34 F.xrr.rjMEXT station TiF.roiiD. 



given showing tlu' c-ouipiinitivf yields of ;i hiiiiiIkt of different varieties of bar- 

 ley at several experiment stations. Notes on two-rowed and six-rowed barley, 

 variety improvement, tbe iiiaintenaiiee of pure seed, the ciiltixaliun ind Ihc uses 

 of barley are also jriven. 



Brewing barleys. ('. I'. NoKiiOKi) ( Wixcoitsiii Slu. I^'pl. IHOl, i^t. 'il.i-'il')).— 

 Amon.ir s varieties of ])edi.iu'reed l»arleys introduced from Svab'if, Sweden, the 

 l>esl yields at the station were secured from Gotland, which yielded 28.7 bn., 

 followed by Svanhals with a yield of 17.1 bn. jier acre. Manchuria, a pedij.'reed 

 variety from (Juelph. yielded ^C.;") hu. per .acre in this exiieriment. Aniontr a 

 list of connnon varieties Oderbruck stood tirst with :J2.7 bn.. (iolden Quewi' 

 second with 82 bn.. Silver Kintr third with 20.5 bn., and Canadi:in T.ake Shor<» 

 fourth with 211.2 bn. per acre. 



The prickly pear as a farm crop. D. (iiiiiTiTiis ( f/. N. Dcpt. .[;/r.. lUo: rhnil 

 Indus. Hill. I.>',. Pit. .17. pis. .?). — The exi)eriments discussed in this bulletin were 

 conducted in a region havin.t; a very unevenly distributed annual rainfall, 

 varyiufj from 1.^).i» to 40.5 in., the average for the past IS years being 2S.4 In. 

 The absolute minimum temperature recorded for the locality is 4° F., this 

 having occurred but once in 18 years. Of the 10 years ended in 1!l08 in only 

 one was there 7 days with a minimum below 22° F. 



It is stated that the plants are best .grown from single-joint cuttings planted 

 2 ft. aiiart in (i-foot rows. On moist and well prepared ground the cuttings 

 may be distributed on the surface, otherwise they should be placed in a furi-ow 

 and partially covered. The planting may be done at any time except during 

 the hottest and driest part of summer. Frequent shallow cnltivaticm is given 

 to prevent w^eed growth and excessive baking of the soil. Plants set in Febru- 

 ary can be harvested at any time of the year after 20 to 24 months. 



Singeing the standing plants has been found most advantageous. It is rec- 

 onnnended that a stump of 2 to 4 joints be left in harvesting the plants, and that 

 those most vigorous and most free from disease be selected for planting stock. 

 In the vicinity of San Antonio, Texas, the Opinitia lindJicimcri best meets these 

 cfmditions. 



An experimental plantation which was made cost nearly .$!) an acre, but it is 

 believed that this cost may be reduced to .$G or $7. About 20 varieties of spine- 

 less forms are grown at present, but these are considered as practically useless 

 under present Texas conditions except for breeding purposes. It is estimated 

 that the prickly pear under cultivation will produce 22.8 tons of roughage per 

 acre. Eight times as much growth of prickly pear has been secured under cul- 

 tivation as was obtained without cultivation on ungrazed pastures, and more 

 than six times as much roughage during the past 2 years from prickly pear as 

 fr(jm sorghum. 



The injuries by the black-spot fungus {Pcrisporium ivrightii) and the red 

 spider {Tvinitujchus opuntiu). to which the prickly pear is subject, are de- 

 scribed, but it is believed that both may be controlled by selection of stock and 

 by methods of harvesting. The diseased condition known as dropping of joints 

 is considered as purely climatic. 



The soy bean, C. G. Williams {Ohio Sta. Circ. 78, pp. 8). — This circular, 

 giving general directions on the culture of this crop, discusses its use for hay, 

 silage, seed, soiling, pasture, and soil improvement, describes the more im- 

 liortant varieties, and presents brief cultural notes on soils, fertilizers, seeding, 

 cultivation, harvesting, and thrashing. 



The effect of soil inoculation on the distribution of the fertilizer ingre- 

 ..dients in soy beans, F. W. WoLL and G. A. Olson ( Wiscotisin 8tn. Rpt. 1907, 

 pp. Kl'i-KKt). — Wisconsin black soy beans were grown on inoculated and miin- 

 oculated soil. Chemical analyses of the crops indicate that inoculation of the 



