634 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



figs^ 2), — In this article the author gives his experience and the results obtained 

 from about 20 years' experiments in the breeding of grasses, the principal ones 

 being Agropyrum caninum, Arrhenatherum elatius, A. bulbosum, Avena puhes- 

 cens, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca arundinacea, F. pratensis, F. rubra, Lolium 

 perenne, Poa serotlna, Phleum medium, P. michelii, and Sanguisorha dodecandra. 



These grasses were greatly improved in yield of forage and of seed over the 

 original strains, as well as over those produced from seed obtained on the open 

 market. In some cases the yield of seed from the improved strains reached over 

 20 times that of the original forms, and the fodder was increased 10 times in 

 other cases, with a general improvement in quality. It is noted that after the 

 fourth year of breeding the seed yield again declined, due apparently to the 

 close breeding. 



On the chang-es in the composition of the red clover plant during different 

 vegetative periods, E. Haselhoff and St. Werner (Landiv. Jahrb., 44 {1913), 

 No. 4, pp. 651-68). — In the work here reported Russian, northern French, 

 southern French, and Hungarian clovers were used. Investigations were made 

 of the plants when young, shortly before flowering, when in full flower, and at 

 the end of the flowering stage. 



It is stated that the Russian clover yielded more than the other sorts. With 

 the advance of growth the proportion of leaf decreased, showing a corresponding 

 increase in stem. There seemed to be little difference in the content of organic 

 substances between any of the varieties. In mineral matter the Russian variety 

 contained less calcium and magnesium but more potassium and phosphoric acid 

 than the other 3 kinds. In general the leaves contained a higher percentage of 

 nitrogenous substances and the stems a higher percentage of crude fiber. With 

 increased age of the plants the content of protein substances, ether extract, and 

 minerals decreased, while that of the crude fiber increased. 



The greatest elaboration of organic substances seemed to take place during 

 the second and third periods of observation ; that of the protein substances took 

 place at a slightly earlier stage, that of the fats later, while that of the nitro- 

 gen-free extract matter and crude fiber continued throughout the entire vege- 

 tative period. The increase in percentage of mineral matter ceased during the 

 flowering stage and later declined. In the leaves the formation of organic mat- 

 ter, protein, and fat had ceased at the flowering stage, while in the stems elabo- 

 ration continued somewhat later. The content of crude fiber in the stems was 

 found to be greatest usually by the time the flowering stage was reached, while 

 in the leaves it continued to increase to the end of the growing period. The 

 increase of mineral matter in both stems and leaves was practically ended at 

 the flowering stage. In the young plant the organic matter was chiefly in the 

 leaves, in the older plants it was more in the stems, and toward the end of the 

 vegetative period it was again found to be mostly in the leaves. Nitrogen and 

 fat were found chiefly in the leaves. The nitrogen-free extract matter and 

 crude fiber were principally in the leaves of the young plant, but in the older 

 plant seemed to be stored in the stems. The same was generally true of the 

 mineral matter. Calcium, magnesium, and phosphoric acid were chiefly in the 

 leaves and potassium in the stems. 



Data on yields and analyses are given in tabular form. 



Trials with different strains of red clover at Svalof, 1907-1912, H. Witte 

 (Sveriges Utsddesfor. Tidskr., 23 (1913), Nos. 1, pp. 51-64; 2, pp. 91-117).— 

 This gives results of trials of wild red clover (TrifoJiiim pratense spontaneum), 

 cultivated red clover (T. pratense sativum), European red clover (T. snh- 

 nudum), early red clover (T. pratense prcecox), late red clover or single cut 

 clover {T. pratense scrotiniim), and American red clover (T. pratense ex- 

 pansum). Swedish late red clover as a rule gave more satisfactory yields than 



