500 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



been going on continuouHl}- on the same plats since 1895. Training experiments are 

 favorable, on the whole, to the system of wide planting and broad alleys. The 

 umbrella system of training has generally given the maximum yield per acre, but 

 is thought to have various disadvantages as compared with the Butcher system. 

 Cutting the vine at i)icking time is found to result in a considerable loss of material 

 to the hop plant and weakening and loss of crop in the succeeding year. Stripping- 

 off the lower leaves and laterals is found to be harmful in seasons of short growth, 

 but without effect when the plant is vigorous. The growth of hops continuously on 

 the same plat for 7 years without any cultivation beyond surface hoeing has aroused 

 considerable interest, and the trial is to be extended to other soils. Fertilizer experi- 

 ments at a number of places were chiefly with mineral fertilizers. 



The Agricultural Education Committee [English], a committee formed in 1899 and 

 composed of members of Parliament and others interested in the promotion of agri- 

 cultural education, passed the following resolutions at its December meeting, which, 

 according to Xature, have been confirmed by the Agricultural Education Association: 



" (1) That, if the Board of Agriculture retain their present educational work, it is 

 essential that there shall be complete cooperation between that board and the Board 

 of Education on all educational matters specially affecting the agricultural classes. 

 (2) That for purposes of agricultural education the country should be divided into 

 districts, and such inspectors appointed as may be necessary. (3) That groups of 

 counties, not yet affiliated to any collegiate center, should be formed, each group 

 being affiliated to some center. (4) That, after due inquiry, reports should be issued 

 dealing with the most appropriate forms of agricultural education for each county. 

 (5) That permanent demonstration stations should be organized in each county or 

 group of counties. (6) That official information bearing upon all matters of agricul- 

 tural interest, whether educational or otherwise, should be distributed to the public 

 free of cost. (7) That to carry out the above objects it is essential that larger funds 

 be placed at the disposal of the Board of Agriculture for educational purposes. (8) 

 That the work of the Board of Agriculture might be facilitated by the appointment 

 of a consultative committee on the analogy of those of the Board of Education and of 

 the Department of Agriculture in Ireland. (9) That copies of the above resolutions 

 be sent to the presidents of the Boards of Education and of Agriculture." 



A general index has been issued to the first 25 volumes of Biedermann' s Centralblatt 

 fur Agrikuhurchemie, prepared by Konrad Wedemeyer. The period covered is from 

 1872 to 1896. The volume comprises over 300 pages, and contains author and sub- 

 ject indexes. As this journal covers a wide range of literature relating to agricultural 

 science and experimentation and reviews many of the more important investigations 

 in that field, the index will render a very large amount of literature available for 

 reference and be a great convenience in gathering that on any particular subject. 



The first number has recently appeared of a new periodical, Bionietrika, a journal 

 for the statistical study of biological problems. While published in England, the 

 periodical is cosmopolitan, the editors inviting contributions in German, French, or 

 Italian as well as English. 



The Yearbook of the Scientific and Leafned Societies of Great Britain, recently 

 issued, contains, in addition to the list of the societies and other mstitutions, their 

 officers, meetmgs, publications, and other information, and a list of the papers read 

 before each society from January, 1900, to June, 1901. 



With the completion of the first volume (13 numbers) La Grele, published by the 

 Viticultural Station of Villefranche and devoted mainly to the subject of hail pre- 

 vention by cannonading, suspends publication. 



o 



