830 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.43 



pp. 29, figs. S2). — Approved methods of handling and storing potatoes and the 

 structural details of a modern storage house are illustrated and fully discussed. 

 The resnilts of storage experiments, previously noted (E. S. R., 43, p. 436), 

 including tests of storing tubers in the dark, in daylight, and under light of 

 different colors, such as red, blue, yellow, and green, are reported. 



Notice of public hearings [on] proposed official grain standards of the 

 United States for milled rice, D. F. Houston (U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Markets 

 Serv. and Regulatory Announcement 59 {1920), pp. 15). — An announcement of 

 public hearings on the proposed official grain standards of the United States 

 for milled rice, described in this circular. 



Soy bean (fJ. S. Dept. Agr., Dept. Circ. 120 (1920), pp. 4).— A popular de- 

 scription of the soy bean with brief notes on adaptation, inoculation, culture, 

 harvesting, thrashing, storing, and varieties. 



An acreage census of cane varieties for the crops of 1919, 1920, 1921, 

 H. P. Agee (Hawaii. Sugar Planters' Assoc. Circ. 34 (1919), pp. IfO). — Tabulated 

 statistics similar to those previously noted (E. S. R.. 40, p. 634) are presented 

 showing different varieties of sugar cane and the areas devoted to each for the 

 crops indicated on the islands of Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, and Oahu. Although 

 Yellow Caledonia is said to be still the leading variety, over 100,000 acres being 

 under this cane, the area is being slowly reduced, a loss of 4,894 acres appear- 

 ing between the 1917 census and that of 1919. 



Cane production and sugar manufacture in the Philippine Islands, C. W. 

 HiNEs (Philippine Bur. Agr. Bui. 33 (1919), pp. 202, pis. 21, figs. 35).— The 

 author presents a comprehensive, profusely illustrated handbook of sugar-cane 

 growing and sugar manufacture in the Philippines. The history of the industry 

 in the islands is reviewed, and varieties, propagation, soils, cultural methods, and 

 field practices are described in detail. The second part of the bulletin treats 

 of the various processes involved in the manufacture of sugar under scientific 

 control, and includes detailed laboratory instructions, formulas, and tables 

 useful in sugar-factory work. 



Notes on sweet tussock (Phalaris bulbosa), P. A. Bovet (Bol. Agr. Prov. 

 Buenos Aires, 1 (1920), No. 7, pp. 3-14, figs. 10). — This briefly reports work 

 with the seeding and propagation of sweet tussock grass, said to be a valuable 

 forage for the drier regions of Argentina. 



Tobacco investigations, G. H. Chapman (Massachusetts Sta. Bui. 195 (1920), 

 pp. 1-22, 31-38, figs. 5). — This reports the progress of work including studies of 

 the meteorological factors related to the growth of tobacco, biochemical studies 

 of the soil of normal and " sick " fields, fertilizer experiments, and observa- 

 tions on root rots, mammoth types of Cuban and Connecticut Havana tobacco, 

 high pressure v. low pressure seed bed sterilization, vitality of tobacco seed, 

 and top-dressing of tobacco seed beds with dry ground fish. An examination of 

 climatic data and the statistics of yearly production led to conclusions which 

 may be summarized as follows: 



The yield of tobacco in Massachusetts has not been gradually decreasing dur- 

 ing the past 10 years. The low yields since 1914 were due primarily to adverse 

 climatic conditions. In general, rainfall is the major limiting factor of growth 

 (and this necessarily includes soil moisture) together with temperature. Ex- 

 cessive rainfall is invariably followed by a reduction in yield independent of 

 temperature. Subnormal rainfall, when accompanied by temperatures ex- 

 cessively above normal, reduces the yield, but when accompanied by subnormal 

 temperatures does not apparently reduce the yield to any extent unless the rain- 

 fall is very much below normal. 



