630 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECOED. 



entire period, or approximately $1 per acre per annum ; tbe rock phosphate 

 alone showed a loss of $3.57, while the acid phosphate alone showed a gain 

 of $2.41 during the same period. 



"These experiments, therefore, indicate that under the conditions prevailing 

 on these two fields acid i)hosphate is more profitable as a source of phosphorus 

 than is raw rock phosphate." 



Report of the division of farm crops, V. M. Siiof.smith (Michifjnn Hta. Rpt. 

 191Jf. pp. 23/>-239). — In this report F. A. Sprogg notes that two strains of winter 

 barley have been developed to withstand Michigan winters satisfactorily. The 

 improvements of wheat, oats, corn, and alfalfa as results of breeding and selec- 

 tion work are also briefly noted. 



Data are given showing results in fertilizer experiments with wheat and 

 corn, and in rotation experiments. It is stated, however, that the.se experi- 

 ments have not been carried on long enough to justify conclusions. 



[Experiments with field crops], P. Van Hoek (Vcr.slag. en Meded. Dir. 

 Landb. Dept. Landb., Nijv. en Handel, No. 3 (lOUf), pp. Jfl-lS-'f). — Results of a 

 variety test of potatoes for starch manufacture and of table potatoes are given, 

 the latter being grown on both clay and sandy soils. The starch content of 

 the former kinds ranged from 15.7 to 16.15 per cent. 



The data show a considerable increase in yield, especially of marketable 

 size tubers, as a result of seed selections. Results of spraying with Bordeaux 

 mixture showed large increases, especially in the marketable sizes of the 

 sprayed crops. In tests of the use of from 400 to 900 kg. per hectare (356 to 

 SOI lbs. per acre) of nitrate of soda, covering the years 1908-1912. it was found 

 that about 600 kg. gave the most profitable results. 



Variety tests of sugar beets covering the years 1907-1911 are reported. 



Studies of the influence of the application of from 200 to 600 kg. per hectare 

 of nitrate of soda on the sugar content of beets for the years 1910-1912 showed 

 a lack of uniformity. 



The I'esults of variety and manurial tests with mangels and turnips, cereals, 

 beans, peas, flax, and of a test of inoculation of legumes and spraying for weed 

 destruction are given. 



In several years' experiments with grass lands a top-dre.ssing of kainit and 

 slag meal gave no results the first year. Kainit alone nearly doubled the yield, 

 slag meal alone gave no increase, while 2 parts (1.000 kg. per hectare) kainit 

 and 1 part of slag meal proved better than 1 part kainit and 2 parts of slag 

 meal. 



An application of sand to grass plats in the dry year 1911 caused an increase 

 in yield in general on various fertilizer plats and improved the quality of the 

 growth. In manurial tests complete commercial fertilizer on grass lands during 

 1899-1912 gave better results than barnyard manure or loam dressing. 



Varietal tests 1914 — ground nuts, maize, and rice, F. A. Stockdale (Dept. 

 Agr. Mauritius, Gen. Ser., Bui. 3 (WU) [English Ed.], pp. iO).— This bulletin 

 reports yields and analyses of several varieties of peanuts and maize and yields 

 of several varieties of rice. 



On the plant food absorption and growth of Agropyrum repens, H. 

 BuKMESTER {Filltliiig's Landw. Ztg., 63 (191^), No. 16, pp. 547-556, fig. 1). — 

 This article describes pot expeiiments designed to determine to what extent 

 A. repens suffers by deep covering of the rhizomes, to what extent it withdraws 

 plant food from soils of varying fertility, and to what extent a crop suffers in 

 its presence on soils of varying fertilily. The following results are given : 



When the rhizomes of A. repens are covered to a depth of about 12 in. they 

 die. Repeated removals of the leaves of the plant above groimd so weakens it 



