228 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



compounds, phosphates, and potash in sufficient quantity to mal^e them of 

 considerable value as a fertilizer. 



Worthless fertilizers, J. S. Bubd (California 8ta. Circ. 56, pp. 2). — Atten- 

 tion is called in this circular to attempts which are made from time to time to 

 exploit unusual fertilizing materials, many of which have proved on investiga- 

 tion to be " totally without merit." 



Resume of work of the fertilizer section, H. D. Haskins (Massachusetts 

 Sta. Rpt. 1909, pt. 1, pp. ^8-59). — This article briefly reviews the activities of 

 the Massachusetts Station during 1909 in " fertilizer control work and the 

 examination of fertilizers, soils, refuse by-products, etc., forwarded by farmers 

 and others interested in agriculture. The results of the year's work would indi- 

 cate that a larger number of private formulas and home-mixed fertilizers had 

 been used by the Massachusetts farmers than ever before. The work of the 

 collection and inspection of licensed fertilizers has also increased during the 

 year. A larger number of fertilizers was licensed this year than during the 

 past season, and the collection and analysis of samples [1,04.2 samples collected 

 and 613 analyzed] reach the highest number ever attained during the history 

 of fertilizer inspection work in Massachusetts." ..,,^-,, 



Data are presented which show the greater economy in the pui:*aase of high 

 grade as compared with low grade fertilizers. 



Fertilizer analyses, A. J. Patten, O. B. Winter, and C. G. Clippert (Michi- 

 gan Sta. Bui. 263, pp. 33-74). — This bulletin gives the results of analyses and 

 valuations of 208 brands of fertilizers licensed for sale in Michigan during the 

 season of 1910 and discusses the use of fertilizers. The main provisions of the 

 state fertilizer law and the basis of valuation used are also briefly explained. 



AGRICTILTURAL BOTANY. 



Investig'ations on Mendelian heredity, P. de Vilmorin [Compt. Rend. Acad. 

 Sci. [Paris], 151 (1010), Xo. 11, pp. 548-551). — An account is given of experi- 

 ments with peas in which the author studied the ratio of inheritance of tendril 

 characters, color of leaves, and parchment in pods. 



A variety of peas that was characterized by the absence of tendrils was 

 crossed with an ordinary garden pea with the result that all the Fi progeny 

 bore tendrils. In the F2 generation the segregation was in the proportion of^ 

 3 with tendrils to 1 without. The variety of peas that was without tendrils 

 was characterized by wrinkling, while the other variety used in the cross had 

 a round seed. 



In studying these characters from the progeny of the crosses, the author 

 found a correlation between the wrinkling of the peas and the absence of 

 tendrils. The segregation in the F2 generation of the leaf colors was practi- 

 cally 9 glaucous to 7 green. The presence of parchment was in the same ratio. 



Plant breeding studies in peas, F. A. Watjgh and J. K. Shaw (Massachu- 

 setts Sta. Rpt. 1909, pt. 1, pp. 168-175).— In a further study (E. S. R., 22, p. 

 230) of variation, correlation, and heredity in peas, it was found that the plants 

 were markedly more variable in all their characters in 1909 than in 1908. 



The amount of variation was less and the fluctuation less in the case of vine 

 length, a vegetative character, than in pods per vine, a reproductive character. 

 The vine length is also transmitted much more fully than either the number of 

 pods per vine or the toal peas per vine, showing that the vegetative character 

 is more stable and is more perfectly transmitted than the reproductive character. 



On the origin and physiological functions of pentosans in plants, C. Ravenna 

 and O. Montanari (Atti R. Accad. Lincei, Rend. CI. Sci. Fis., Mat. e. Nat., 5. 

 ser., 19 (1910), II, No. 4, pp. 203-207).— Continuing the study of this subject 



