l'.'io] 1 iki.i. CROPS. G27 



tiniis inudi- upon a number of varieties of lirassica, Including B. cantpestris var. 

 chinensis, It. campestria var. rapifera, B. japonica, B. nigra, B. funcea, B. 

 oleracea capttato, i:. oleracea botrytis, and B. oleracea caulocarpa. Differences 

 with regard to form, size, weight, and color of the seeds, the structure of the seed 

 coat, and the form of the seedling plant are noted, and a key for distinguishing 

 between the different sorts is presented based upon these characteristics. 



Composition of Indo-China castor beans, K. I'iuihiom mk [Affron. Colon., 

 3 (1918), No. 19, pp. 25-27). — Analyses of four samples of castor beans from 

 [ndo-China and eight samples from British India are noted in which the oil 

 content of the whole seeds ranged from 49.4 to 51.1 per cent in the former, and 

 from 42.2 to 52.3 per cent in the latter. 



Red clover seed and its impurities, J. R. Dymond (Canada Dept. Agr., Seed 

 Branch Pamphlet S-2 (1918), pp. 20, figs. 22). — The common weed seeds found 

 in Canadian red clover seed are briefly described and illustrated. Notes on 

 cleaning red clover seed, varieties of red clover, growing the crop, and weed 

 eradication are included. 



Improved technique for corn pollination, P. Weatherwax (Proc. Ind. 

 Acad. Sci., 1911, pp. 105-107, figs. 2). — A device is described for protecting corn 

 silks from adventitious pollen, consisting of a sheet of typewriter paper folded 

 in such a manner as to form a long, flat envelope open at both ends and ren- 

 dered waterproof by treatment with paraffin. The envelope is slipped over 

 the ear, made tight by means of a cotton plug, and the top folded over and 

 fastened with a paper clip. When tlie silks appear, the clip is removed, the 

 desired pollen introduced, and the clip replaced. Collecting the pollen in 

 ordinary paper bags gave the best results. 



The method is said to be capable of adaptation for use with other plants. 



Variation and varieties of Zea mays, P. Wkatherwax (Proc. Ind. Acad. 

 Sci.. 1917, pp. 99-103).— The author briefly indicates the range of variability in 

 coin and discusses critically some of the technical names applied to the so- 

 called varieties of corn. It is concluded that the best taxouomic treatment 

 would be to consider Zea as a monotypic genus, discarding all other names 

 than Z. niays, and that reference to the numerous variations should be made 

 to the characteristics directly and not to any arbitrary variety possessing that 

 characteristic in varying combination with other properties. 



The production of grain and stalks by maize as affected by intercropping 

 with legumes, B. R. Bautista (Philippine Agr., 7 (1918), No. 2, pp. 36-48). — 

 The intercropping of corn with mungo, cowpeas, or soy beans in both the rainy 

 and dry season Is said to have had little if any beneficial effect upon the 

 production of either grain or fodder In tests conducted at Los Bauos during 

 191G and 1917, although the value of the legume crop usually more than com- 

 pensated for any decrease in corn production. Cowpeas appeared to give the 

 best results with respect to soil renovation and weed control. 



Manurial experiments with Sea Island cotton in St. Vincent in 1917-18, 

 S. C. Habland (West Indian Bui., 17 (1918), No. 2, pp. 69-79, pis. 3).— This re- 

 ports the continuation of work previously noted (E. S. R., 39, p. 637), In which 

 the effects of different manurial treatments on Sea Island cotton have been 

 studied by means of flowering and boiling records in addition to the effect 

 on yield. Weather conditions for the season 1917-18 are said to have been quite 

 favorable. 



All fertilized plats showed Increased yields over the unfertilized plats, the 

 great<fst increase being obtained with potash. The complete fertilizer also gave 

 good results, but the addition of phosphate to potash tended to lower the 

 yield. It is stated that the fertilizers had no effect on the time of maturity 



