FIELD CROPS. 733 



of the committee on the subject, which has received the report of Gates in 

 continuation of his breeding studies previously noted (E. S. R., 32, p. 326). 

 The results of these studies are said to have been confirmed and extended. It 

 has been shown, in particular, that both blending and alternative inheritance 

 of characters occur. Some of the plants are said to emphasize still further the 

 fact that mutation and hybridization in CEnothera are separate processes, 

 which may, however, go on at the same time. 



FIELD CROPS. 



Cereal experiments in Maryland and Virginia, T. R. Stanton ( U. S. Dept. 

 Agr. Bui. 336 {1916), pp. 51, figs. 6).— This bulletin is for the most part a report 

 on varietal tests in connection with experiments with winter and spring-grown 

 cereals conducted by the Office of Cereal Investigations on the Arlington Farm 

 since 1907, and in cooperation with the Maryland Experiment Station at College 

 Parlv since 1904.^ The results are tabulated and discussed at some length and 

 the leading varieties are grouped and described. The method of conducting the 

 experiments at both places is outlined, the meteorological conditions for the 

 different years are considered, and the results as a whole are summarized. 



The varietal tests at College Park included 107 varieties and races of wheat, 

 5 of spelt, 3 of emmer, 13 of oats, and 12 of barley, while at the Arlington Farm 

 the tests included 43 varieties and races of wheat, 12 of rye, 4 of spelt, 2 of 

 emmer, 19 of oats, and 56 of barley. Only winter varieties of the various 

 cereals were under test. 



Of the winter w^heats tested at Arlington Farm, 11 were selections from 

 hybrids developed at College Park and Arlington Farm, and of these Virginia 

 (C. I. No. 3277) proved most promising. The 5 leading varieties of wheat at 

 College Park, with the 7-year average yield of each in bushels per acre, were as 

 follows : China, 81.17 bu. ; IVIammoth Red, 31.09 bu. ; Bearded Purple Straw, 

 30.95 bu. ; Turkish Amber, 30.11 bu. ; and Lancaster, 30.03 bu. At Arlington 

 J'arm the 5 leading varieties of winter wheat, with the 5-year average yield of 

 each in bushels per acre, were as follows: Purple Straw (C. I. No. 1915), 32.09 

 bu. ; Lancaster, 29.74 bu. ; Dawson Golden Chafe, 29.37 bu. ; Fultz, 29.17 bu. ; 

 and Purple Straw (C. I. No. 1957), 29.17 bu. Several varieties of winter wheat 

 at Ai-lington Farm gave better yields on well-prepared land when sown at the 

 rate of 3 or 4 pk. per acre than when larger quantities of seed were applied. 



Among several varieties of winter spelt Alstroum ranked first with a 6-year 

 average yield of 63.23 bu. at College Park and with a 5-year average yield 

 of 74.08 bu. per acre at Arlington Farm. Black Winter emmer, the only 

 variety tested, averaged 36.57 and 22.33 bu. respectively, for the same periods at 

 College Park and Arlington Farm. The w^eight per bushel was figured at 

 30 lbs. 



A varietal test of rye was conducted at Arlington Farm only. Of 12 varieties 

 and selections tested Giant Winter, Virginia Winter, and Abruzzes were the 

 leading sorts. The average yield of Giant Winter rye in a 4-years' test was 

 32.89 bu. Earlier seeding than commonly practiced by farmers gave very satis- 

 factory results with rye. 



The leading varieties of winter oats at College Park were Winter Turf, Bick- 

 nell, and Culberson, while the most promising at Arlington Farm wei*e the Red 

 Rustproof, Winter Turf, Bicknell, and Culberson, in the order named. Winter 

 Turf proved the hardiest and most dependable variety, but it is pointed out 

 that its late maturity and tendency to lodge are objectionable and that the 

 Culberson and Bicknell, which mature from ten days to two weeks earlier, are 

 to be preferred to it in eastern and southern Maryland and eastern Virginia. 



