FIELD CROPS. 247 



of varieties studied in this connei-tiou are classitied as to tlie color of the straw, tlieir 

 late or early maturity, aud their high or low nitrogen c-ontent. 



Saragolla wheat, D. G. Faikciiild {!'. S. Dept. Agr., Bureau of Plant Industry 

 Bid. 2.5, pp. 9-1^). — This article calls attention to the value of Saragolla wheat for 

 the manufacture of macaroni. The variety is grown in southern Italy, and is regarded 

 as the best for the production of a fine-flavored product. A description is given of 

 the process of making macaroni employed by the steam factories in one of the most 

 important macaroni-manufacturing districts in southern Italy. 



A study of the wheats of the Province of Santa Fe, C. I). Girola (Estudio 

 sohrc liiK Iriyo.t dc la I'rurincia de Santa Fe, Buenos Aires: Min. Agr., 190i^, pp. 47, 

 maps ^).— A general discussion of wheat culture in the province, wath cultural direc- 

 tions and statistical data. A number of varieties are described in detail, as are also 

 the imi>urities which occur in wlu'at seed. 



Experiments with wheats of the Province of Cordova, C. D. Gikola {Estudio 

 sohre trigos de la Proinncia de Cordoba. Buenos Aires: Min. Agr. \^1902'\, pp. I4) . — 

 The results of i>hysical analyses of 40 samples of wheat comprising 6 varieties are 

 reported and discussed. 



Seed wheat, N. A. Cobb {Sydney: Govt. Printer, 1903, j^p. 60, figs. 36; reprint from 

 Agr. Gaz. Xeu: South Wales, U {1903), Nos. l,pp. 33-50; 2,pp 145-1G9; 3, pp. 193- 

 'Wo, figs. 36). — The method of grading seed wheat to show the proportion of 7 dif- 

 ferent sizes of kernels in a sample is described, and the results of grading a large 

 num])er of varieties of wheat according to this method are presented in a table. 



Trials with large plump and small shrivelled grains for seed are reported. Large, 

 plump seed proved to be best in germination, plant-producing power, yielding 

 capacity, and the production of grain of a high quality. The author discusses the 

 advantages of grading seed wheat and describes a number of machmes used for this 

 puri)Ose. 



Influence of the awns on the transpiration of the spike and the quality of 

 the grain, L. Perlitius {Mitt. Landw. Inst. Univ. Breslau, 2 {1903), No. 2, pp. 305- 

 381, pis. 3; ahs. in Deut. Landw. Pre.^se, 30 {1903), No. 50, pp. 450, .^i).— Observations 

 made to determine the ai-tivity of the awns of wheat and barley showed that a con- 

 sideralile portion of the water transpired by the spike passes tlirough these organs 

 and that the quantity increases with their length. Awned wheat spikes in some 

 cases transpired double the quantity of water transpired by awnless heads or heads 

 from which the awns had been removed. In the case of barley it was fourfold 

 instead of being double the quantity. Transpiration was most active during the 

 development of the spike and the grains. The jieriod of maximum activity varied 

 witli the different types of spikes, aud it always occurred during the development of 

 the grains before these had reached the milk stage. The length of the awns and the 

 vegetative period of the spikes were inversely jn'oportional to each other. 



It is further concluded that the awns have a decided influence upon the volume 

 and weight of the kernels, and that their action in this direction takes jilace shortly 

 before the kernels are in the milk. The results of chemical analyses indicate that 

 the grain of awn varieties is lower in nitrogen and higher in starch than that of awn- 

 less sorts. The absolute amount of ash in the grain is believed to be increased hj 

 the activity of the awns, and for this reason awn varieties are capable of using min- 

 eral fertilizers to best advantage. The final conclusion from these cxi)eriments is 

 that awn cereal varieties under normal weather conditions ripen earlier than the 

 other varieties. 



The anatomical structure of the glumes and awns of wheat and barlej' was studied 

 and is here compared in a series of illustrations. A list of 55 references l)earing on 

 the different phases of the w'ork reported is given. 



Investigations on the stooling of grains, W. Rimpau {iMndw. Jahrb., 32 

 {1903), No. 2, i)p. 317-336; al,.^. in Deut. Landw. Presse, 30 {1903), Nos. 44, l>p- 392, 



9330— No. 3—03 i 



