334 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Samples of the tops and of the roots of the clover plants from the several 

 plats were gathered in September, 1914, and determinations of ash, ferric oxid, 

 calcium oxid, and nitrogen were made. The roots from both halves of the 

 plat receiving nitrate of soda were large and thrifty and bore numerous nodules. 

 The roots from the limed halves of the jjlats receiving sulphate of ammonia 

 and no nitrogen were apparently similar in all respects to those from the plat 

 receiving the nitrate of soda. The roots from the unlimed half of the plat 

 receiving sulphate of ammonia were much smaller than those from the limed 

 half, and nodules were few and very small. The roots from the unlimed half 

 of the plat receiving no nitrogen were thriftier than those just described, but 

 were not so thrifty in appearance as those on the limed half and bore smaller 

 nodules. 



The composition of the clover tops from the limed areas proved to be more 

 uniform than the comiwsition of samples from the unlimed. The mineral con- 

 stituents were slightly higher in the clover from the unlimed areas, and this 

 was most positively defined in the percentages of calcium oxid. The nitrogen 

 was markedly lower in the unlimed group. 



" The composition of the roots differed somewhat from that of the tops. The 

 constituents determined, except iron oxid, were much lower in percentage than 

 those in the tops. The percentages of nitrogen varied in the same manner as 

 in the tops, while calcium oxid was higher in the roots from limed areas, and 

 the iron oxid was higher in those from unlimed areas. Variations in the per- 

 centages of ash in the roots were probably due in part to the presence of clay, 

 which could not be completely washed from the roots. . . . 



" The percentages of ash, iron oxid, and calcium oxid throw no light on the 

 specific effect of liming the soil. There appears to be neither too much iron nor 

 too little calcium in the tissues of the plants from the unlimed areas, unless 

 the small differences in the percentages from limed and unlimed roots are suf- 

 ficient to warrant such a defluction. . . . 



" The results of this work point to an effect of the lime on the soil constitu- 

 ents, by which the root environment is improved, rather than to an effect 

 within the plant by the absorption of a larger amount of calcium salts." 



Hard clover seed and its treatment in hulling', G. T. Haerington (U. 8. 

 Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. 676 {1915), pp. 8). — From studies of seeds of red 

 clover, alsike clover, white clover, and sweet clover, grown on different soils, 

 in different climatic conditions, covering a period of six years, and hulled by 

 hand and by machines, after the crop had been subjected to various curing 

 processes, the juithor concludes that " in nature nine-tenths or more of the 

 well-matured seeds of red clover, alsike clover, white clover, and white sweet 

 clover are hard. 



" Hard clover seeds are sometimes of value, but are usually much inferior to 

 good seeds which are not hard. The hardness of well-matured clover seed is 

 not influenced materially by conditions of soil, by seasonal variations, by cli- 

 matic conditions, or by the time at which the seed is harvested. The hardness 

 of well-matured red clover seed is not related to its color or size. 



"The rotting of clover in field or stack kills some of the seeds and may 

 reduce the quality of the hulled crop, but it does not affect the proportion of 

 hard seeds in the hulled crop after the dead seeds are removed. The rotting 

 of the clover in field or stack or sweating it in the mow before hulling is not 

 necessary. To secure the greatest yield and highest quality of seed the clover 

 should be cured and stored with as little wetting as possible. 



" The rubbing which clover seed receives in the hulling machine greatly 

 reduces the proi)ortlon of hard seeds, but frequently breaks some of the seeds. 

 The clover seed huUer is, therefore, an effective scratching machine. The aim 



