836 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



recommended as necessary. A thick-headed Swedish wheat seemed to give the 

 best results on these moor soils. 



Preparing land for wheat, L. E. Call (Kansas Sta. Bui. 185, pp. 3-16, 

 figs. 2). — This bulletin discusses the preparation of wheat land for Kansas con- 

 ditions and reports results obtained with each of 16 methods. 



Larger returns were obtained from wheat grown in rotation than with wheat 

 grown continuously. The largest yield of wheat in rotation was 44.66 bu. per 

 acre when the land was plowed 7 in. deep on July 15, and the smallest, 25.50 

 bu., when the land was plowed 3 in. deep on September 15. The corresponding 

 yields with wheat grown continuously were 34.95 and 16.39 bu. 



Summer fallow proved to be the best method at the Fort Hays substation, 

 giving an average yield of 21.1 bu. per acre in 4 years, as compared with 5.8 

 bu. with late fall plowing and 11 bu. with early fall plowing. Data are given 

 in tabulated fonn. 



New method of dstecting^ vitality of seeds, S. Tashiro (Orig. Commiin. 8. 

 [ntcrnat. Cong. Appl. Chem. [Washingtoti and Is! etc ForA;], 26 {1912), Sects. 

 Vla^XIl), App., p. 163). — This new method, consisting of the detection and esti- 

 mation of the carbon dioxid given off by living seeds, is described. 



The examination of the gemiinative ability of various weed seeds, H. 

 GuMBEL (Landtc. Jahrh., j^S {1912), No. 2, pp. 215-S21). — The use of earth gave 

 a higher percentage of germination with Sinapis arvensis than a filter pnper 

 seed bed. This weed also seemed to belong to the class of seeds the germina- 

 tion of which is increased by light. 



The effect of light and darkness on the germination of seeds in general was 

 influenced by the condition of the seeds, i. e., their age, ripeness, etc., and the 

 accompanying conditions of temperature. Action of the direct rays of the sun 

 is ascribed chiefly to the temperature variation, which caused increased germi- 

 nation varying with the stage of ripeness of the seeds tested. Strong direct 

 sunlight injured the germinative ability to a high degree. Moving the seeds 

 about in the seed bed seemed to favor germination with S. arvensis and Raph- 

 anus raphanistrum- in both light and darkness. The drying of the seeds to air 

 dryness after they had begun to swell and then returning them to moisture 

 seemed to increase the germinative ability, especially under the influence of 

 sunlight. Ripeness of the seed had considerable influence on these results. 

 The weather influences, when the seeds of 8. arvensis, R. raphanistrum, Avena 

 fatua, and Centaurea cyanus were left on the surface of the ground during 

 the winter, were found to be harmful. 



The character of the soil greatly influenced the depth to which various seeds 

 would germinate in it, the 2 extreme types being moor soil and coarse gravel. 

 /?. arvensis seeds appeared in 2 colors, black being the normal and brown an 

 abnormal color which seemed to indicate disturbed development. The brown 

 seeds, however, always showed high germinative energy under the various 

 conditions. 



The depth limit for 8. arvensis seemed to be 7 cm., and the best results were 

 at a depth of 3 cm. All of the weed seeds eaten by a hen and 2 pigeons were 

 found upon examination of the excrement to have been completely digested. 



Tabulated data covering 18 tests in these experiments are given. 



The occurrence of viable weed seeds in the soil, K. Snell (Landw. Jahrh., 

 43 {1912), No. 2. pp. 323-347, figs. 2). — Examinations were made of experiment 

 station garden soil, various cultivated fields, vegetable gardens, and forest 

 soils to the depth in some cases of 120 cm. (47.2 in.). The soil was removed 

 in layers of 10 cm. and the seed therein allowed to germinate. Records of these 

 12 examinations and tests are presented in tabular form. AJthough the soils 



