HORTICULTURE. 635 



Tests of varieties of rye, N, WKSTKiniEiKU (Dvui. hauhr. Prcsse, 21 {1SD4), No. 

 101, pp. 07 3,974). 



Wheat, barley, oats, peas, and forage plants, E. R. Lake (Wanhhuiton Sia. Ilul. 

 10, pp. 10-24). — Brief notes on 6 varieties of wheat, 5 of barley, 6 of oats, 29 of 

 peas, and on alsike clover, orchard grass, and oat grass. 



Artificial drying of grain {Abs. in Dent, landw. I'resse, 22 {1S95), No. 2, p. 13). 



HORTICULTURE. 



Cassava, J. T. Stubbs [Florida Sta. Bui. M, p. 25). — A small plat 

 ot (jassava was planted at I)e Fimiak Springs substation on sandy land 

 and OOO lbs. of acid phosphate applied per acre. Little cultivation was 

 required, and from 8 to 15 tons of roots were produced per acre. The 

 roots were relished by stock, which seemed to thrive upon the food. 



The growth of lettuce as affected by the physical properties 

 of the soil, B. T. Galloway [Agl. Sei., 8 (1894), Mo. 6-9, pp. 302- 

 315). — The soil on which lettuce is grown near Boston produces plants 

 so much larger and more perfect than are grown in many other parts of 

 the country that investigations were undertaken to ascertain if jiossible 

 the reason of this difference. The Boston lettuce soil was analyzed 

 mechanically, as was also the gneiss, soil of Maryland, and the former 

 Avas found to possess a much greater proportion of sand, while the 

 latter was rich in silt and clay. The daily moisture content of the 

 Boston soil, as judged from samples taken to a depth of 12 in. averaged 

 much greater than that of the Marjdand soil, being 27.7 per cent and 

 16.5 per cent, respectively, in March. 



In the experiments 3 different soils were used in a special greenhouse. 

 The first soil was composed of 2 parts drift sand and 1 j)art greenhouse 

 soil; the second greenhouse soil alone, 1 part gneiss soil, and 2 parts 

 decomposed manure; and the third two thirds Boston soil and one third 

 decomi)osed manure. On mechanical analysis the 3 soils were found to 

 closely approximate in structure. Each soil was contained in a bed 2 

 ft. wide, 7 ft. long, and 20 in. deep, and in each bed were set 33 plants, 

 8 in. apart on the square. In 2 months the plants were pulled, divided 

 into 3 grades, measured, and then weighed. The plants grown on the 

 Boston mixed soil gave the best results, being followed closely by those 

 produced on the sandy soil, while the greenhouse soil gave very inferior 

 plants. 



It is concluded that the physical properties of the soil are of the 

 utmost importance in relation to plant growth, and that lettuce requires 

 a soil possessing an abundance of fine gravel, sand, and silt in such a 

 mechanical mixture as to provide sufficient moisture, heat, and air — a 

 condition existing in the Boston soil. 



Strawberries, W. J. Green and E. 0. Green {Ohio Sta. Bui. 54, 

 pp. 35-52). — This bulletin contains cultural notes for strawberries, and 

 also detailed descrix^tive notes for 63 varieties. It is stated that straw- 



