736 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.41 



The results secured are held to iudicate that the germination of soy bean 

 seed favors the growth of the nodule bacteria. When bacteria-free seeds were 

 obtained directly from the pods and inoculated with soy bean bacteria, no 

 toxic action of substances excreted from the germinating seed upon the growth 

 of the nodule bacteria was observed. It was also found that the use of mercuric 

 chlorid as a sterlizing agent in studies of this soi-t is not permissible, 



Louisiana seedling canes, W. G. Taggart {Sugar [Neio YorA], 21 {1919), 2Jo. 

 8, pp. 426-Jf29. .'t39). — This describes the continuation of work previously noted 

 (E. S. R., 26, p. 235) in an effort to develop varieties of sugar cane in 

 I^ousiana. 



It is stated that since 1911, 164 lots of cane seed have been received from 

 which 887 varieties have been tested in the field. Only one variety, L 974, sur- 

 passed L 511, the leading variety up to 1911, in the sucrose content of the juice. 

 L 974 produced 14.05 per cent sucrose in the fall of 1918, as compared with 

 13.86 per cent for plant cane and 15.29 per cent for stubble of L 511. 



The effect of salinity on tlie growth and composition of sugar cane vari- 

 eties, K. Krishnamurti Row {Ayr. Jour. India, 1^ {1919), No. 3, pp. ^76-^98, 

 pis. 8, fif/. 1). — The author describes observations made at the Coimbatore 

 (India) cane breeding station during the period of 1914-1918, inclusive, on the 

 effect of a saline condition of the soil upon different varieties of sugar cane. 



It is stated that soft, thick, juicy varieties failed to develop at all on saline 

 land, while thin, hard, less juicy sorts m:ide a fair growtji. Sodium chlorid was 

 found to be the limiting factor involved. Irrigation with saline water resulted 

 in impure juice containing large amounts of chlorin and potash. 



A method for the direct determination of chlorin in the juice by means of 

 lime water and alumina cream is described and is said to give satisfactory re- 

 sults for field work. Large quantities of chlorin in the juice lowered the sucrose 

 and glucose contents as well as the purity of the juice. 



[Proceedings of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association] {Proc. Hawaii. 

 Suyar Planters' As.wc, 38 {1918), pp. 3^6, pis. 3, figs. 20). — This comprises a 

 report of the thirty-eighth annual meeting of the association held at Honolulu 

 during December, 1918. Committee reports dealing with the following subjects 

 were presented and discussed : Forestry ; cultivation, fertilization, and irriga- 

 tion on irrigated plantations ; cutting, loading, and general transportation ; 

 manufacturing machineiy; labor saving devices: the sugar-cane experiement 

 station ; sugar manufacture and utilization of by-products ; agricultural ma- 

 chinery and implements ; and cultivation and fertilization on unirrigated planta- 

 tions. 



Hereditary flower anomalies in tobacco, G. Klebs {Ztsclir. Induktive Abstain, 

 n. Vererbungslehre, 17 {1916), No. 1-2, pp. 53-119, pi. 1, figs. 16; abs. in Genetica 

 [The Hague], 1 {1919), No. 2, p. 187). — The author describes the appearance of 

 a flower anomaly in Nicotiana tabacum which he designates laoerata, and 

 traces its behavior through various crosses. The lacerata form is said to 

 agree with the original stock in all vegetative characters, while the flowers 

 are abnormal, having strongly petaloid calyx somewhat thickened at the 

 base and in many cases exhibiting a torn or divided corolla. 



A bibliography of 44 titles is appended. 



An improved strain of Wisconsin tobacco: Connecticut Havana No. 38, 

 J. Johnson {Jour. Heredity, 10 {1919), No. 6, pp. 281-288, figs. 3).— In this 

 paper, a contribution from the Wisconsin Experiment Station, the author 

 traces the development of a commercial type of tobacco. 



A cross made in 1909 of two strains of tobacco designated as 26 and 27, 

 respectively, and said to be mutants from common Connecticut Havana, gave 

 rise to a strain (No. 38) said to possess considerable commercial value. The 



