FIELD CROPS. 529 



determine to wbat extent microscopic differences in structure are correlated with 

 varietal characters, and to furnish a more exact basis upon which the laws of 

 heredity of such characters may be studied. 



[Some miscellaneous economic plants of Palestine], A. Aaronsohn (U. S. 

 Dfpt. Affr., Bur. Plant Indus. Bui. 180. pi). 7-13, 3.',-36, figs. 5).— Attention is 

 called to the similarity in general conformation, climate, rainfall, and vegeta- 

 tion of Palestine to that of California, and because of this fact it is claimed that 

 many of the economic plants of that region should thrive in California, Arizona, 

 and other similar sections of the United States. 



In addition to economic plants that can be extensively cultivated (see pages 

 533 and 537), a number of plants of secondary importance are mentioned, for ia- 

 stance, a species of very early watermelon, with a thick rind, which grows on 

 the poorest soil and is extensively shipped because it can withstand, uninjured, 

 journeys of 2 to 3 weeks; a winter muskmelon cultivated in Csesarea ; a medi- 

 cinal desert plant, CitruUus colocynthis ; the Arab "Akub " (Gundelia tournc- 

 fortii), the white juicy shoots of which are eaten like artichokes; wild "arti- 

 chokes" {Cymira syriaca and C. auranitica) ; a desert tannin plant, Tamarix 

 articuJata; and a plant for the fixation of desert sand dunes, CaUigonum 

 comosum. 



FIELD CROPS. 



Pastures in New York {Neio York Cornell Sta. Bui 280, pp. 355-397, pi. 1, 

 figs. 12). — This bulletin contains 4 separate papers. 



I. 'Ne-w York pastures, P. J. White (pp. 355-375). — This paper discusses 

 pastures and pasture plants, and the characteristics of some of the more im- 

 portant grasses and clovers. Some grass mixtures are recommended and 

 methods of pasture management outlined. 



II. The Preswick pasture, P. J. White (pp. 375-385).— The land in this 

 pasture produced an oat crop in 1903 and a rye crop in 1904, since which it has 

 been in pasture. Five check plats were seeded to 20 lbs. of Kentucky blue grass 

 per acre which did not furnish satisfactory gi-azing until 3 years after seed- 

 ing. A plat seeded with 20 lbs. of redtop per acre formed an excellent stand by 

 the end of the first year. By June, 1908, 80 per cent of the herbage was of this 

 grass, 10 per cent Kentucky blue grass, and the remainder miscellaneous grasses 

 and weeds. A plat seeded with 36 lbs. of meadow fescue per acre produced only 

 half a stand and by June, 1907. had only 10 per cent meadow fescue, the remain- 

 der being blue grasses, clover, and weeds. A sowing of 20 lbs. of timothy per acre 

 produced good results, 90 per cent of the herbage in June, 1907, being timothy. 

 A sowing of 28 lbs. of orchard grass per acre resulted in three-fourths of a 

 stand at the end of the first year, and a very poor stand in 1907, as Canadian 

 blue grass and weeds had come in. Seeding with 32 lbs. of smooth brome grass 

 per acre failed to secui'e a stand even after 3 sowings, but on a gravelly knoll on 

 another farm proved a successful pasture plant. Seeding with a mixture of 12 

 lbs. of meadow fescue and 10 lbs. each of redtop and Kentucky blue grass re- 

 sulted in one of the best plats. Redtop and timothy predominated the first year. 

 By 1907, Kentucky blue grass, redtop, and meadow fescue predominated. Seed- 

 ing with a mixture of 8 lbs. each of Kentucky blue grass, redtop, meadow fescue, 

 and meadow foxtail resulted in a failure of meadow foxtail to appear during 

 the first season, although it furnished 20 per cent of the lierbage in 1907, 30 per 

 cent being Kentucky blue grass, 30 per cent redtop, 10 per cent meadow fescue, 

 and 10 per cent clover and weeds. Seeding with 8 lbs. each of Kentucky blue 

 grass, redtop, and meadow fescue, (> lbs. of timothy, and 4 lbs. of meadow foxtail 

 resulted in the failure of meadow foxtail and meadow fescue to become im- 

 portant in the herbage. Timothy and redtop soon predominated after a sowing 



