FIELD CROPS. 883 



FIELD CHOPS. 



Alfalfa, how and where to grow it, 0. W. Irish (pp. 11). — 

 This ])aiiipblet gives directions for the choice and preparation of 

 the soil, for sowing tlie seed, and for the management of the crop in 

 semiarid regions, both with and without irrigation. The author states 

 that the seed famishes a vakiable dyestuff and that for this use large 

 quantities of seed are exported from this country to France. Several 

 examples illustrating the depth to which alfalfa roots penetrate, and 

 several instances of a successful catch of alfalfa secured without irri- 

 gation on light, sage brush land, by simply harrowing the surrace 

 without plowing, are given. On mountain slopes in ISTevada it is 

 claimed that the plant- withstands extremely low temperatures. 

 Young frosted shoots may induce bloating in animals, as will overfeed- 

 ing with green alfalfa. 



Fertilizer experiments -with buck-wheat, J. C. Chapman (Southern 

 Planter^ 50(1895), Ko.S^pp. 112, 113). — This experiment was conducted 

 on a well-worn clay loam soil near Fredericksburg, Virginia. The seed 

 was sown July 25 at the rate of 15 qts. per acre. On account of drought 

 the stand was very thin and the yield was very small. Neither gypsum, 

 air- slacked lime, nor muriate of potash alone increased the yield over 

 that of the unfertilized plats. Indeed, muriate of potash when applied 

 at the rate of 100 lbs. per acre either alone or in combination appeared 

 to reduce the yield. Kitrate of soda and superphosphate applied alone 

 and in combination increased the yield. A complete fertilizer consist- 

 ing of 120 lbs. of nitrate of soda, 340 lbs. of superphosphate, and 50 

 lbs. of muriate of potash gave the largest yield. 



Analysis of burnet (Poterium sanguisorba), J. Hendeick (Rpt. 

 Expts. Manuring, 1893, Glasgow and West Scotland Tech. Gol. Glasgow: 

 1894, pp. 28, 29). — The dry matter of burnet, cut just as the plant was 

 coming into bloom, had the following composition: 



Per cent. 



Nitrogenous matter 25. 50 



Fat 4.14 



Nitrogen-free extract 53. 18 



Fiber 10.28 



Ash 6.90 



100. 00 

 The percentage of total nitrogen in the dry matter was 4.08, and of 



albuminoid nitrogen 2.78. 

 Serradella was also analyzed, and the dry matter afforded 3.54 per 



cent of total nitrogen and 2.01 per cent of albuminoid nitrogen. 

 Experiments with corn, R. J. Kedding (Georgia Sta. Bui. 27, pp, 



187-195). 



Synopsis. — Tests of fertilizers, of cotton-seed meal and cotton hulls applied together 

 vs. cotton seed, variety tests, and an experiment in pulling fodder. All of the 

 fertilizer mixtures caused a financial loss. Cottou-seed meal and hulls proved 

 sligliiLy superior to cotton seed. Fodder pulling yielded a slight net profit, 

 although it reduced the yield by 2.77 bu. of corn per acre. 



