338 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



which passed through the li mm. meshes, none contained more than one embryo 

 and the germination percentage after 6 days was 91. Tables show the percent- 

 age of seed balls removed at each successive sifting, the number of seeds in each 

 portion, their germination percentage, and the number of embryos contained 

 by each. 



Work on the Mackay Central Sugar Experiment Station, L. C. McCready 

 {Ann. Rpt Bm: Sugar E.rpt. Sias. [Queensland], 1908-9. pp. 10-63).— This 

 i-eport gives the results of the final examination of the fifth rattoon crop of a 

 considerable number of New Guinea varieties of sugar cane and a list of the 

 varieties introduced by the Queensland Department of Agriculture, with a brief 

 statement of the disposition made of each. 



On irrigated plats, a plant crop and the first 3 rattoon crops produced 11.15 

 tons more cane per acre each year when fertilized than when left unmanured. 

 On unirrigated plats the difference in yield between those manured and those 

 not manured was 11.2 tons of cane per acre. Subsoiled and cultivated plats 

 produced cane which in July showed a marlvcdly greater density of juice (Brix), 

 greater sucrose and purity percentages, and a slightly lower amount of glucose 

 in juice, but in August these differences were less marked except in case of the 

 glucose percentage. In September the cane on the subsoiled and cultivated plats 

 stood lower in percentage of fiber in cane and higher in purity of juice. 



Sets placed continuously in rows 5 ft. apart produced 2.8 tons of cane per acre 

 more than did plants placed G in. apart in the row, 15.4 tons more than those 

 planted 12 in. apart in the row, 35.6 tons more than those planted 18 in. apart 

 in the row. 23.!) tons more than those planted 24 in. apart in the row, and 492 

 tons more than those planted 36 in. apart in the row, but required 20 cwt., 28 

 cwt., 34 cwt., 36 cwt., and 40 cwt. more seed iier acre, respectively. Rows 4 ft. 

 apart produced 37.8 tons of cane more than did rows 5 ft. apart, at an expendi- 

 ture of 8 cwt. more seed per acre. They had a still greater advantage over 

 rows 6 and 7 ft. apart. 



A summary is given of the caues distributed to different districts and notes 

 made on surghums, sisal hemp, cotton, fruit trees, grasses, and green manures. 



Trifolium resupinatum, M. Bushuev (Turkest. Selsk. Khoz., 1909, No. 1, pp. 

 t~-20; (ih.s. ill Zhur. Opuitn. Agron. iRuss. Jour. Expt. Landiv.), 10 (1900), 

 No. 5, p. 126). — Experiments with T. resupinattim on the experiment field of the 

 Hunger Steppe have shown that this fodder plant is not inferior to old alfalfa 

 and that it matures earlier. It gives two harvests during the summer. 



Studies in Indian tobaccos, A. and G. L. C. Howard (Mem. Dept. Agr. 

 India, Bot. Her., S (1910), No. 1, pp. 58, pis. 25).— This publication describes 

 Nicotiana rustiea, states the principal characteristics of 6 varieties, and de- 

 scribes and illustrates 19 different types with which plant breeding work has 

 been cc-nducted for the purpose of studying the inheritance of characters. 



The Florida velvet bean and related plants, C. V. Piper and S. M. Tracy 

 (U. N. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Bui. 119. pi>. 26, pis. 1). — The nomenclature 

 of Sfizolobiuni decringianum is discussed, the general botanical characters of 

 the genus Stizoiobium stated, and botanical descriptions of. and economic notes 

 concerning, 9 species of this genus given. 



Improvement of the wheat crop in California, H. F. Blanchard (U. S. 

 Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Bill. 118, pp. 31, figs. iO).— This is a report of the 

 experiments and observations of a number of years, conducted in part in 

 cooperation with the California Experiment Station. 



In many sections of California the soil is depleted in humus and nitrate, foul 

 with weeds, and fails to produce profitable crops. Recommendations resulting 

 from the work here reported favor smaller farms personally supervised, im- 

 proved methods including deel)er plowing, eradication of weeds, and the use of 



