 

 53). — The results of tests with seedling canes and fertilizer experiments with the 

 same are recorded in tables. The data indicate that from 2 to 3 cwt. of sulphate 

 of ammonia per acre is the most certainly profitable application of nitrogen for 

 sugar cane. 



Thomas slag and superphosphate of lime increased the yield of plant eanes when 

 given with nitrogen and potash. The use of potash jiroduced little or no effect on 

 ratoon crops. Lime largely increased the yield through the improvement of the 

 mechanical condition of the soil resulting from its use. As in previous experiments, 

 neither the addition of phosphoric acid, potash, or lime to the fertilizers affected the 

 sugar content of the juice, while nitrogenous fertilizers retarded maturity and in 

 consequence reduced the sugar content; which was, however, more than offset by a 

 larger yield. 



Cultural experiments with rice showed that varieties imported from Ceylon 

 matured in 4 months, while the Creole variety required nearly 5 months. Experi- 

 ments with cotton have so far shown that Sea Island and American upland varieties 

 are grown with difficulty on heavy clay soils under the existing climatic conditions. 

 Culture tests with alfalfa were unsuccessful. 



Cooperative experiments in 1903, Z. Yanushevski (I'roc. Podolsk Agr. Soc, 

 1904, No. 1; abs. in Zhur. Opuitn. Agron. [Russ. Jour. Expt. Landiv.], 5 (1904), No. 5, 

 pp. 681, 682).— Fertilizer experiments with sugar beets on 6 different farms showed 

 that in all cases phosphoric acid was the most effective element, while potash gave 

 rather indefinite results but proved more active when applied with phosphates. 

 Fertilizer experiments with wheat on 5 farms resulted in the best yields from potash 

 salts and nitrate of soda applied separately. Phosphates gave only a slight increase. — 



P. FIREMAN. 



Heavy and light weight grains, H. Snyder (Minnesota Sta. Bui. 90, pp. 214- 

 218). — The analyses of heavy and light weight seeds of barley, oats, and wheat are 

 given in tables. The seeds were taken from the same variety and the same source, 

 the heavy-weight seeds being sound, well-filled, high-weight kernels, and the light- 

 weight seeds imperfectly-filled, low-weight kernels. 



