530 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.40 



wind may reach the flowers of other plants, even at a considerable distance. 

 These observations were made by means of (1) the determination of the per- 

 centage of fertilized flowers in almost completely self-sterile plants, (2) by 

 the direct collection of pollen on glass slides covered with liquid paraffin and 

 placed at various distances from the rye plat with the paraffined surface turned 

 In the direction of the prevailing wind, and (3) by the use of so-called indi- 

 cator plants. 



The number of fertilized flowers in normal rye was found to average 5 per 

 cent, while higher averages, exceeding 10 per cent, are regarded as due to 

 ( tosb -pollination. Single plants separated by a distance, of 30 meters (about 

 32.8 yds.) were regarded as practically isolated, while groups of plants covering 

 areas of about 0.5 square meter (approximately ."..-! sq. ft.) and separated by a 

 distance of 30 meters were found to be exposed to a contamination of 10 per 

 cent. 



In 1913 the author Isolated a strain of Brattingsborg rye. distinguished by 

 the persistence of chlorophyll in the stem, leaves, and chimes, even when fairly 

 ripe. This aonripenlng character was found to be n tb I', individuals 



being distributed according to the ratio 3:1. Since this green type was quite 

 rare (less than one per million i and recessive, it was deemed bo be particu- 

 larly well suited for use as an Indicator of cross-pollination. <»n applying 

 this method it was found thai iu per cent of the Isolated rye plants were seb 

 ject to contamination when grown at a distance of 50 Dieters from rye plats 

 measuring From 1 to 2 square meters. 



Thai the danger of contamination Increased with an Increase In the six..' of 

 plat was demonstrated by observations made on isolated plants located 60, 250, 

 350, and 400 meters from a plat measuring 3,500 square meters, the amount 

 of contamination being 54.4, b'>:{. '_".•. 7, ami lb i«-r rent, rrspertively. Contami- 

 nation by this plat In a group of 20 Indicators 60 meters distant was 37.3 per 

 rent. Indicating a marked protective action of the pollen of the 'jo plants. 

 Differences In the amount of contamination observed in individual plants of 

 this group ranged from 6.6 to 68 per rent and were thought to be due to the 

 fad that the plants did not all Bower at the same time, the late-flowering plants 

 being exposed to a greater volume of pollen. By the ose of indicators it was 

 ids., observed that muslin bags were Ineffective a- a protection against a 

 pollination, an average contamination of 83.3 per rent being obtained In the 

 four Indicator plants isolated by this means. 



See also a previous note (E. S. R., 38, i>. B86). 



Svalbf Improved Wasa rye. EL W. I..n\<; {Sveriget I ts,i>l, xf>>r. Ti<l<l;r.. ?.S 

 (1918), No. '. !>p 71-81). — A detailed description id' this n,w variety is given, 



and the results of several comparative tests in progress during a varying num- 

 ber of seasons in different localities are reported iii tables. 



It is pointed out that in southern and middle Sweden, where the conditions 

 for rye culture are of tbe best, Improved Wasa r\ «• Is not so productive as 

 Svalofs Stjiirn or even I'efkns. but that in Yiirudand and other Sections where 



the onditlons are not so favorable and where hardiness is of greater im- 

 portance this new variety proved to be the best <>f all sorts tested, in experi- 

 ments with nine varieties conducted at Svab'if from 1911 to 1017 it ranked first 

 in welghl per hectoliter, with 74 kp. (67.4 lbs. per bushel), but in weight per 

 1,000 kernels it ranked fifth, in strength of straw the variety stood above the 

 average, the degree of strength being designated as o.i on a scale of u). 



Spartina and coast erosion, I. M. Ropek (Roy. Hot. Omrd. line. Hul. 1 

 inform., No. i (1918), />;>. 96-81 t fig. l). — The author d e s cr i bes experimental 

 work with 8, townaendi in North Somerset (England) In an effort to establish 



the t:rass on the extensive mud tlats of tbe River Severn as n means of pro 



