634 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



pens, and $41 from corn and peas, counting cotton jit 10 ct?*., oats at 45 cts., corn 

 at 60 cents., hay at $14, and cotton seed at $14. 



Several plans for rotations are outlined and notes are given on tln' culture 

 of oats in Louisiana. 



Grain without irrigation, G. H. True (Nevada Sta. BuL 63, p. 25).— Winter 

 barley grown without irrigation gave a yield of 23 bu. of grain per acre. 

 Spring-seeded White Australian wheat without irrigation yielded 0.4 bu.. Velvet 

 Don 12 bu., Beardless barley 16 bu., and rye 14 bu. per acre. The author 

 believes that by properly handling the land in certain localities of the State 

 fair crops of grain may be grown without irrigation. 



The systematic classification and naming' of grain varieties for practical 

 purposes, von RtJMKER (Jahrh. Deut. Landw. GcselL, 23 (U>OA), No. /, pp. 

 137-160). — This article proposes and discusses schemes for the classification 

 and naming of varieties and strains of rye, wheat, barley, and oats. The terms 

 " Landsorte," " Vei'edelte Sorte," " Hochzucht," " Neuzliehtung." '" Original- 

 saatgut," and " Nachbau " used by German seed breeders and seed dealers are 

 defined. 



Alfalfa, J. M. Westgate {U. S. Dipt. Apr., Fanners' Bui. 339, pp. //<S, figs. 

 14)- — This publication, which is to supersede Farmers' Bulletin 215 (E. S. R., 

 16, p. 965) discusses the history and present condition of alfalfa in the United 

 States, describes the plant and the conditions to which it is adapted, enumer- 

 ates the requirements for securing and maintaining a stand including general 

 cultural directions, and discusses the utilization of the croji for various pur- 

 poses. Notes are also given on growing winter gi'ain in alfalfa fields, the effect 

 of alfalfa culture on the land, the adaptability of the crop to rotations, methods 

 of breaking up alfalfa sod, and alfalfa seed production. Descriptions of the 

 different tyi»es of alfalfa now grown in the ITnited States are presented, methods 

 of combating the enemies of the plant are outlined, and special instructions for 

 growing alfalfa in different sections of the United States are given. 



Alfalfa investigations, S. C. Dinsmore (Nei-ada Sta. Bui. 63, pp. 37-39). — 

 In 1906 a study of alfalfa was begun to determine the variations in chemical 

 composition at different stages of growth. Samples were taken at intervals of 

 a week from April 16, when the ])lant was 3 in. high, until September 1, just 

 after the flowering stage. Analyses of samples collected to July 30 are reported. 



Data for the international commission for the improvement of barley 

 (Wchnsclir. Bran., 2.', {1907), Xos. J,0, pp. 53J,-5J,2 ; .',1, pp. 56'.0-.37// ) .—Studies 

 on the distribution and grouping of the chemical constituents in the barley 

 plant are reported in detail, with a summary of the results. 



It is shown that the proportion of hull and the structure of the hulls appar- 

 ently bear no relation to the protein content of the grain. The structure of the 

 hulls is considered a constant variety characteristic. A high proportion of 

 hull is regarded as typical of all barleys with a 1,000-grain weight as dry 

 matter of less than 36 gm. In spring varieties having a 1,000-grain weight 

 above 36 gm. the proportion of hull was not foiuid to vary widely. Early 

 varieties are said to contain 8 per cent of hull and late varieties about 9 per 

 cent. The highest proportion is found in the winter varieties. Early or late 

 seeding and a short or long growing period influenced this factor. Thin hulls, 

 which are most common in seasons of normally early maturity, increase the 

 possibility of injury to the grain in threshing. Fertilization, cultivation, and 

 the distance between drills have no influence on the development of the hulls. 



A protein content of 8 per cent is i*egarded as typical for a normally nourished 

 crop, and deviations from this percentage are considered as abnormal and as 

 due to irregularities in the metabolism of the plant. The fat content in pure 

 varieties under normal conditions constitutes about 2 per cent of the dry matter. 



