1«1T1 FIELD CROPS. 537 



Blarlnghem (E. S. R., 19, p. 1128) and termed by him "cauliflower" inflor- 

 escence. 



A method for determining the percentage of self-pollination in maize, 

 A. E. Waller (Jour. Amer. Soc. Agron., 9 (1911), No. 1, pp. 35-S7).— This paper 

 reports an attempt to determine the percentage of selling in corn. The test 

 was conducted by the author at the Ohio State University, using Reid Yellow 

 Dent and Wing Hundred-Day White. The hills containing the white corn were 

 spaced a distance of 38i ft. from hill to liill east and west, and 35 ft. from 

 hill to hill north and south. At the time of tasseling two of the three plants in 

 each hill of white corn were detasseled. 



Only one pair of endosperm characters were contrasted, the white and yellow. 

 In endosperm formation in maize, the second nucleus from the pollen fuses with 

 the two polar nuclei in triple fusion. If the male nucleus is the bearer of 

 determiners for a dominant character expressing itself in the endosperm, the 

 phenomenon called xenia then results. The author presents the analysis of 38 

 ears of white corn, showing the number of yellow (cross-pollinated) and of 

 white (selfed) Icernels, with the percentage of selfed kernels. 



The average amount of self-pollination obtained was 5.13 per cent, although 

 under field conditions such factors as humidity and wind determine the zone 

 of infection between hills. The author believes that the effect of xenia can be 

 better illustrated by contrasting more than one pair of characters. 



Danthonia in New Zealand, A. H. Cockayne (Jour. Agr. [New Zeal.], IS 

 (1916), No. 5, pp. 352-S55, figs. 2). — The two "composite" species of Danthonia 

 used in New Zealand pasture formation, D. semiannularis and D. pilosa, are 

 described and compared. Brief cultural notes are given. 



The dasheen; its uses and culture, R. A. Young (U. S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook 

 1916, pp. 199-208, pis. 6). — The production and uses of the dasheen, with special 

 reference to its place in the agriculture of the Southern States, are discussed, 

 and the origin and the introduction of the crop into the United States briefly 

 outlined. 



Flax growing experiments, 1914 and 1915 (Dept. Agr. and Tech. Instr. 

 Ireland Jour., 11 (1916), No. 1, pp. S-19). — This is a continuation of work pre- 

 viously noted (E. S. R., 32, p. 136), reporting results for 1914 and 1915, which 

 are, in a large part, confirmatory of previous results. 



Notes on the cultivation of fl^ax by the ancient Egyptians, H. Munieb 

 (Bui. Union Agr. ^gypte, U (1916), No. 114, pp. 22-26).— This is a brief his- 

 torical note on the cultivation of flax in ancient Egypt. 



Influence of methods of sowing oats on crop yield, M. Abchangelskjj 

 (Zeml. Ghaz., No. 12 (1916), pp. 313-318; abs. in Intemat. Inst. Agr. [Rome], 

 Internat. Rev. Sci. and Pract. Agr., 1 (1916), No. 6, p. 826).— This reports the 

 results of field experiments with oats conducted at Tambov in 1914, comparing 

 broadcasting, sowing in rows in the ordinary way, and sowing in sets of rows 

 alternating with bare strips varying in width up to about 12 in. The quantity 

 of seed sown ranged from 0.6 to 1.41 cwt. per acre (2 to 4 bu.). Moisture deter- 

 minations were made during the summer to a depth of 3 ft., in order to ascer- 

 tain how the various methods influenced the moisture content of the soil. 



With equal quantities of seed, the ordinary method of sowing in rows gave 

 the largest yield and broadcasting the smallest. Increases in the quantity of 

 seed sown influenced the yield, the maximum being attained with 1.41 cwt. 

 sown in ordinary rows. Periodic, superficial plowing of the bare strips showed 

 the greatest conservation of soil moisture and increased the yield. 



Percentage of husk in varieties of oats, J. T. Pridham (Agr. Oas. N. S. 

 Wales, 21 (1916), No. 9, pp. 625, 626).— A number of standard oat varieties and 

 16179°— 17— No. 6 4 



