36 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



checked if the plants are pruned at the first cut so as to leave a branch. Prun- 

 ing instead of complete cutting back at the first cut leads to an increase in the 

 total crop. After the second cut in an ordinary monsoon indigo ceases to be 

 profitable and should be dug up to make room for rabi crops. The growth of 

 indigo for leaf and for seed should be regarded as separate things and seed 

 should not be raised from the old plants which have been cut for leaf. The best 

 method of obtaining good seed of Java indigo is to sow the crop in lines about 

 24 in. apart in the middle of August on high-lying, well-druined fields which are 

 in good heart. After gathering the seed the crop can probably be gro\\Ti on for 

 leaf during the next monsoon. Java indigo is greatly improved and a good many- 

 weeds are removed if it is harrowed as soon as possible after the removal of the 

 cover crop. When wheat is grown as a cover crop an early maturing variety 

 with little foliage and stout straw gives the best results." 



Second report on the improvement of indigo in Bihar, A. and G. L. C. 

 How.vRD (Af/r. Research Imt. Pusa Bui. 5.'/ {1915), pp. 11, pj. 1). — This con- 

 tinues the report of work noted above. In studying the production of indican 

 in the plant there was found to be a close relation between the quantity of 

 nodules on the roots and the content of indican in the leaves of the plant. 



" The development and activity of the root nodules of indigo take place best 

 when the plant is grown on somewhat poor land. On such land the soil contains 

 little nitrate, and, accordingly, the nodule factories are working at high pressure 

 to supply the proteids required. Large amounts of the nitrogen and oxygen of 

 the air are used up and the leaves of the indigo become rich in indican. . . . 

 The activity of the root nodules reaches its maximum about the time the plant 

 is ready to flower. At this period the leaves are also rich in indican. At this 

 time, however, the indican in the leaves begins to be called upon l)y the plant 

 and to be utilized by the flowers and developing seeds." 



It is noted that the same plants are not suited for both loaf and seed produc- 

 tion, ^lethods for the production of leaf and of seed are de.<?cribo(l. 



Melilotus indica as a green man\ire crop in southern California, W. M. 

 Mertz (California Sta. Circ. 1S6 (1915), pp. 4). — ^This gives the results of 

 cultural tests showing the value of bitter clover as a green manure crop for 

 orchards as well as for field crops. 



In studying the effect of turning under a bitter clover crop on the succeeding 

 nonleguminous crop the bitter clover was found to increase the yield 04.8 per 

 cent; common vetcli (Vicia .tatira), 28.7 per cent: bur clover (Medirngo denticn- 

 lata), 30.4 per cent; and field pea (Pi.<<um arvcn.<<e), 43..*^ per cent over the non- 

 legume plants used as checks, while following the application of 1.092 lbs. nitrate 

 of soda or 1,188 lbs. dried blood per acre to the nonleguminous crop tlie increases 

 averaged 45.6 per cent. 



The time, rate, and method of seeding and inoculation are discussed. 



Oats of the Mediterranean countries, Trabtt (Proft. Agr. ct TU. (Ed. 

 VEst-Centrc) , 36 (1915), No. 29, pp. 59-66, figs. 7).— This article gives the results 

 of a study of the structure and form of the native oats of Algeria and their 

 relation to the culfivattnl oats of central Europe. 



Culture of the potato, J. W. Weixington (New York State Sta. Cire. ,^6 

 (1915), pp. 4)- — This circular gives general directions for the production and 

 storage of potatoes in Xew York State. 



The process of transplanting rice, N. Novelli (Oior. Ri^ticolt., 5 (1915), 

 No. 17, pp. 273-283, figs, fl).— This describes in detail the Italian metliod of 

 transplanting rice. 



New varieties of rice (Agr. Mod. [Milan], 21 (1915), Nos. 2, pp. 21-2H : 3. 

 pp. 41-J/3, fig.'*. 16). — This gives results of trials in Spain of rice that was im- 

 ported from Japan. Ten Imported varieties are described. 



