134 EXPEKIMENT STATION EECORD. 



lime, sodium nitrate, or ammonium sulpliate seemed to check their develop- 

 ment The authors conclude, therefore, that the injurious effect of lime applied 

 to lupines is due directly to the unfavorable soil conditions thus produced for 

 the development of the nodule-forming bacteria. 



Yields of native prickly pear in southern Texas, D. Griffiths ( U. 8. Dept. 

 Agr. Bui. 208 (1915), pp. 11, pis. 2).— This bulletin reports work in continua- 

 tion of that previously noted (E. S. R., 20, p. 34), but includes the additional 

 species Opuntia gommei and 0. cyaneUa and some other less important species. 

 Methods of cultivation employed at Brownsville and San Antonio, Tex., and at 

 Chico, Cal., are described. 



The yields at Brownsville were at the rate of from 35.492 tons to 185.S37 tons 

 per acre for 2- and 3-year-old plants, making an annual production of from 

 17.746 to 54.703 tons of succulent feed per acre. These yields were from newly 

 planted cuttings. Yields of stumps from which a crop had been harvested often 

 averaged over 100 tons per acre per year. The yields from cuttings at San 

 Antonio ranged from 2.83 to 20.685 tons i^er acre, and from stumps from 9.8 to 

 28 tons per acre. 



It is noted that shallow cultivation to suppress weeds gave better results than 

 deep cultivation or a dust mulch system. Thorough preparation of the soil 

 before setting the cuttings seems essential for the best results. 



Report of the prickly pear traveling commission, November 1, 1912, to 

 April 30, 1914, T. H. Johnston and H. Tbton {Rpt. Prickli/ Pear Travel. 

 Com., Queensland, 1912-1914, pp. XX-{-131, pis. 28). — The report of a commis- 

 sion of inquiry appointed by the Queensland Government to visit countries 

 in which prickly pear plants are itidigenous or have become naturalized, for 

 the purpose of ascertaining what diseases, parasitic plant organisms, and para- 

 sitic or predatory insects are injurious to these plants, as a method of destroy- 

 ing or controlling their growth, and also the possibility of utilizing prickly 

 pears for commercial pui"ix»ses. The results of these studies of the activities 

 of rodents, insects, and xliseases ; the utilization as food for man and for stock, 

 as a fertilizer, and as a source of alcohol, fiber, and oxalic acid, and the utili- 

 zation of the mucilage, and coloring matter in the fruit; and the destruction 

 by overgrowth, by chemicals, and by mechanical means are summarized for 

 each of the following countries : Java, Ceylon, India, South Africa, the Canary 

 Islands, Europe, and the Mediterranean area, the United States, Mexico and 

 Central America, the "West Indies, South America, the Hawaiian Islands, and 

 the Australian States other than Queensland. 



A bibliography of over 400 titles is appended. 



On the inbreeding' of rye, K. von RiJMKER and R. Leidnek {Ztschr. Pflanzen- 

 zilcht., 2 {1914), No. 4, PP- 429-444, figs. 4)- — This aitlclc discusses data ob- 

 tained in experiments previously noted. (E. S. R., 21, p. 736; 30, p. 525), to 

 study the kernel color of rye in pure lines, and also points out from the same 

 data the increase in yields of progeny of crosses between pure lines of rye. 



Physiological studies of Bacillus radicicola of soy bean, J. K. Wilson 

 {A'bs. in Seience, n. ser., 41 {1915), No. IO4S, p. 180). — This paper, presented 

 at the ninth annual meeting of the Botanical Society of America, Philadelphia, 

 in December, 1914, " confirms earlier work as regards the influence of nitrates 

 on nodule production, and indicates in addition that sulphates in relatively 

 weak concentration inhibit the process, Chlorids and phosphates stimulate 

 nodule production, while ammonium salts are inhibitory. The significant fact 

 was developed that while nodule development was prevented by the presence 

 of nitrates, phosphates, and ammonium salts, yet the organism retained its 

 vitality in the presence of these salts. Whether the effect of the salt is upon 



