36 EXPEEIMENT STATION EECOED. 



Methods of securing self-pollination in cotton, R. M. Meade (U. 8. Dept. 

 Agr.. Bur. Plant Indus. Giro. 121, pp. 29, SO, fig. 1). — This paper mentions 

 methods tried by various investigators to secure self-pollination in cotton, and 

 describes a new method of using either ordinary rubber bands or wire paper 

 clips in such a way as to prevent the opening of the petals but at the same time 

 allowing expansion for normal development of the stamens and assuring polli- 

 nation. An advantage of this method is the speed with which the bands or 

 clips may be applied. 



The culture of Durang-o cotton in the Imperial Valley, A. McLachlak 

 (U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Circ. 121, pp. 3-12). — This paper gives sug- 

 gestions and directions for growing the Durango cotton in the valley (E. S. R., 

 28, p. 833), and ixjints out the great importance of planting only pure seed so 

 as to maintain high quality and improve the staple output of the valley. 



The discussion covers centralized ginning, clean picking, planting in furrows 

 and volunteering, irrigation, cultivation, planting, preparation of the land, 

 proper culture to produce good fiber, and handling plantings of mixed seed. 



Oats, C. G. Williams and F. A. Welton {Ohio Sta. Bui. 257, pp. 255-283, 

 fig. 1). — This bulletin gives data regarding variety, size, and source of seed, 

 and protein content of oats, and tests with a few varieties of barley and other 

 spring crops, and gives averages including work previously reported (E. S. R., 

 15. p. 243; 20, p. 1030) and subsequent reports through 1912. 



Twenty-year averages in the variety tests ranged from 53.14 bu. per acre 

 (Wideawake) to 60.77 bu. (Improved American). 



" Of the varieties tested throughout the past 9 years, the highest five in the 

 order of their rank are Siberian, Big Four, Silver Mine, Improved American, 

 and Sixty Day. 



" On a 50-acre tract of land, the judicious use of manure, fertilizer, and 

 limestone in connection with a systematic rotation of corn, oats, wheat, and 

 clover, has resulted in a net annual return per acre of $6.50. 



" On the basis of the average of 8 tests extending through 4 years, the yield 

 of disked plats exceeds those of plowed and no previous preparation plats by 

 3.34 and 4.63 bu., respectively. 



" On an average of 6 years' work, in which the extreme dates of seeding were 

 March 22 and May 10, the results have generally favored the earlier seedings. 



"As an average of 9 years' work, in which the rates of seeding per acre 

 have varied by 1 peck and have ranged from 4 to 12 pecks inclusive, the high- 

 est net yield per acre has been secured from the use of 9 pecks per acre. 



" In field work where the separation of seed was made by means of a fanning 

 mill, the yield of the ' large ' exceeded that of the ' unscreened ' by 3 pecks per 

 acre. This is an average of 4 years' work. As an average of 9 years' work 

 the yield of the ' large ' exceeded that of the ' small ' in the uniform and 

 varied rates of seeding by 2.75 and 4.06 bu. respectively, and on the average 

 of both rates by 3.41 bu. As regards quality of the two, there was no notice- 

 able difference. 



" Oats from the North and Northwest may be expected to yield about the 

 same as home-grown seed and they seem to gain little from acclimatization. 

 With one exception, the 7 varieties introduced from Sweden and England in 

 1908 have been found inferior to the average of our home-grown varieties. 



" In protein content little difference was found in different varieties, but 

 with respect to seasons the variation was quite marked, and, with the exception 

 of 1 year, varied inversely with the rainfall. 



" No spring crop has been found equal to oats under conditions such as 

 prevail at Wooster. Barley, and especially the Oderbrucker variety, is the most 

 promising substitute discovered thus far." 



