FIELD CROPS. 



1029 



are doscribed. The yields jier acre when alfalfa is grown by this meth(xl are 

 estimated as folluws: 



i:.stiiniitr(l ii'cld r,f hull (iiul sr<d to the acre irtun alfdlfa /n (/mini in, ciiltivutrd 



rou-.s. 



Variety. 



Dry-land alfalfa ( Brotts) 



Commercial saiul Iik ern (S. I'. I. No. 20451) 

 Turkestan alfalfa (S. I'. I. No. 1S751) 



Dry 



weight of 



hay. 



Pounds. 

 1,154 

 1,359 



Weight 

 of seed. 



Pounds. 

 167 

 143 

 62 



It is Stated that heavy seed crops are to a large extent dependent upon a 

 certain amount of dry weather and heat when the seed is setting. At this stage 

 the plant requires but a small supply of moisture. 



Alfalfa yields, 1908, F. D. Stevens (Alabama Canebrakc Sta. Bui. 20, 

 pp. J 8-20). — In 1908 the following quantities of well-cured hay were secured 

 from a field of G.3 acres at the five different cuttings : April 9, 13,600 lbs. ; May 

 2S, 13.305 lbs. ; June 29, 7.547 lbs. ; August 5, 11,689 lbs. ; and September 10, 3,110 

 lbs. 



Comparative variety tests with fodder beets, J. J. Vaniia and O. Kyas 

 (/J.selir. Landic. Vvisiichsw. Ostcrr., 11 (19US), No. 12, pp. S6'.'/-.S.S7 ) .—Experi- 

 ments were conducted with 8 varieties for 2 years. The results are tabulated 

 and discussed tit length and each of the different varieties is described. In sum- 

 marizing the results with reference to both yield and quality the varieties 

 rtinked in the following order : Vauriak, Erfurt, Leutewitz, :\Iamut, Oberndorf, 

 Chrestensen, Eckeudorf, and Askauia-Eckeudorf. 



The general conclusion is drawn that the influence of weather and soil fertil- 

 ity is much gretiter than that of variety characteristics. 



Comparative culture tests with, varieties of fodder beets and a study of 

 the Mauthner treatment of beet seed, O. Kyas, J. Bukovansky, and J. J. 

 Vaniia {Ztsclir. Lniidw. Yetsuchsw. 6f;tcn:, 11 (1908). No. 12, pp. 888-89.i.— 

 The Mtiuthner treatment consists in sub.jecting the seed to chlorin and suli)huric 

 acid fumes. Results secured under field conditions did not indicate ;i definite 

 favorable influence due to this method. It was shown that the leaf spot dis- 

 e.Mse of the beet has no connection with the seed and this method of treatment. 

 The iii.juries resulting from TJromyces hetce were generally reduced in the beets 

 gntwn from tretited seed, and the same was true of dry rot. 



In decreasing order of yi<>ld the varieties grown ranked as follows: Maniut, 

 Ked Eckeudorf, Oiterndorf, and Mauthner Olive Form. The dry matter content 

 was found to be in i)osiiive correlation with the sugar content of the beet. 

 The protein content showed no connection with these factors and was practically 

 the same for all varieties. 



The sugar-beet crop in the principal European countries from 1898-1908, 

 CJ. Dureau {Jour. Fabric. Hucr., 50 H909). .Vo.s-. ,), /;. /. chartK 2; J, /*. /, charts 

 2; 6, p. 1, charts 2; 7, p. 1, chart 1). — The production of sugar bwts in the prin- 

 cil)al beet sugiir producing countries of Europe for the 10 years, 1S9S-1908, is 

 discussed :tnd statistics comparing the dilTereut countries with each other are 

 presented. 



The American sugar-beet growers annual, tslited by V. Uodkrus (Cliicayo, 

 J 11., 1908, pii. 100, flgn. 115). — This publication contains a series of articles with 

 reference to the beet-sugar industry in this country and presents numerous 

 statistics concerning the jtroduction of sugar beets and beet sugar, together 



