442 EXPERIMENT STATION RECOED. [Vol.37 



Peanut growing in the cotton belt, H. C. Thompson (Nat. Provisioner, 55 

 (1916), No. 19, pp. 26. 27, 35). — This is a popular article on the production of 

 peanuts for oil in the cotton-producing sections of the South. The author states 

 that with modern processes it is possible to obtain from 42 to 44 per cent of 

 oil from shelled Spanish peanuts, 1 bu. of nuts weighing 30 lbs. yielding about 

 1 gal. of oil. The oil cake has about the same food value as cottonseed meal. 



Home potato patches, C. S. Knight (Nevada Sta. Bui. 87 (1917), pp. 8, figs. 

 2). — A brief, popular discussion of Irish potato production on small tracts In 

 Nevada. 



Potato growing in Wisconsin, J. G. Mh^wabd (Wisconsin Sta. Bui. 280 

 (1917), pp. 26, figs. i^). — Approved field practices and cultural methods em- 

 ployed in potato production in Wisconsin are discussed in detail and the stand- 

 ard varieties for the State briefly described. 



Rice growing in New South Wales {Agr. Gaz. N. S. Wales, 27 (1916), No. 11, 

 pp. 799, 800).— \ brief report is made of the successful production of rice at 

 the Yanco and Grafton experiment farms. New South Wales, in the season of 

 1915-16, with a variety known as Takasuka. At Yanco the crop was grown 

 under irrigation. The results secured were deemed suflicient to justify further 

 trials. 



Soy beans, N. Schmitz (Maryland Sta. Bui. 201 (1917), pp. lSl-158, figs. 6).— 

 The adaptation of soy beans to Maryland conditions, their uses, and the field 

 practices employed in their production both for seed and hay are di8cusse<i, 

 extensive variety tests reported, and numerous varieties briefly described. 



Thirty-six varieties have been tested for seed production for three years 

 and more. Virginia has given the highest average yield. 20.06 bu., with Ebony 

 second, with 19.84 bu. Cloud and Haberlandt have yielded 18.39 and 17.4r> 

 bu., re.spectively. The lowest average yield was secured from Mammoth, 10.12 

 hu. Of eight varieties tostetl for two or more years for hay production, the 

 highest nvorage yield was secured from Ebony, 4.29 tons, with an unnamed 

 variety No. 3091 second, with 4.09 tons per acre. Virginia yielded 3.13 tons 

 per acre. The lowest average yield, 2..58 tons, was secure<l from Edna. 



Observations regarding inoculation intlicate that on soils of low-to-mevlium 

 fertility the best results can not be secured without inoculation, and even on 

 those of high fertility inoculation is recommended. Soil inoculation is re- 

 ported as much more satisfactory than the u.^e of artificial cultures. 



A 2-year test with 4 varieties for a comparison of the yield of seed when 

 planted in 3.5-ft. rows and when drilled broadcast gave average yields of 13.38 

 and 16.41 bu. for the Edna and Virginia varieties, respectively, when planted 

 in rows, as compared with yields of 19.1 and 1G.9 bu., respectively, when 

 drilled broadcast. Wilson and Ebony yielded 14.74 and 15.1 bu., resi^ectively, 

 when sown in rows, and 11.66 and 12.13 bu., respectively, when drilled broad- 

 cast. 



Some recent investigations in sugar beet breeding, F. J. Pkitchard (Bat. 

 Gaz., 62 (1916), No. 6, pp. It25-J,65, figs. 5i).— The studies reported in this paper 

 have been briefly noted (E. S. R., 35, p. 442). The effect of environment on 

 consecutive check and progeny rows is graphically illustrated In this paper, 

 as it presents a number of phenomena having an important bearing on the 

 final results of the investigations. The points studied included the relationsnips 

 between a few commonly determined characters of the root and its yield of 

 seed, the relationship between a root's yield of seed and the percentage of 

 sugar In Its progeny, the transmission of selected qualities of mother roots, 

 selection of families, variability of progeny rows, effect of soil irregularities 

 upon the variability of beet families, transmsslon of qualities exhibited by se- 



