636 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOP.D. [Vol.41 



the corner, the next best lo^'ation in the outer row, the next at the eml of an 

 inner row, and the least desirable in the inner row. 



The improvement of agricultural crops by selection and hybridization 

 (Scot. Jour. Agr., 2 (1919), No. 1, pp. 10-20). — This comprises an account of an 

 address delivered by T. Anderson before the Glasgow and West of Scotland 

 Agricultural Discussion Society on the systematic improvement of crops in 

 Scotland. 



Further observations on the practical value of line selection as compared 

 with mixed populations in field crops, L. Koch (Teysmannia, 29 (1918), No. 7, 

 pp. S89-423). — This supplements work previously noted (E. S. R., 40, p. 623), 

 including observations on pure line selections of rice and peanuts, mixed popu- 

 lations of rice, hybi'id strains of corn, and clonal divisions of sweet potatoes and 

 cassava. 



A study of the relation of some morphological characters to lodging in 

 cereals, R. J. Garber and P. J. Olson (Jour. Amer. 8oc. Agron., 11 (1919), No. 

 5, pp. 173-186, pi. 1, figs. 2). — This paper, a contribution from the Minnesota 

 Experiment Station, describes investigations begun in 1916 to discover some 

 simple morphological character closely correlated with lodging or nonlodging 

 In cereals. For this purpose 15 strains of barley. 7 of oats, 2 each of spring 

 and winter wheat, and Minnesota No. 2 winter rye, representing extreme lodging 

 and nonlodging forms, were selected and most of the material grown both in the 

 field and In the greenhouse. Observations were made on the correlation be- 

 tween lodging behavior and the average size of culm, the average number of 

 vascular bundles, the average area of sclerenchynia, the thickness of the culm 

 wall, the length of the lignified cells, and the thickness of the lignified cell walls. 

 Data are presented showing the percentage and degree of lodging, the yield, 

 and the height of the different varieties grown in the field, while data relative 

 to the morphological characters of each sort are presented for both the field 

 and greenhouse environment. 



It is stated that none of the morphological characters studied except thick- 

 ness of cell wall appeared to be closely related to lodging. Both the early and 

 medium oat strains examined were found to show a distinct correlation between 

 the thickness of the lignified cell walls and lodging. In general, lodging in 

 cereals is said to be dependent upon so many factors of unequal value in the 

 different sorts that no single factor seems to be closely enough correlated with 

 it to be of much value as a selection index in cereal improvement. Among 

 the different strains of oats and barley, the average number of vascular 

 bundles was found to be correlated with the average diameter of the culms. 



The farmer and Federal grain supervision, R. H. Broavn (TJ. S. Dept. Agr. 

 Yearbook 1918, pp. 335-346, pis. .4).— The advantages and method of grading 

 grain at country points according to the Federal standards are described, as 

 is also the subsequent handling of the wheat. Tabulated statements are in- 

 cluded showing the standards for shelled corn, wheat, and oats. 



[Report of field crops work in Michigan, 1918], J. F. Cox (Michigan Sta. 

 Rpt. 1918, pp. 283-285, 287, 288). — This comprises a brief description of prog- 

 ress in work previously noted (E. S. R., 39, p. 335). including a short account of 

 plant-breeding work by F. A. Spragg. 



A report by B. W. Housholder on variety and cultural tests with barley, oats, 

 potatoes, and root and silage crops, made at the Upper Peninsula substation, 

 has been noted elsewhere (E. S. R., 40, p. 731). 



[Report of field crops work in Missouri, 1917-18], W. C. Etheridge, C. A 

 Helm, J. B. Smith, E. M. McDonald. L. .T. Stadler, and J. T. Rosa, jr. (Mis- 

 aouri Sta. Bui. 163 (1919), pp. J,3-50. 53. fig. /).— This describes the continua- 



