HOETICULTURE. 637 



The chemical composition of the tobacco plant, E. Pannain (Staz. Sper. 

 Agr. ItaL, JfS (1915). No. 1, pp. lS-43, fiys. Jt). — Previously notod from another 

 source (E. S. R., 33, p. 43G). 



A study of Colorado wheat, W. P. Headden {Colorado Sta. Bui. 208 {1915), 

 pp. S-.'fS). — This bulletin gives results of a study made during 1913 of some 

 factors that may determine the quality of Colorado wheat, which is generally 

 assumed to be inferior to the best bread-making wheat grown in other States. 



Wheat was grown on plats that received varying quantities of nitrogen, phos- 

 phoric acid, and potash. From the chemical analyses of the soils at various 

 depths before and after fertilization, the analyses of different parts of the 

 wheat plants at several stages of growth, and a study of the bacterial content 

 of the soil, the author is led to believe that there exists a definite relation 

 between the available supply of nitrogen, phosphorus, potash, and moisture in 

 the soil and the quality, or nitrogen content, of the wheat produced thereon. 

 The application of sodium nitrate increased the total amount of ash. It 

 depressed the amount of silica and increased the amounts of potash and cal- 

 cium, while it did not seem to affect that of phosphorus. The application of 

 phosphorus and potash to the soil seemed uniformly to lower the amount of 

 phosphorus in the plant. The amount of potash in the plant did not seem 

 to have been influenced by the application of either phosphorus or potash. 

 The application of nitrogen to the soil increased the nitrogen in the plant quite 

 materially over that present in the plants grown on the check plats. This was 

 true for each of the different applications made. 



Tabulated data show the chemical analyses of soil and subsoil used in these 

 experiments ; the variation of total nitrogen, nitric nitrogen, phosphoric acid, 

 and potash in consecutive areas ; the percentage of moisture, total nitrogen, 

 and bacterial count of soils differently treated ; the effect of varying amounts 

 of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash on (1) the ratio of stems, leaves, and 

 heads for Red Fife varieties of wheat, (2) the amount of dry matter in several 

 varieties of wheat, (3) the total nitrogen, proteid nitrogen, ammonic nitrogen, 

 and amid nitrogen in wheat plants at different stages of development, (4) the 

 moisture and soluble and insoluble ash in air-dried wheat plants and in various 

 parts of the plants, and (5) the amount of silicon in the different parts of the 

 wheat straw; and the mineral constituents of air-dried wheat straw. 



HORTICULTURE. 



[Horticultural investigations in Alaska], C. C. Geokgeson {AlasJca Stas. 

 Rpt. 191Jf, pp. 11-26, pis. 2). — The investigations of the year were confined 

 principally to the Sitka Station and consisted principally of breeding and 

 cultural experiments with orchard fruits and variety tests with vegetables. 



The work of hybridizing strawberries (E. S. R., 32, p. 45) has been continued 

 with success. Many crosses have been made between these hybrids, the best 

 of which are being selected for further study. Notes are given on breeding 

 work now under way with currants, gooseberries, raspberries, blueberries, and 

 cranberries. 



Of 40 varieties of apples planted in the station's test orchard some years ago, 

 those which are now left that give any promises of usefulness are the Yellow 

 Transparent, Raspberry, Hyslop, Sylvan Sweet, Whitney, and an English 

 variety, Keswick Codlin. The Yellow Transparent and Raspberry produced 

 fruit last season. The apples were undersized for these varieties but were of 

 very good flavor. The cherry trees at the station continue to make moderate 

 growth and bloom profusely every spring. For some reason, however, possibly 



