1919] FIELD CHOPS. 39 



Sugar beets under Irrigation in Washington, F. J. SrEVEus and E. G. 

 ScHAFER (Washington Sta. Bui. 154 (1919), pp. J^l, figs. 11). — This comprises a 

 general discussion of the principal factors affecting the successful production of 

 (lie crop in the State, together with Information x-elating to diseases and insect 

 p(>sts. 



Strains of White Burley tobacco resistant to root rot, J. Johnson and R. H. 

 Milton (V. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 165 (1919), pp. 11, figs. 4). — This comprises a 

 rather popular account of the nature of the root-rot disease of tobacco, said to 

 l)e due to Thielaviu baswola, together with a l)rief discussion of the development 

 and testing of resistant strains of White Burley. It is stated that two or three 

 resistant strains of the drooping-leaf type are suitable for use on " sick " soils, 

 while promising results have also been secured with the stand-up type. 



The velvet bean, C. K. McClelland (Georgia Sta. Bui. 129 (1919), pp. 81-98, 

 figs. 6). — Directions are given for growing, harvesting, and utilizing velvet 

 !)eans as a companion crop with corn in Georgia, together with the results of 

 limited variety tests, including agronomic data on the different varieties. It 

 is stated that the crop is valuable for pasture, grain, feed, roughage, smotlier- 

 iny: weeds, silage, and soil improvement, especially on sandy soil, and that the 

 feeding and fertilizing value of velvet bean meal is equivalent to about one- 

 half of a like weight of cottonseed meal. The Florida, Georgia or Early 

 Speckled, Alabama or Medium Early Speckled, Chinese, Osceola, Yokohama, 

 and Lyon are said to be the best known varieties. 



Velvet bean varieties, J, M. Scott (Florida Sta. Bui. 152 (1919), pp. 213-233, 

 figs. 10). — Varieties of velvet beans grown in Florida are briefly described and 

 illustrated including the Florida, Lyon, Yokohama, Chinese, Georgia or Early 

 Speckled, Wakulla, Osceola, and Alachua. Directions are also presented for 

 the production and utilization of the crop in the State. 



Velvet beans gi'own continuously for 6 years showed a decrease in yield of 

 from 25 bu. of shelled beans per acre in 1907 to 10 bu. in 1912, or an average 

 of 15 bu. (for 5 crops), as compared with a similar average of 23 bu. per acre 

 for the general crop. 



Wheat investigations — varieties, A. E. Grantham (Delaware Sta. Bui. 121 

 (1919), pp. 3-49, figs. 2). — This describes a study of winter wheat varieties 

 conducted from 1908 to 1917, inclusive, the results of which may be sum- 

 marized as follows : 



Of 5G varieties grown in drill plats for 9 years the leading sorts were Auburn 

 Red with 37.2 bu. per acre, Red Wonder with 32.54 bu., Sibley New Golden 

 with 31.75 bu.. Valley with 31.32 bu., and Mediterranean with 30.81 bu., while 

 of 53 varieties grown by the hill-plat method for 3 years the best results were 

 secured from Lebanon with 32.05 bu., Auburn Red with 31.5 bu., Dietz Amber 

 with 31.13 bu., Poole with 31.05 bu., and Fulcaster with 30.9 bu. The best 

 yielding varieties of smooth wheats were Golden Bronze, California Red, and 

 Dawson Golden Chaff with 28.68, 28.46, and 28.23 bu. per acre, respectively. 

 Based on the yields of bearded and smooth wheats for 26 tests, including 1,986 

 varieties and strains the former outyielded the latter by 3.31 bu. per acre. 

 Grown both with and without fertilizer the bearded kinds produced better than 

 the smooth. The shrinkage in yield of the bearded wheats when grown with- 

 out fertilizer was 30 per cent, and of the smooth wheats 41 per cent. 



Fifth annual report of the Montana grain inspection laboratory, A. Atkin- 

 son, E. W. Jahnke, and C. R. Haller (Montana Sta. Bui. 121 (1918), pp. 

 45-59, figs. 8). — The activities of the laboratory for the year ended October 1, 

 1918, are briefly described. A total of 635 samples of wheat were tested for 

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