FIELD CROPS. 837 



or in the presence of other available plant foods, provided there be snfficient to 

 supply normal growth, appear to have little, if anj-, influence upon the protein 

 content The low gluten content of wheats grown in California is not due to 

 soil exhaustion, but rather to the following causes: (1) To climatic factors 

 which allow a long growing period; (2) to relatively early seeding; (3) to the 

 use of varieties inherently low in gluten; (4) to a lack of selec-ting highly 

 glutenous seed." 



On the g-ermination of wheat treated with some fungicides and insecti- 

 cides, G. PiccHio (Coliivatore, 59 {1913), No. 82, pp. ^JJ-//35).— It is noted that 

 seeds immersed for 5 minutes in copper sulphate solutions ranging from 0.5 to 

 1.5 per cent in strength were not injured in germination ability, but increasing 

 the strength up to 4 per cent in 0.5 per cent degrees caused a decrease in germi- 

 native ability until it reached 10 per cent. 



A 40 per cent solution of formalin had little influence on the germinative 

 ability of the seed placed in it for an hour. Vapor of carbon bisulphid had 

 no effect on the quality of the seed. 



Caffaro paste, a proprietary fungicide consisting chiefly of copper sulphate, 

 had a similar effect, but not so marked as the copper sulphate. 



Methods of seed germination tests, H. Piepeb {FiihUmfs Landw. Ztg., 62 

 {1913), No. 18, pp. 625-633).— In his endeavor to find a method that would give 

 results in germination tests that would run parallel to field conditions, the 

 author tested oats, wheat, white mustard, lupines, and sainfoin by methods in 

 which the seeds were covered with 3 cm. of either quartz sand, heavy clay, 

 brick dust, sandy loam, or humus soil. Tabulated results are given. 



It is noted that the method that employed quartz sand gave the most 

 satisfactory results, as by it not only the viability but also the vegetative 

 strength of the seeds could be determined. 



The influence of atmospheric moisture, temperature, and oxygen of the 

 air on stored seeds, M. Heinbich {Landw. Vers. Stat., 81 {1913), No. 3-6, pp. 

 289-376, pis. 2). — In this exi^riment there were used Agrostis alba, Arena 

 elatior, A. sativa, Beta ^vulgaris, Carum carvi, Centaurea cyanus, Daucus carota, 

 JJordeum vulgare, Linum usitati^simum, Sinapis alba, Lupinus angustifolius, 

 L. luteus, Lolium perenne, Meddcago Jupiilina, M. sativa, Ornithopus sativus, 

 Phleum pratcnse, Pisum sativum, Secale cereale, Spergula ai'vcnsis, Triticum 

 sativum, Trifolium hybridum, T. pratcnse, and T. rcpcns. In studying the 

 factors that might influence the viability of stored seeds the author handled 

 moist seeds placed in a ventilated moist atmosphere; moist seeds in a confined 

 atmosphere; air-dried seeds in a ventilated room atmosphere; air-dried seeds 

 in a dried ventilated atmosphere; and seeds in various degrees of temperature 

 from 0° to 30° C, and for several weeks (in some cases 70 weeks) under the 

 above-mentioned atmospheric conditions. 



It was concluded from the results that seeds, although high in hygro.scopic 

 water content, will retain their viability for a longer period when fresh air 

 is admitted to them in storage. With free access of air the viability of seeds 

 is not prolongeil by previous drying of the seeds. The viability of seeds may 

 be greatly prolonged even in a high temperature (30°) when artificially dried — 

 stored with air excluded. A low water content for seeds stored with air ex- 

 cluded is considered advisable. A low temperature (under 5°) without excep- 

 tion favored the viability of seeds storeil for a long period even though they 

 contained a large amount of hygroscopic moisture. The viability of old seeds 

 succumbed to unfavorable conditions more readily than did that of fresh seeds. 



Data are presented in numerous tables. 



Weed exterminator {Cat. Cult., 41 {1913), No. 22, p. 533). — This notes suc- 

 cess in the use of carbon bisulphid to exterminate weeds by a method that 



