234 EXPEKIMENT STATION RECORD. 



and these were weak in growth. On plat 8 clover plants were almost entirely 

 absent. 



Nitrate of soda produced 1 cwt. 3 qrs. more first-crop liay per acre than sul- 

 phate of ammonia, supplying the same amount of nitrogen when both were 

 used alone, and when they were used in conjunction with phosphatic and potash 

 fertilizers, the nitrate of soda produced 3 cwt. more hay. Two cwt. super- 

 phosphate produced 24 qrs. more first-crop hay per acre than did 2 cwt. basic 

 slag. When kaiuit, sulphate of potash and muriate of potash were applied 

 in amounts supplying equal quantities of potash, kainit produced approxi- 

 mately 2 cwt. less per acre than either of the other fertilizers. One cwt. of 

 muriate of potash produced 4 cwt. 1 qr. per acre more first-crop hay than did 

 i cwt. of the same fertilizer and 2 qrs. more than did 2 cwt. of the fertilizer. 

 The complete mixtures produced the best herbage in both the first and second 

 crops. The abundance and strength of clovers was impaired by using sul- 

 phate of ammonia early in the year or by forcing the rye grass by heavy appli- 

 cations of nitrate of soda, which was a more expensive source of nitrogen but 

 gave a larger increase in crop than sulphate of ammonia. Phosphatic and 

 potash fertilizers favored the growth of clover without assisting that of the 

 rye grass. 



Spring grains, A. M. Ten Eyck (Kansas Sta. Bui. 166, pp. 357-369, figs. S).— 

 In a test of 13 varieties of oats. Improved Red Texas and Sixty Day produced 

 the highest average yields, 44.03 and 43.93 bu. per acre, respectively, during 

 the period 1903-1909 inclusive. For the same period Select Mandscheuri barley 

 yielded 34.7 bu., spring emmer 36.49 bu., and durum wheat 11.74 bu. per acre. 

 In 1907, winter spelt yielded 64.27 bu. per acre. The average yields of all 

 varieties of oats and barley tested during the period were 1,409 lbs. of oats and 

 1,666 lbs. of barley per acre. The Red Texas oat produced the heaviest grain 

 but was excelled in percentage of meat or kernel by the White Russian and 

 Burt varieties with 78.94 and 75.24 per cent, respectively. Tennessee winter 

 barley yielded 15^ bu. more grain per acre during 5 years than did the best 

 producing variety of spring barley, and durum wheat 50 per cent more than 

 ordinary spring wheat. 



Brief descriptions are given of several of the varieties of oats and wheat 

 tested. Five varieties of oats, 8 of winter wheat, 4 of barley, and 1 or more 

 each of spring wheat, emmer, and winter rye have been improved through 

 selection and breeding. The head row of Kharkof wheat producing the highest 

 yield in 1907-8 thrashed out 349 per cent more grain than the lowest producing 

 head row and 46 per cent more than the average of the 50 rows in the test. In 

 a similar test of Red Texas oats, the highest yielding row produced 270 per 

 cent more of grain than the lowest, and 42 per cent more than the average row. 



A table presents the yields, tillering power, height, and number of plants 

 harvested from each of the rows of No. 721 Mandscheuri barley. Selected 

 Mandscheuri produced during 1907-1909, inclusive, 4.75 bu. per acre more than 

 the original variety, while selected strains of Bonanza showed an improved 

 yield of 0.62 bu. per acre and two-row Mandscheuri during the first 2 years of 

 the test showed an increased yield of 2.41 bu. per acre. The number of bushels 

 of seed of various farm crops distributed during each year of the period 1904- 

 1909, inclusive, are presented in tabular form. 



The tillering of cereals, J. C. Schoute (Verhandcl. K. Akad. Wctcjisch. 

 Amsterdam, 2, Sec, 15 {1910), No. 2, i)p. XIX+492, figs. J5).— This volume 

 summarizes and discusses the work of numerous investigators on this sub.iect. 



Report of alfalfa investigations, P. K. Blinn (Colorado Sta. Bid. 15). pp. 

 3-10, figs. 6). — This is a progress report of an attempt to improve the hay and 

 seed-yielding traits of alfalfa by systematic seed selection. 



