534 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. [Vol.37 



energy needed for the formation of heads. Barley was affected by heat, while 

 wheat and rye suffered, though not as much as barley. Oats showed very little 

 ill effect from high temperatures, indicating that they are better suited for soil 

 work in greenhouses where temperatures can not be accurately controlled. 

 The setting of seed was best in the cooler houses, although with oat.s there was 

 apparently no difference in this respect. Tillering was greatest in the warmer 

 temperatures and least in the cooler houses, but the difference in the number 

 of heads was overcome by the large percentage of seed produced per head, except 

 with oats. A temperature ranging from 55 to 70° is deemed most desirable for 

 growing grain in the greenhouse. 



Experiments with spring wheat and oats, P. R. Fedokov (Fedoroff) (Bezcn- 

 chuk. Sclsk. Khoz. Opytn. Sta., No. 11 (1916), pp. l-i). — Field experiments are 

 reported with spring wheat and oats for 1915. The plan of the experiments 

 included a study of the influence of the preceiling crop, plowing at different 

 depths and at different times, fertilizers, various methods of sowing, and seed 

 selection tests. The crops were grown after wheat, peas, corn, sunllowers. millet, 

 potatoes, and carrots. 



The best results were obtained from the crops following carrots and iwtatoes. 

 Late, shallow plowing for wheat appeared to increase yields slightly, but no 

 very definite results were obtained with oats. Mineral fertilizers, consisting of 

 acid phosphates and Thomas slag, .showed no increa.sed yields with wheat, but a 

 slight increase with oats. Manure .showod good results for both crops. 



Broadcasting the seed gave better results than any of liie other methods tested. 



Thrashing injuries of wheat and rye and their influence on the germination 

 and keeping qualities of the grain, .1. N. WAU.uliN (Sverif/cs I'tsadt sfbr. 

 Tidskr., 26 (1916), No. 1, pp. 2^-47, pi. 1, fig. i).— This article deals with ex- 

 periments by the author to determine the extent of injuries to wheat and rye 

 during thrashing and the resultant effect of .subsequent copper sulphate treat- 

 ment on the germination of the .seed. A study is also made of the effect of 

 such injuries on the keeping qualities of the grain. 



A 0.4 per cent aqueous solution of eosin was used to determine the location 

 and extent of the injury, the .seeds being dipped in the solution for one mimite, 

 removed and washed with water. The injured portions stained red. while the 

 remaining surface was practically uncolored. The author considered any 

 injury unimportant except such as occurred directly over the embryo. The 

 following gradations are suggested as an indication of the probable degree 

 of injury to the embryo: (1) No color, or only a perceptible tinge, (2) only 

 the apex above the embryo strongly colored, (3) at least one-l)«ilf (usually 

 the lower half) of the embryo surface strongly colored, and (4) the entire 

 embryo surface strongly colored. It is claimed that this method will enable 

 one to control the thrashing of wheat and rye when there is risk of injury to 

 the seed. 



The keeping qualities of both wheat and rye, but especially the latter, were 

 reduced by injury to the seed coat. Rye showed a marked reduction in its 

 germinability after two weeks, corresponding to the degree of injury sustained. 



Further tests showed that in the case of seed with uninjured integument 

 copper sulphate solutions of the highest concentration could be used without 

 subsequent damage to the germinability of the seed, but that a 0.2 to 0.3 

 per cent formaldehyde solution materially reduced the germinability of such 

 seed. The use of 0.1 to 0.2 per cent formalin, however, had no injurious effect. 



The data are presented in tabular form. 



Fibres from the Belgian Congo {Bui. Imp. Inst. [So. Kcn.^iiifjfoit], 1.^ (1016), 

 No. S, pp. 385-388). — Brief notes are given on fibers received for analysis from 

 the Belgian Congo. The materials comprised baobab bark (Adansonia digUata), 



