FIELD CROPS. 735 



from 10 to 12 lbs. of alfalfa seed per acre was ample to insure a good stand 

 and a good quality of hay. Under irrigation the better yielding varieties of 

 early potatoes were Early Rose. Early Ohio, and Irish Cobbler ; and the later 

 varieties, Idaho Rural, Netted Gem, and Pearl. 



Beport of the division of farm crops, V. M. Shoesmith (Michigan Sta. Rpt. 

 1915, pp. 226-228). — A general review by F. A, Spragg is given of the crop im- 

 provement work of the division. Considerable attention was given to the elimi- 

 nation of error in plat experiments with crops and a method worked out for 

 the purpose and involving the use of a factor called the coefficient of yield 

 is described. 



Agronomy (New Mexico Sta. Rpt. 1915, pp. 35-^2). — In a culture test with 

 corn, dropping the seed behind the plow when plowing stubble ground in the 

 spring was compared with plowing and harrowing the ground and planting 

 with a corn planter. In connection with the first method irrigation was 

 applied before and with the second after planting. The yields are reported as 

 in favor of the use of the corn planter by 2.7 bu., and of irrigation before plant- 

 ing by 3.9 bu. per acre. Ten tons of barnyard manure per aci-e gave an in- 

 crease in yield of 2 bu. The different varieties grown in the test yielded 

 as follows: Reid Yellow Dent 37.7 bu., Hickory King 40.1 bu., and Mexican 

 June 43.3 bu. per acre. A yield of Mexican June at the rate of 110.3 bu. per 

 acre is also recorded. The percentage of stalks and ears attacked by smut 

 is given for the different varieties. 



In culture tests with wheat, seeding at the rate of 60 lbs. per acre gave 

 better results than the use of 90 or 120 lbs. of seed per acre, and wheat seeded 

 November 1 and December 1 gave much better yields than that seeded on 

 October 1, January 1, February 1, or March 1. 



An experiment in the eradication of Jolmson grass through clean cultivation 

 gave promising results, but reseeding took place through seed carried down 

 from higher levels in the irrigation water. 



Sudan grass grown under irrigation yielded per acre 1,894 lbs. from the first, 

 3,057 lbs. from the second, and 1,864 lbs. from the third cutting of the season. 



First annual report of Vivian experiment and demonstration farm, A. N. 

 Hume, M. Champlin, and J. G. Hutton (South Dakota Sta. Bui. 162, pp. 266- 

 279, fig. 1). — The history and climatic and soil conditions of the farm are briefly 

 noted, and the lines of work inaugurated together with the plans of conducting 

 the farm are outlined. Some of the year's results with different methods of 

 soil preparation are given in tables but no definite conclusions are drawn. 

 It is stated that the results given will be more completely analyzed in the light 

 of further data and be used later in bulletins dealing with specific subjects. 



[Farm crops] (Washington Sta. Bui. 127 (1915), pp. 13-15, 29, 30, fig. 1).— 

 Forage crop studies are briefly described and some of the results reported. 

 In a test of growing alfalfa in rows the yields were 7,443, 7,271, and 6,270 

 lbs. per acre from two cuttings from plantings in rows 7, 14, and 28 in. apart, 

 respectively. A variety of alfalfa developing root stocks was found in the 

 forage crop nur.sery. A mixture of Kentucky blue grass, timothy, orchard 

 grass, brome grass, recftop, alfalfa, red clover, alsike clover, and white clover 

 sown in 1912 gave abundant pasturage each year. In 1915 orchard grass pre- 

 dominated, and timothy, Kentucky blue grass, and brome grass had diminished, 

 while there remained only a trace of redtop. Alfalfa persisted better than 

 the other legumes. 



A study of the influence of cultivation on the nitrogen content of wheat 

 showed increases in the nursery selections at the station amounting to ap- 

 proximately 33 per cent more nitrogen than was found in the samples taken 



