530 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.41 



sion of the present status of the subject, with particular reference to crop im- 

 provement throii^h pure line selection. 



Twinning in alfalfa, W. Southworth (Jour. Heredity, 10 {1919), No. 4, pp. 

 182. 183, figs. 2). — In connection with alfalfa hybridization wotk in progress at 

 the Manitoba Agricultural College and previously mentioned (E. S. R., 31, 

 p. 831), three cases of twinning appeared in hybrid seedlings during the season 

 of 1918. The parentage of each pair is briefly traced, all three having 

 descended from the same original cross made in 1911 between alfalfa $ and 

 black medick $ . Five of the six seedlings are said to have developed into 

 strong vigorous plants. 



Variety tests with two-row barley, 1913-1916, K. Iversen (Tidsskr. 

 Plant earl, 26 (1919), No. 1, pp. i-.^7).— Tystofte Prentice (Archer), said to 

 have been the highest yielding strain in previous experiments, was grown in 

 comparison with three early, short, and rather stiff-strawed strains and with 

 three new later maturing sorts of barley at seven experimental centers repre- 

 senting different soil conditions for the period indicated. It Is stated that 

 the differences in yield between the early and late strains, which were rela- 

 tively small, depended chiefly on whether the crop remained upright or lodged. 



[Observations on beer barleys in Argentina], C. D.-Gieola {Pub. Mus. Agr. 

 [Soc. Rural Argentina], No. 10 {1918), pp. 20. figs. J,). — The production of barley 

 in Argentina for malting purposes is discussed and varieties deemed best suited 

 for this purpose indicated. 



[The castor oil plant in Brazil], G. II. P. u'Utra {Bol. Agr. [Sao Paulo], 

 20. .sen. No. 1-3 {1919), pp. 1-33, figs. 5).— This is a general discussion of the 

 production and utilization of the plant in Brazil. 



Red clover, W. M, Findlay {North of Heot. Col. Agr. Bui. 2^ {1919), pp. 39). — 

 A general discussion of red clover production in Scotland, with recommenda- 

 tions for growing the crop under various soil conditions. 



Variety tests of corn [in North. Carolina], G. M. Garren {Bui. N. C. Dept. 

 Agr., 40 {1919), No. 5, pp. 36, figs. 2).— This describes further tests (E. S. R., 

 38, p. 532) with different varieties of corn during 1917 and 1918, the work 

 having been discontinued with the 1918 experiments. Biggs Seven-Ear, First 

 Generation Cross No. 182, and Southern Beauty are deemed to be the best 

 varieties for the Piedmont and Mountain sections of the State, and Biggs 

 Seven-Ear and Latham Double for the Coastal Plain region. 



Some curious freaks of corn, D. F. Jones {Rural Neio Yorker, 78 (1919), No. 

 JfiJJil, p. lOJfS, figs. 2). — Certain abnormal ears of corn are illustrated and their 

 possible significance in tracing the origin of the coi-n plant briefly indicated. 



Description of a supposed new fossil species of maize from Feru, F. H. 

 Knowlton {Jour. Wash. Aead. Sci., 9 {1919), No. 5, pp. 134-136, fig. 1). — ^A fos- 

 silized ear of corn secured from a dealer in curios in Cuzco, Peru, by W. F. 

 Parks, is described as a new species, Zea antiqua. Although lacking definite 

 knowledge of the conditions under which the specimen was found, the author 

 states that based on its thorough fossilization " it seems hardly likely to be 

 younger than at least several thousand years," and that it " falls very little 

 short of supplying the needed paleontological data on the antiquity of maize." 



A fossil ear of maize, G. N. Collins {Jour. Heredity, 10 {1919), No. 4, PP- 

 170-172, figs. 9). — The author briefly reviews the paper noted above, compares 

 the fossil form with varieties of corn still being grown in Peru and Bolivia, and 

 concludes that " while the fossil ear is not duplicated by any ear in our collec- 

 tion it presents no new characters, but rather a different combination of charac- 

 ters found among the existing types." 



The inheritance of immunity to leaf blister mite (Ei-iophyes gossypii) in 

 cotton, S. C. Habland {West Indian Bui., 17 {1919), No. 3, pp. 162-166).— Oh- 



