FIELD CROPS. 235 



l)robleius of breeding. Fields of worlv for the breeder's art are pointed out and 

 ('xaniples of results secured are cited. The work of tobacco breeding in the 

 ( ((luiectieut Valley (E. S. R., 18, p. 1042) and of securing by selection a hardj^ 

 \ariety of hairy vetch for that region is noted. A brief description of the 

 origin of Whelchel dent corn is given to illustrate the use of crossing in secur- 

 ing an improved variety. 



The character and qualifications of the plant breeder and his method of work 

 are discussed, and as illustrations the history of Reid Yellow Dent corn, 

 Triumph cotton, and White Burley tobacco is briefly presented. 



Improvement of grasses and other f orag'e crops, B. T. Galloway ( U. 8. 

 ]><lit. Ayr. Yearbook 1907, pi). I'lO-l'iS, i)Is. 2). — The work here reported in 

 Iireeding grasses and other forage crops was begun by the Bureau of Plant 

 Industry of this Department 4 or 5 years ago, and embodies some of the results 

 secured. 



As the result of crosses between Kentucky blue grass and Texas blue grass 

 10 distinct types. 8 of which have rhizomes and all of which are taller than 

 Kentucky blue grass, have been secured. In some the leaves are broader, in 

 others narrower than in Texas blue grass, and the hairy processes which pre- 

 vent the seed of this grass from being sown broadcast are lessened 75 per cent. 



A promising hybrid between a clover from Prince Edward Island and the 

 European zigzag clover (Trifolium medium) produces large root stocks and 

 ■ilipears perfectly hardy at Washington, D. C. A cross between Peruvian and 

 Turkestan alfalfa, designated as No. 15, has a dark stem, medium-sized leaves, 

 and furnishes a large amount of forage. It is also a good seed producer and 

 is apparently hardy near Washington. A number of crosses between varieties 

 of cowpea have been secured. The cross between the Indian and the Unknown 

 variety excelled all varieties grown in length of vine. About 10 per cent of the 

 seedlings grown came into bearing early and these were upright in growth. It 

 is stated that in many cowpea hybrids the seed was not changed in color in the 

 first, second, and third generations. The Whippoorwill-Iron and Red Ripper- 

 Iron crosses, however, split up into 12 very dissimilar sets of peas in the third 

 generation. The Whippoorwill and Iron crosses are satisfactory at present in 

 earliness and seed production, but so far only a small proportion is of the bushy 

 habit of growth. 



Improvement of cereals, A. J. Perkins and W. J. Spafford (Jour. Dept. Agr. 

 So. A list., It (J90S), Ao. 6, pp. 5.'f0-568, pgs. 8). — This article is a discussion of 

 the work in the improvement of cereals carried on at the Roseworthy Agricul- 

 tural College. The different varieties of wheat and barley obtained by selection 

 and crossing are described, and the crosses effected in 1907 are enumerated. 



Modifications in cereal crops induced by changes in their environment, 

 T. L. Lyon {Proc. Boc. Prom. Agr. ScL. 28 (1907). p. iyi-l63).—In discussing 

 this subject this paper reviews some of the experiment station work in tliis 

 country, furnishing data with reference to whether or not plants adapt them- 

 selves to change of climatic or soil influences during the life of an individual 

 and to what extent, if any, this is operative in producing new strains, varieties, 

 or even species. 



The germination of vegetable seeds, E. Brown and W. I.. Goss ( U. 8. Dept. 

 Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Bui. 131, pp. 5-/0).— During the spring of 1907, 2,778 

 packets of so-called " commission " vegetable seeds were purchased in Maine, 

 Vermont, Massachusetts. Kentucky, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Kansas, and Colo- 

 rado. These were put up by 27 seedsmen and included seeds of 26 kinds of 

 vegetables. The average germination was found to be 62.2 per cent. The 

 average germination of seeds from one firm was only 37.3 per cent, and from 

 another 44.3 i)er cent. The variation of germination of different packets of the 



