828 EXPERIMENT STATION RECOED. 



uniform discharges and resulted in yields varying from 5.1 per cent increase 

 to 16.6 per cent decrease over no treatment. In studying the effect of electrical 

 discharges upon transpiration and evaporation it was found that when the 

 discharge took place from points placed 13 cm. above a water surface, evapora- 

 tion took place much more rapidly than from an untreated surface, ranging 

 from 5 to 10 times greater. 



Experiments in the application of electricity to crop production, J. H. 

 Pbiestley (Jour. Bd. Agr. [London}, 20 {1913), Xo. 7, pp. 582-69Jf, fig. i).— In 

 this article further work (E. S. R., 23, p. 326) is reported upon attempts to 

 study the effect of electricity on growing crops. Some results of previous 

 investigators are discussed, and methods employed in the author's experiments 

 briefly described, in which wires carrying the current were stretched over the 

 area to be tested. 



It was found that because of the wind the effect of the electrical discharge 

 was not confined to the area under the wires, and that control plats would have 

 to be located at least 100 yds. distant. The yields of potatoes from the treated 

 and the control plats were practically equal, but in further tests the treated 

 area will be inclosed in wire netting to prevent the action of the wind. 



Beport of the agronomist, C. K. McClelland {HaxoaU Sta. Rpt. 1913, pp. 

 35-42). — It Is noted that the results of rice experiments show the impossibility 

 of producing rice in Hawaii equal in quality to that of Japan. 



Cultural experiments with corn, small grains, grasses, forage crops, cotton, 

 sorghums, sweet corn, and Irish potatoes, and the general field work of the 

 substations at Waipio and Kula are also briefly noted. The new grasses most 

 promising for hay and soiling crops are said to be Natal redtop, Australian 

 blue grass, Tunis grass, and Sudan grass. 



[Field crops work at the Glenwood substation], F. A. Clowes (Hawaii Sta. 

 Rpt. 1913, pp. 52, 53). — Of 20 varieties of grasses tested the most promising 

 were Para grass, Italian rye, Natal redtop, Paspahim dilatatum, and rescue 

 grass. Para grass yielded in 5 cuttings during 372 days at the rate of T0.7 

 tons of green fodder per acre. Large yields of green feed were also secured 

 from oats sown from September to December. Notes on varieties and cultural 

 tests with corn, sorghum, barley, soy beans, jack beans, and clovers are also 

 given. 



Experiments with, leg-uminous plants, C. A. Sahb (Haivaii Sta. Rpt. 1913, 

 pp. 43-49, pi. 1). — ^This includes notes on cultural and variety tests of various 

 legumes and descriptions of some new varieties in the tests, including Stizolo- 

 'bium pachyloUum, soy beans, sword and jack beans, velvet beans, horse beans, 

 asparagus beans, Sesbania, kulthi, Dolichos lahlah, sunn hemp, stock or field peas, 

 white navy beans, Lima beans, mungo beans, and a variety of Cuban peanut. 



The Hawaiian method of brewing Japanese soy sauce and miso is described. 



Botanical considerations affecting: the care of grass land, R. G. Stapledon 

 (Jour. Bd. Agr. [London], 20 (1913), Xos. 5, pp. 393-399; 6, pp. 48S-499) .—The 

 author presents the results of studying the botanical characteristics of grass 

 land by determining the quality and quantity of the weed, leguminous, and 

 gramineous flora, the ratio of valuable to useless grasses all the year round, 

 " the condition of the useful plants in regard to the production of nutritious 

 herbage, the nature of the aggregate root system of the pasture or meadow, the 

 degree of productiveness of the several useful plants throughout the year, the 

 quality and quantity of the moss flora throughout the year, and the factors 

 affecting the foregoing considerations and their interrelations." 



The 2 methods employed to determine the botanical constituents of a field were 

 to count the plants in various areas of 6 by 6 in. or 1 by 1 ft. located in several 

 parts of the field, both in the spring and late fall, and also to count the cut 



