234 EXPEBIMENT STATION EECOKD. [Vol.37 



The average yield of unshelled peanuts obtained in the variety tests ranged 

 from 871 lbs. for the McGovern variety to 1,244 lbs. for Red Spanish. The 

 average percentage of shelled nuts varied from 39.3 for Jumbo to 75.1 for White 

 Spanish. The heaviest unshelled peanuts were the Tennessee Red (246 pods to 

 the pound) and the lightest White Spanish (461 pods to the pound). Based 

 on the average percentage of sound nuts and the oil content of each variety, 

 the varieties, arranged according to pounds of oil produced per ton, are as 

 follows : White Spanish 702 lbs.. Red Spanish 693, Valencia 572, McGovern 548, 

 Tennessee Red 527, North Carolina Runner 524, Virginia Runner 493, and 

 Jumbo 354 lbs. 



Brief directions are given for preparing the seed bed. planting, -cultivating, 

 and harvesting the crop. The largest yields were obtaine'd from plantings made 

 between May 1 and June 15. 



Chemical analysis of peanut straw showed 10.72 per cent water, 10.69 protein, 

 1.66 fat, 29.5 crude fiber, 41.39 carbohydrates, 6.03 ash, 1.2 potash, and 0.5 per 

 cent phosphoric acid. 



From tests made to study the residual effect of peanuts on the succeeding 

 crops, as compared with corn, it was concluded that the peanut crop harvested 

 In the usual way for seed does not improve the soil for succeeding crops. 

 From complete fertilizer tests It was concluded that acid phosphate at the 

 rate of 200 to 300 lbs. per acre produced profitable increases in yields on sandy 

 and other well-adapted soils. Potash, as balnit, at the rate of 100 and 200 lbs. 

 per acre was not always profitable except on a few infertile, sandy soils. Slacked 

 lime at the rate of 600 lbs. per acre gave profitable increases on sandy soil. 

 Cottonseed meal as a nitrogenous fertilizer was not profitable. 



The average yield of peanut straw from four experiments varied from 2,316 

 lbs. for North Carolina Runner to 1,234 lbs. for Virginia Bunch per acre. The 

 average percentage of dry. unhulled peanuts to the weight of the whole plant 

 ranged from .32 for North Carolina Runner to 39 for Red Spanish. 



Growing peanuts in Alabama, J. F. Dugoar, E. F. Cauthen, J. T. William- 

 son, and O. H. Sellers (AlaharrKi Col Ftn. Bui. 194 (1917), pp. S5-i8).—A 

 popular edition of the above. 



A note on the inheritance of certain stem characters in sorghum, G. R. 

 HiLSON (Agr. Jour. India, 11 {1916), No. 2, pp. 150-155, pi. i ) .—Observations 

 of some selected strains of sorghum In the Madras Presidency led to the con- 

 clusion that all of these strains could be placed in one or the other of two 

 groups, according to the appearance of the midrib of the leaf. One group is 

 composed of all plants In which the midrib appears as an opaque white band 

 nmning the entire length of the loaf, while the other group includes those 

 plants in which the midrib in the lower leaves Is mnrljed by dull white, gen- 

 erally broken bands never extending across the full width of the midrib and 

 rarely to the end of the leaf, while the upper leaves are entirely devoid of 

 any white marking. 



Repeated tests have led to the conclasion that a grayish midrib Indicates a 

 stem rich in sugar, while a white midrib shows a pithy, insipid stem. With 

 these characteristics in mind a number of breeding experiments were conducted 

 with the following results: (1) The character of the green stem in sorghum 

 can be readily diagnosed from the appearance of the midrib of the leaf, and 

 (2) in breeding tests the pithy, insipid character of the stem behaves as a 

 simple dominant to the sweet-stalked character. 



Tests of soy beans in 1916, E. H. .Tknkins. J. P. Street, and C. D. HmiBELL 

 {Connecticut State Sta. Bui. IBS {1917), pp. 3-10). — Continuing work pre- 

 viously noted (E. S. R., 35, p. 532), the yield and composition of 17 varieties 

 of soy beans are repiorted. The range in time of maturity in 1916 was from 



