HORTICULTURE. 235 



"Climate and variety may be more important factors than soil nitrogen in 

 determining the amount of the acid in the plant. Complete hydrolysis of the 

 glucosid is obtained by digesting the macerated tissue for two hours at 40 to 

 45° C." 



Soy beans, an important West Virginia crop, I. S. Cook and W. B. Kemp 

 (West Virginia Sta. Circ. 20 (1915), pp. 19, figs. 4). — Methods of utilizing soy 

 beans as a seed crop, hay, silage, pasture, and soil improvement crop are briefly 

 noted. Two, 3, and 4 year rotations that include soy beans are suggested. 

 Thirty-three varieties are described and yields from some of them for 1912, 

 3 913, and 1914 are given that show a range up to 25.3 bu. of seed per acre. Of 

 the varieties tested, Wilson, Roosevelt, and Peking are noted as the most prom- 

 ising sorts for West Virginia. Cultural and harvesting directions are given. 



Saccharose formation in the sugar beet, H. Colin (Oompt. Rend. Acad. Sci. 

 lPari&], 159 {19U), No. 20, pp. 6S7-689).— This gives the results of a study to 

 determine whether the saccharose is developed in the leaf and passes to the 

 roots as such or whether it passes to the roots as invert sugar and is there 

 transformed to saccharose. From the use of two varieties of beet studied in 

 light and in darkness the author concludes that both of these phenomena take 

 place, with much variation in different varieties of beets. 



Sweet potato [experiments], F. Watts (Itnp. Dept. Agr. West Indies, Bpt. 

 Bot. Sta. [etc.'], Antigua, 1913-14, PP- 5-8). — In variety tests of sweet potatoes 

 covering the period from 1901 to 1911, inclusive, the average yields ranged from 

 31 to 51 lbs. per plat of j^ acre for 16 varieties. 



In plant selection experiments based on large yield per plant it is noted that 

 very satisfactory results are being obtained. 'The first year plants yielded 

 from 3 to 6 lbs. each, which increased to from 4 to IT^ lbs. the second year. 



The early agricultural history of timothy, C. V. Pipee and Katherine S. 

 BoRT (Jour. Amer. Soc. Agron., 7 (1915), No. 1, pp. 1-14). — This article notes 

 the early agricultural history of timothy or herd's grass as first discovered in 

 Kew Hampshire in 1700 or in Maryland in 1720. A bibliography of works pub- 

 lished prior to 1S47, in which this grass is mentioned, is cited. 



A text-book on tobacco, C. Werner (New York: Tobacco Leaf PuMishing Co., 

 1914, pp. 323, figs. 34).— An enlarged edition of this work (E. S. R., 22, p. 637). 



Relation between the dry matter and winter resistance of different varie- 

 ties of winter wheat, E. SiNz (Jour. Landw., 62 (1914), No. 4, pp. 301-335). — 

 This gives the results of experiments carried on at Gottingen in 1911 and 1912 

 in the experiment field, in pots, and in sunken masonry tanks with 10 varieties 

 of wheat. 



It is shown that there is a direct relation between dry matter and frost 

 resistance; that is, a high, dry matter content correlates with high frost re- 

 sistance, and vice versa. Those varieties that show ability to prevent rapid 

 transpiration by the firm texture of the tissues and by the action of the 

 stomata were found to be among those that were most highly frost resistant. 



Hard wheats winning their way, M. A. Carleton (U. S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook 

 1914, pp. 391-420, pis. 7, figs. 4).— This article traces the evolution of the hard 

 wheats in this country from their introduction from Russia through the stages 

 of increased production on the Great Plains, and the milling and commercial 

 developments as to their products. 



HORTICULTTTRE. 



[Progress report on horticultural investigations] (Missouri Sta. Bui. 131 

 (1915), pp. 479-483, fig. 1). — This comprises concise statements of progi'ess made 

 along various lines of horticultural work during the year ended June 30, 1914. 



