340 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.35 



Field peas, N. S. Robb (Idaho Sta. Circ. 2 {1916), pp. 8, fig. 1). — A brief 

 popular account discussing the adaptation of field peas to climate and soil, the 

 principal varieties, and the culture and uses of the crop. 



Effect of climatic factors on the hydrocyanic-acid content of sorghum, 

 J. J. WiLLAMAN and R. M. West (U. S. Dept. Ayr., Jour. Agr. Research, 6 

 (1916), No. 7, pp. 261-272, figs. 4). — The experiments here described were in 

 continuation of work previously noted (E. S. R., 33, p. 234), and were con- 

 ducted by the Minnesota Experiment Station in 1915 to study the effect of 

 climatic conditions on the amount of glucosid in the sorghum plant. For this 

 purpose two varieties of sorghum, Southern Cane and Early Amber, were 

 grown on plats in Minnesota, Utah, Kansas, and South Dakota, under widely 

 different climatic and cultural conditions. The results are presented graphi- 

 cally and in their discussion the factors which might have any bearing on 

 the cause of the variations in cyanid content or throw any light on the func- 

 tion of the glucosid dhurrin in sorghum are specially considered. 



The amount of dhurrin in each plant was found to vary considerably. An 

 unhealthy condition of plants, from whatever cause, was usually associated 

 with a higher hydrocyanic-acid content than was found in healthy plants. It 

 is thought possible that under such conditions the plant produces more glucosid 

 for the sake of the stimulating hormones in it. The apparent effect of humidity 

 and temperature on the amount of cyanid in sorghum is considered as probably 

 due to the indirect effect on the rate of growth. Adequate water supply was 

 usually accompanied by a low and inadequate by a high cyanic acid content. 

 It is believed that this is probably due to the need of glucosid stimulation when 

 the water supply becomes low. The character of the growth of the plant is 

 reported as affecting the distribution of dhurrin between leaves and stalks. 

 There was found a proportionately smaller amount in the thick heavy stalks 

 than in the slender ones. It is stated that there is no consistent daily variation 

 in the amount of dhurrin, and that this argues against the functioning of 

 this glucosid as a food storage. The Southern Cane in every plat but one 

 had a higher content of hydrocyanic acid than the Early Amber, and it is 

 concluded that varietal difference is probably of more weight in determining 

 the amount of hydrocyanic acid in sorghum than are the conditions of growth. 



Nitrogen content of the wheat of the Transvolga region, N. Tulaikov 

 (TuLAjKow) (Zhur. Opytn. Agron. (Russ. Jour. Expt. Landw.), 15 (1914), 

 No. 1, pp. 1-11). — Results of analyses made during the four years beginning 

 with 1910 by the experiment station at Besentschuk showed that the nitrogen 

 content of hard and soft wheats from this region was about the same, and 

 that the average nitrogen content of the hard and soft wheats grown in 1911 

 in the various districts of the government of Ssamara was the same. The 

 grain of different botanical subvarieties of spring wheat grown under the same 

 conditions of soil and climate showed no differences in the content of total 

 nitrogen. It is stated that variations in the nitrogen content of wheat of the 

 harvest of a particular year and produced under identical climatic conditions 

 must be attributed to differences in the chemical composition and osmotic 

 pressure of the soil solution, as botanical differences have no influence in this 

 connection. 



Further observations on combating weeds with kainit, T. Remy and 

 J. Vasters (Landtv. Jahrh., 48 (1915), No. 1, pp. 137-169, pis. 4).— The effect 

 of applying kainit, calcium cyanamid, and iron sulphate in controlling ragwort, 

 cornflower, wild poppy, wild radish, coltsfoot, wild mustard, Canada thistle, 

 sour thistle, and colchicum was observed in field and pot experiments. 



The results confirmed the conclusions drawn from previous work, and brought 

 out again the value of kainit in the control of weeds, especially wild mustard, 



