FIELD CROPS. 415 



in brief. The experiments consisted of variety tests of wheat, corn, 

 and oats; amount of seed for wheat, corn, and oats; dates for phmtiug- 

 corn and wheat; deep and shaHow i)lowing and deep and shallow culti- 

 vation for corn; experiments with different corn cultivators; fertilizer 

 experiments; experiments comparing rotative with continuous crop- 

 ping ; a test to determine the effect of spring mowing of wheat ; improve- 

 ment of corn by selection and care; and relation of early and late 

 planting of corn to length of time required to mature the crop. Most 

 of these experiments were in continuation of those of previous years. 

 By mowing wheat in the spring the yield was reduced by 5.02 bu. per 

 acre. The following table gives the results of an experiment conducted 

 in 1892 and 1893 to determine the length of the growing period of corn 

 planted at different dates: 



Length of growhu; period of corn planted at different dotes. 



Planted 

 Do.. 

 Do.- 

 Do.. 

 Do.. 



[Days toma- 



1893. itiire— aver- 



lage 2 years. 



122 



117 



May 24 May 27 112 



June 4 June 6 109 



June 14 June 16 107 



Report of the botanist, J. Fletcher {Canada Exptl. Farms Bpt. 

 1893, pp. 188-193, fi(/s. 3). — Report on the arboretum. — Brief notes are 

 given on some of the additions made to the arboretum during the past 

 year. The collection at present (consists of 600 species and varieties 

 of trees and shrubs representing 37 genera, ^otes have been taken as 

 to their period of flowering, hardiness, and general desirability for 

 extended use. 



Awnless hrome f/rass. — This grass, Bromus inermis, also known as 

 Austrian or Hungarian brome grass, has been cultivated in Ottawa for 

 G years and has gained in favor wherever tried. It is considered the 

 best of the introduced grasses in respect to feeding value, hardiness, 

 earliness, habit of growth, and aftermath. 



Grans for the protection of shores and harbors. — The frequent requests 

 regarding the use of grass for the protection of shores led the author to 

 investigate the desirability of several species in this respect. Fsamma 

 arenaria {Ammophila arundinacea), or beach grass, proved the best 

 suited to this use, with Elymus arenarins, sand lyme grass, next. 



Tumbleiceeds. — Brief notes are given on the tumble mustard {Sysini- 

 hrinm sinapistrnm) and the Eussian thistle {Salsola Icali tragus). Atten- 

 tion is called to these two Aveeds and farmers are warned against letting 

 them gain a foothold. Both seed abundantly and are difidcult to eradi- 

 cate when once established. 



Experiments with field crops in Ontario, C. A. Zavitz {Ontario 

 Aijl. Col. and Exptl. Farm Kpt. Ls<)3^ pp. 5^-110). — In the variety tests 

 there were grown 73 varieties of barley, 81 of peas, 73 of spring 



