FIELD CROPS. ■ 531 



acclimatizing the insects and inducing tliem to multiply on and ultimately 

 destroy the weed. 



Production and utilization of rape seed iBul. Imp. Inst. [So. Kensington], 

 13 {1915), No. 3, pp. 452-4GG). — This article discusses the cultivation of rape 

 (Brassica campestris) as a fodder and as an oil-producing plant; gives the 

 properties and uses of rape oil and its substitutes ; and discusses rapeseed cake 

 and meal, including chemical analyses. Notes on the trade in rape seed, oil, and 

 cake in the Indian Provinces are also included. 



Inflorescence of rice, B. Marcakelli {Gior. Risicolt., 5 (1915), No. 23, pp. 

 372-378. figs. 4). — This article describes the inflorescence of rice and discusses 

 the phenomena of fertilization. 



Dominant and recessive characters in wheat hybrids, H. Stkauss {Domi- 

 nunz und Resessivitiit bei W eizenbastarden. Inriuff. Diss. Univ. Gottingen, 1914, 

 pp. 52, pi. 1; abs. in Ztschr. Pflanzensiicht., 2 (1914), No. 4, pp. 518, 5i9).— This 

 monograph gives results of a study of the awn, color, and hair characters 

 of 30 Fi hybrid wheats obtained by the use of 10 different varieties at Gottingen 

 in 1913. 



It is noted that the generally accepted dominant characters of awnlessness, 

 brown color, and hairiness of the glumes showed many exceptions which may 

 have been caused by accidental selfing. Instead of the awned characters show- 

 ing complete recessiveness it is noted that a large proportion were intermediate 

 between awned and awnless, 286 plants being intermediate. 29 awnless, and 12 

 awned. In regard to glume color, the majority (211) showed brown, 17 white, 

 and 45 light brown, indicating an intermediate coloring. 



Study of the segi-egation of hybrid wheat in the F2 and Fs generations, 

 A. Hemvemeyer (Jour. Landiv., 63 (1915), No. 2, pp. 97-124) .—This article pre- 

 sents data regarding tlie awn, color, and hair characters of the F2 and F3 

 generations of six wlieat hybrids originally made and studied in their Fi 

 generation by H. Strauss at Gottingen in 1913, as noted above. Tabular data 

 show the absolute and theoretical ratios of the characters awn and awnless, 

 hairy and smooth, and brown and white glumes for both parents and offspring. 



The author concludes that each character considered by itself segregates 

 regularly in the ratio 8:1. When two of the characters are considered com- 

 bined the ratio follows 9:3:8:1 and when three are considered they segregate 

 in the ratio 27 : 9 : 9 : 9 : 8 : 3 : 1. 



Results of seed tests for 1915, F. W. Taylor and F. S. Prince (Neiv Hamp- 

 shire Sta. Bill. 177 (1915), pp. 19). — This gives results of the testing and ana- 

 lyzing of 42 samples of seed voluntarily sent in and of 80 samples collected by 

 an authorized representative of the station. 



The vitality of seeds passed by cattle, D. Milne (Agr. Jour. India, 10 

 (1915), No. 4, pp. 353-369). — This paper gives results of experiments in feeding 

 whole wheat and gram seeds to bullocks and determining their vitality after 

 being voided by the cattle. 



The results of 18 tests with whole wheat shovv' that in some cases as much 

 as 20.5 per cent of the grains passing a single bullock germinated and produced 

 strong healthy plants, while the smallest figure obtained from a single animal 

 was 9.6 per cent. The time required in the case of both wheat and gram for 

 the first appearance of the undigested grains after the experiment began was 

 18.5 hours. Large numbers of kernels of gram also appeared undigested but 

 practically none of these germinated. Incidentally it was noticed that the 

 seeds of piazi (Asphodelus flstnlosus) , bathu (Clienopodinm album), and rawari 

 (Lathyrus aphaca) were found in the dung, and experiments showed that they 

 germinated. 



