140 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Influence of fallow culture of the soil on the yield of winter rye, according 

 to results of experiments on the experiment field of the Menzelinsk Agri- 

 cultural School, P. M. IvANov {Selslc. Ehoz., 1909, No. 27; abs. in Zlmr. Opnitn. 

 Agron. (Russ. Jottr. Expt. Landw.), 10 {1909), No. J,, p. 538). — Black fallow 

 surpassed early green and other fallows during the two years covered by the 

 observations reported. 



The history and distribution of sorghum, C. R. Ball ( U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. 

 Plant Indus. Bui. 175, pp. 63, flgs. 17). — This bulletin gives a key to the prin- 

 cipal groups of sorghum, outlines its present distribution, and states its agri- 

 cultural and botanical history and nomenclature. 



Although it is held that all cultivated sorghums are derived from the wild 

 species Andropogon halepensis there are many indications of its independent 

 origin in tropical Africa and in India. The predominating groups in British 

 South Africa are kafirs and sorgos, while in equatorial Africa, the leading types 

 are little known groups related to the durras, and in North Africa only the 

 durra groups are foimd. India contains a large number of little known or 

 entirely new groups of sorghum. Some are forms of shallu and others approxi- 

 mate the durra group. The kowliangs are a new group found in East China 

 and Manchuria. 



A chronological bibliography is appended. 



Experiments in sugar-beet culture in the Vilna government, V. Ivanov- 

 SKii (Zhur. Opuitn. Agron. {Russ. Jour. Expt. Landw.). 10 {1909). No. If. pp. 

 Ji84-'t88). — Experiments conducted in 1006-1908 in the Vilna government indi- 

 cate that sugar-beet culture would be remunerative in that section. 



Comparative experiments in cultivation of sugar beets after black fallow 

 and after wheat, F. Lubanski {t^clsk. Khoz., 1908, No. 31 ; abs. in Zhur. Opuitn. 

 Agron. {Russ. Jour. Expt. Landio.), 10 {1909), No. J,, pp. 557, 558).— Tabulated 

 data indicate that superphosphate after black fallow influenced the yield of 

 beets but slightly in either a wet year or a dry year, while after winter wheat 

 its effect was much more marked. 



Irrigation of sugar beets, F. W. Roeding ( U. 8. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. 

 392, pp. .52, flgs. 14). — The furrow, check, border, and subirrigation methods of 

 irrigation are discussed with special reference to sugar beet production, and 

 full directions given for plowing, seeding, blocking and thinning, harvesting, 

 and siloing the crop. The rotation of crops, prevention of crop failures under 

 irrigation, and the economical use of the water supply are also discussed. 



Experiments conducted at Loveland, Colo, in cooperation with the Great 

 Western Sugar Company, and at Rocky Ford, Colo, in cooperation with the 

 American Beet Sugar Company, showed in 1906 a higher yield per acre from 

 0.94 ft. of water applied in 2 irrigations than from larger amounts of water 

 applied in 3 or 4 irrigations. The irrigation of every row by means of lath 

 boxes produced a yield of 1.2 times as great as the irrigation of alternate rows 

 by the same method, and 1.5 times as great a yield as the irrigation of every row 

 by the open furrow method. In 190S, 0. S3 ft. of water applied in 2 irrigations 

 produced the highest purity and sugar percentages, but a lower yield per acre 

 than did larger amounts of water applied in 3 or 4 irrigations. The irrigation 

 of every row resulted in a more economical use of water than the irrigation of 

 alternate rows, and the use of lath boxes saved considerable labor. 



Conditions influencing the production of sugar-beet seed in the United 

 States, C. O. Townsknd {U. S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook 1909, pp. 173-1 8.'f, pis. 3).— 

 The status and importance of the production of sugar-beet seed in the United 

 States is outlined in these pages and diseases and climatic conditions are dis- 

 cussed in their relations to seed production. Methods of testing, planting, and 



