FIELD CROPS. 527 



" Generally the ammonium sulphate gave rather better returns than the cor- 

 responding plats with sodium nitrate. Sodium nitrate aloue has evil effects 

 on the grass, but ammonium sulphate alone is not so injurious here. The 

 residues of previous manuring for 20 years with rape cake, discontinued after 

 1911, gave an increase of G cwt. of hay. The increase on the basic slag plats 

 was 6 to 7 cwt., rather more this year than on the superphosphate alone plat, 

 where it was 5^ cwt., but the weight of slag given is double that of the super- 

 phosphate. The hay from the plat with superphosphate and residues of potash 

 salts was exceedingly rich in Leguminosre." 



[Fertilizer experiments] {County Northmnb. Ed. Com. Guide to Expts. 1915, 

 pp. 10-87, flgs. 2). — This gives some results of manurial treatments of pastures 

 and meadows and rotation experiments. 



Pasture grasses: Their cultivation and management, E. Beeakwkll (Dept. 

 Agr. N. S. Wales, Farmers' Bui. 96 (1915), pp. 105, pi. 1, figs. 51). — The author 

 discusses the treatment of native pastures, including overstocking, deterioration, 

 and burning off, and cultivated pastures ; classifies useful grasses according to 

 soil, height of grass, and habits of growth ; and describes many useful grasses, 

 both introduced and the best native grasses of New South Wales. 



Ecology of the purple heath grass (Molinia caerulea), T. A. Jefferies 

 {Jour. Ecology, 3 {1915), No. 2, pp. 93-109, pis. 2, figs. 2).— This article gives 

 the results of an ecological study of M. cwrulea on 3 square miles of moors 6 

 miles from Huddersfield, England. The morphology and biology of Molinia, 

 factors in its distribution (soil content and acidity), and the invasion and retro- 

 gression of Molinia are discussed. 



A new species of forest grass (Spodipogon lacei), R. S. Hole {Indian Forest 

 Rec., 5 {1915), No. 6, pp. 6, pis. 4)- — This describes a grass closely allied to 

 8. sagittifolius and given the name of S. lacei. 



Variety tests with millet and sunflowers, P. R. Fedorov {Bezenchulc. Selsk. 

 Khoz. Opytn. Btants'iia, No. 60 {191Jf), pp. 6). — Variety tests with millet showed 

 yields ranging uj> to 2,133 lbs. per acre when the soil was plowed to a depth 

 of 7 in. 



Tests with sunflowers showed "Green" to be the heaviest yielder of seed 

 (720 lbs. per acre). It is noted that this variety was entirely free from dodder, 

 which for two seasons greatly infested the other varieties. 



The effect of the association of legumes and nonlegumes, W. B. Ellett, 

 H. H. Hill and W. G. Harris {Virginia Sta. Tech. Bui. 1 {1915,), pp. 28-36, 

 figs. 3). — The experiments outlined in this bulletin were conducted in order to 

 account for the high percentage of protein found in samples of Kentucky blue 

 grass grown in Virginia. They consisted of the production (beginning in 1911) 

 of Kentucky blue grass, timothy, and corn grown separately and in association 

 with white clover, red clover, and beans, resiiectively, in concrete tanks made 

 in the greenhouse for the purpose, and supplemented by field tests. 



The data obtained by harvesting and analyzing the crops showed with blue 

 grass and white clover no direct benefit from the association. With timothy 

 and red clover no increase in protein was shown the first year, but in 1913 and 

 1914, however, some benefit was found. When corn and beans were grown in 

 the greenhouse the corn was benefited by the association. 



The high protein content of the grasses was chiefly accounted for by the early 

 age at which they were analyzed. The protein content of the blue grass sown 

 January 1, 1911, and cut March 1, April 1, May 1, June 1, December 1, 1911, 

 and February 4, 1912, is reported for the respective dates as 32.71. 24.37, 25.27, 

 18.2, 19.93, and 16.91 per cent (dry matter basis). The protein content of 

 timothy sown Januaiy 1, 1911, and cut March 1, April 1, May 1, and June 1, 

 1911, is reported as 30.27, 24.35, 24.68, and 18.59 per cent. 



