1919] FIELD CROrS. 537 



seeds. It is concluded that small seeds should I)e discarded and only uniforndy 

 large seeds used. 



Seed Reporter (U. S. Dept. Agr., Seed Rptr., 3 (1919), No. 2, pp. S).— The 

 principal features of this number comprise a report on the vegetable seed 

 acreage for 1918 and 1919 and the average crop condition on June 30, 1919. by 

 States and crops, together with an incomplete report on field seed stocks and 

 receipts for the United States as of June 30. Information is also pre.sented 

 relative to the red top seed crop for 1919, onion sets in the Chicago, Louisville, 

 and other districts, the timothy seed outlook, bur clover seed production in 

 California and the Southern States, vegetable seed crop conditions, the seed 

 garden pea outlook, the crimson clover seed situation, the prospects for seed 

 oats and rye in the South, the early CTop alfalfa seed outlook in Texas, New 

 Mexico. Oklahoma, and Arizona, the meadow fescue seed crop for 1919, and 

 Bermuda onion seed production in California. A summarized statement is 

 given showing the results of an inquiry as to the utilization, interest, and rela- 

 tive value of the information published in the Seed Reporter. The usual sta- 

 tistics pertaining to the imports of forage plant seeds permitted entry into 

 the United States are included. 



Field weeds in their relation to forage: Determination of their fruit and 

 seed, A. Naumann (Arch. Wiss. u. Prakt. TierheUk., 44 (1918), Sup., pp. 310- 

 356, pi. 1, fi(js. 20).- — The utilization of weeds for forage and of their fruits and 

 seeds in feeding materials is discussed, together with information concerning 

 the relation of weeds to plant diseases. A key for the identification of the 

 fruits and seeds of a number of weeds is included. 



Tests of chemical means for the control of weeds, G. P. Gray (Univ. Cal. 

 Pubs. Agr. Sci., 4 {1919), No. 2, pp. 67-97, figs. 11).— The progress of experi- 

 mental work begun in 1915 on the use of chemicals for the control of weeds in 

 California, particularly the wild morning-glory, is described. The work em- 

 braced two lines of investigation, viz, the eradication of weeds by the root- 

 absorption method, whereby the soil in the vicinity of the roots of the weeds 

 is more or less permeated with the herbicide, and weed control by the leaf- 

 absorption method whereby the foliage is sprayed with the herbicide. In test- 

 ing the first method arsenic trioxid, sodium cyanid, sulphuric acid, acid sludge, 

 acid tar, common salt, carbon bisulphid, copper sulphate, and iron sulphate 

 were employed, while in the second method an arsenical spray was used. 



Results secured with the leaf-absorption method in preliminary experiments 

 in the coast region of the State have already been noted (E. S. R., 38, p. 140), 

 and are also discussed in the present paper. It is stated further that the root- 

 absorption method failed to control wild morning-glory on agricultural land at 

 a reasonable expense and without serious injury to the soil. Incidental to the 

 main object of the study, data have been secured which are held to demonstrate 

 the superiority of arsenic as a soil sterilizer. 



The use of chemical sprays for combating weeds, J. Adams {Ann. Rpt. 

 Quebec Soc. Protec. Plants [etc.], 10 {1917-18), pp. 70-78).— Field plat tests 

 conducted at Ottawa during 1916 are briefly reviewed in which observations 

 were made on the effect of spraying wild mustard, purslane, dandelion, and 

 Canada thistle with a 20 per cent iron sulphate solution and with sodium 

 arsenite (1 part to 250 parts of water). Chemical substances regarded as hav- 

 ing given promising results in controlling weeds include sulphuric acid, iron 

 sulphate, copper sulphate, common salt, caustic soda, sodium arsenite, carbolic 

 acid, orchard heating oil, and fuel oil. A list of weeds which are said to be 

 amenable to control by chemical methods is also presented, and the material 

 giving the best results in each case indicated. 



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