36 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



because of the general decrease in production and yield of alfalfa seed of re- 

 cent years in Colorado. It discusses the following factors as influencing seed 

 production : Vegetative growth, moisture supply, climatic conditions, insects, 

 and diseases. It is noted that continued irrigation for a long series of years 

 has so influenced the subsoil moisture content as to make it unfavorable to 

 seed production. The methods which were tried to improve the seed-producing 

 characters of alfalfa were seed selection, row cultivation, and control of 

 moisture by light row irrigation, all of which proved beneficial. 



Alfalfa manag-ement in Iowa, H. D. Hughes (Iowa Sta. Bui. 137, pp. 72, 

 figs. 33). — This bulletin gives directions and suggestions for the production of 

 alfalfa on the various soil types of the State. Reports are given of the 

 experiences of practical farmers in all parts of the State, covering 1,016 alfalfa 

 seedings, of which only 12.7 per cent were classed as failures. The most suc- 

 cessful results were reported from Missouri loess and moraine soils, and the 

 greatest number of failures on the Iowa drift and the southern Iowa loess 

 areas. Some of the factors which seemed to be responsible for the failures 

 were lack of proper drainage, necessary bacteria, sufficient plant food, or 

 sufficient moisture to germinate the seed; too heavy or compact soil; young 

 seedlings smothered by weeds and by nurse crops; seeding too deep; a packed 

 surface ; poor seed ; insect pests ; and fungus diseases. 



Special note is made of the need of sufficient plant food in the soil at seeding, 

 and of liberally applying barnyard manure on these soils. 



Experiments with Turkestan alfalfa in Hungary, J. Gyarfas (Kis^rlet. 

 Kozlem., 15 {1912), No. 2, pp. 191-209).— Trials of Turkestan alfalfa in various 

 localities showed it to be much inferior to the native alfalfa in drought and 

 frost resistance, and vegetative energy. It also had a much shorter vegetative 

 period, which allowed the growth of weeds and grasses. 



A new two-rowed winter barley, D. Neumann (Wchnschr. Brau., 29 {1912), 

 No. 37, pp. 526-528, figs. 3). — Through crossing a 4-rowed Mammoth winter 

 barley with a 2-rowed summer barley that had been artificially carried through 

 the winter, a hardy 2-rowed winter barley resulted. By the application of 

 Mendel's law this variety proved stable. It produced well, and was a product 

 of excellent brewing qualities. 



A mutation in a pure line of Hordeum distichum, L. L. Kiessling {Ztschr. 

 Induktive Abstain, u. Vererhungslehre, 8 {1912), No. 1-2, pp. 48-78). — This 

 gives in detail the characteristics of a barley that appeared in a Bavarian 

 variety, and is considered a mutation. 



Variation studies in brome grass, A. Keyseb {Colorado Sta. Bui. 190, pp. 

 S-20, figs. 19). — This bulletin reports the progress of work in studying the 

 strains of awnless brome grass {Bromus inermis) which have been collected 

 at the station and which seem especially well adapted to Colorado conditions. 

 There are now under observation 121 strains of this grass, and these show a 

 wide range of individuality in habits of growth and coloration. Variations 

 occur in tillering habit, height of leaf mass, total height of plant, and vigor of 

 stolonification, while the colors range from bright yellow green to a very 

 dark green. Most of these types bred true from seed, but the progeny of some 

 showed wide variation. It was shown that this grass could be propagated 

 vegetatively. 



On the presence of hydrocyanic acid in white clover, M. Mibande {Compt. 

 Rend. Acad. Set. [Paris], 155 {1912), No. 15, pp. 651-653; ahs. in Intemat. 

 Inst. Agr. [Rome], Bui. Bur. Agr. Intel, and Plant Diseases, 3 {1912), No. 12, 

 p. 2637). — Methods are described by which hydrocyanic acid was discovered in 

 white clover {Trifolium repens). 



