330 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOM). 



and ^ bale of cotton per acre to 30 bai. of corn and tu bale of cotton the second 

 year. The system of rotation divided the farm into 3 parts, viz. (1) cotton, 

 followed by oats to plow under; (2) corn, followed by cowpeas to plow under. 

 followed by oats; and (3) oats harvested, follewed by cowpeas for hay, followed 

 by oats to plow under. 



The work of the Yuma Experiment Farm in 1912. W. A. Petekson {U. S. 

 Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Circ. 126. pp. 15-21, Jigs. 2). — The work done^ 

 since the establishment of this farm at Yuma. Ariz., in 1909, ^vtng general crop 

 conditions and plan of the farm, is discussed. 



It is noted that fields sown to alfalfa with, a grass seed drUl usually pro- 

 duced a uniform stand. The heaviest yields of alfalfa seed were frequently 

 obtained from fields badly infested with Bermuda grass, due, it is pointed out. 

 to the more isolated position of the plants. 



In eradicating Bermuda grass the best method was found to be to give a 

 thorough shallow plowiag during the summer montiis, followed by occasional 

 disking. " Bermuda grass will grow where the imderground water during the 

 flood stage of the Colorado River comes practically to the surface, a condition 

 disastrous to most other crops. It also withstands a rather high alkali content 

 iu the soil, and on account of the rapidity with which it spreads when it once 

 secures a scattered foothold it should prove useful in reclaiming alkali areas. 

 On such areas, where alfalfa does not do well. Bermuda grass has a distiQCt 

 value as a pasture crop, since the forage is highly nutritious and the plants 

 very resistant to the effects of close grazing." 



In cotton experiments it is noted that the plant can be reproduced from 

 mature wood cuttings and that plants ean be volunteered by protecting the bases 

 of the stems with soil during the winter. 



In com experiments selection 157. a strain of Lagtma corn, appeared to be 

 better adapted to the climatic conditions than any other variety tried. 



Miscellaneous crops, W. A. Petebsox (U. S. Dept. Agr.. Bur. Plant Indus. 

 Circ. 126. p. 2J). — On spots of medium and heavy soils hemp grew from 10 to 

 20 ft. high and seeded abtmdantly. Two species 9f bamboo did not prove hardy. 

 Carob (Ceratonia s^iliqu^) is indicated as being a promising introduction from 

 Spain. 



The work of the Delta Experiment Farm in 1912, J. P. Irish, Jr. (C S. 

 Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Circ. 121', pp. S-IS, fig. 1). — ^This paper includes a 

 description of the region of the Delta experiment farm at Middle Kiver, Cali- 

 fornia, and the cropping systems. 



Results are given of potato experiments ia 1912. in continuation of previous 

 work (E. S. R., 20. p. 948). In fertilizer and cultural trials rather uniformly 

 higher yields were obtained with superphosphate under all conditions of 

 tillage and iraiformly better yields iu proportion to stand by applying the 

 fertilizer in March over appyling fertilizers at planting time. Deep plowing 

 showed better results than shallow, and green manure gave generally better 

 yields than were obtained from bare fields. The use of varying rates of super- 

 phosphate produced no consistent differences in yield. The growth of haulm, 

 however, was noticeably increased by the heavier application. 



In an experiment in which sulphuric acid was used to acidulate the irriga- 

 tion water, the applications of from 500 to 900 lbs. per acre were made at a 

 time when the tubers were begitming to form. The immediate effect of the 

 acid was a marked increase in the vegetative vigor of the plants. This stimu- 

 lation continued during the remainder of the growing period, so that at har- 

 vest time the haulm was double that of any other plats ia the field. The wilt 

 infection of these plats was not only uniformly lower than on the rest of the 

 field, but the growth of the infected plants was also much less depressed. It 



