440 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Work with field crops at the experimental farms in Bombay Presidency 

 in India, J. W. Mollisox {Ann. Rpt. Dt-pntij J>ir. Aijr. BdihIxii/ I'i'ikUJchcii, r.iOO, pp. 

 1-2-2, 23-36). — Thin report records the results of experiments with field crops at the 

 Poona and Surat experimental farms for the years 1898 to 1900, inclusive. The work 

 included cultural tests with forage and fiber crops and with wheat, sugar cane, rice, 

 and tobacco; a series of fertilizer and rotation experiments; improvement of seed by 

 selection; and irrigation tests. Among a number of sorghums grown experimentally 

 a variety known as Sundhia is considered as probably the best variety under cultiva- 

 tion in that region. Mauritius w^ater grass proved an excellent plant for damp and 

 even wet situations, and the successful cultivation of (iuinea grass (PaniciDn jiunen- 

 tor'mm) is reported as fully established. Alfalfa gave good returns when conditions 

 were favorable, but a mixed crop of alfalfa and Guinea grass is recommended as 

 safer than alfalfa alone. Experiments with Egyptian and Brazilian varieties of cot- 

 ton led to the conclusion that the conditions are unsuited to exotic varieties and that 

 improvement must be along the line of developing indigenous sorts. 



Rhea {Boehmena tenacissimu) , grown for 3 years, did not give encouraging results. 

 Hibiscus cannabinus and Crotalar'm juncea yielded 973 and 520 lbs. of fiber per acre, 

 respectively, while Rhea produced only 56 lbs. 



Five varieties of Bdjri [Pennhetiun ti/phoideum) are described and their value noted. 

 Twenty-three varieties of wheat (Triticutn xs:livum) were tested, but no conclusions 

 were drawn, and no individual varieties are mentioned. Gram {Cicer arietiiium) was 

 found to be an excellent rotation crop, requiring light irrigation only. Tur {Cqjanus 

 indicus) was grown as an intercultural forage crop with sorghum. The work in seed 

 selection was undertaken with cotton and sorghum, and the progress of the experi- 

 ments is discussed. Rice as an intercultural crop with cotton in rows wid^e apart 

 proved a failure. 



Sumatra tobacco was one of the earliest t(j mature among 10 varieties tested, and 

 it produced a finer and softer leaf than indigenous sorts. The different varieties of 

 tobacco are briefly described. 



Agricultural experiments (Rpt. Dipt. Agr. Northwest Temtorks, 1900, pp. 

 22-28). — The experimental work conducted in the Northwest Territories in 1900 is 

 outlined, and the results at the Calgary Experiment Station in variety tests with 

 wheat, l)arley, oats, rape, and potatoes are briefly reported. Short notes are given 

 on culture experiments with grasses and forage crops. The meteorological record 

 for the last 5 months of the year is shown in a table. 



Crop experiments, W. T. Lawrence {County Councils Cumberland, Durham, and 

 Northumberland, Tech. Education, Rpt. 9 {1900), pp. 162-171). — The experiments were 

 carried out at the Cumberland and Westmoreland County Council Farm in 1900. 

 The work consisted of fertilizer experiments on meadows, potatoes, mangolds, 

 swedes, and oats, and the results oljtained are here briefly summarized. 



Rotation experiments at Kimblesworth, Chester-le-Street ( ( 'oiinti/ Councils 

 CuuihirJand, Durliaiu, and Nnrlluniiberland, Tcrh. J'Jducitlnu, Rpt. 9 {1900), pp. 37-48, 

 figs. 2). — The experiment was made with a 5-year rotation, namely, potatoes, barley, 

 hay, hay and oats. The work was carried out on 22 fifth-acre plats with suitablf 

 soil. Heavy dressings of barnyard manure were unusually profitable. Commercial 

 fertilizers applied alone gave poor results, but as a supplementary ai>plication to 12 

 tons of barnyard manure per acre a mixture of IJ cwt. of sulphate of ammonia, 5 

 cwt. each of superphosphate and kainit produced a jirofitable iniTease in the crops. 

 The most important ingredients of the mixture applied with barnyard manure Avere 

 the nitrogenous substances. Superphosphate was the l)est phosphatic fertilizer. 



Rotation experiment at Rose Bank, Dalston {County Councils Cundierland, 

 Durham, and Northumberland, Tech. Education, Rpt. 9 {1900), pp. 40-65, figs. 4)- — 

 This experiment was conducted on poor moorland soil recently liroken uj) from pas- 

 ture. The succession of crops was swedes, oats, hay, hay and oats. On this soil 



