FIELD CROPS. 469 



Tennessee hard wheats, as Fulcaster and Mediterranean, (lid not class as liigh in color 

 as early (Jenesee (liant, Dawson (lolden Chaff, AVinter King, and Poole, l)ut these 

 softer varieties can lie satisfactorily prodnced in the State. The niilhng and baking 

 tests were also favorable to the varieties pro(hiced in Tennessee, and the number of 

 loaves obtained per barrel of flour equak'd or excee<led the nunil)er obtained from 

 wheats grown in other States. 



The seed selection carried on with Fulcaster, Mediterranean, and Poole is descrilted, 

 and the results obtained with Mediterranean for 3 years are tabulated. . Large grains 

 from medium heads gave the best average yield — 32.68 bu. per acre. Large grains from 

 large heads stood second, with an average yield of 32.37 bu. It is stated that selec- 

 tions from medium sized heads are most likely to give satisfactory results. The large 

 grains have always given the best average yields. It is believed that the standard of 

 a variety may be maintained, and that it may be adapted to local conditions, by care- 

 fully grading the seed selected from the best type heads in the field. In order to 

 show results selection from type heads should be carried on systematicalh' through 

 a series of years. 



The use of commercial fertilizers and barnyard manure on impoverished soil after 

 bare fallow was not profita))le. The cost per bushel of increase in 1902 was lowest 

 with barnyard manure, and in this case it amounted to 56 cts. per bushel. In 1903 

 a mixture of 50 lbs. nitrate of soda, 100 lbs. acid phosphate, and 25 lbs. of nmriate 

 of potash per acre jiroduced the most profitable increase, at a cost of 50 cts. per 

 bushel. Lime showed a loss in 1902, but in 1903 gave an economical gain, the cost 

 per bnshel of increase being about 11 cts. For the 2 years barnyard manure gave the 

 largest increase of gain at the least cost — 55 cts. per bushel. The same fertilizer appli- 

 cations were tested on an impoverished soil after a crop of cowpeas had been turned 

 under. The increase with this treatment varied on an average for the 2 seasons 

 from 5.31 to 11.43 bu. of wheat per acre. The plowing under of cowpeas and the 

 liberal api^lication (tf j)h(>sphates, potash, and lime are recommended for impover- 

 ished soils. 



Soil treatment for -wheat in rotations, with special reference to southern 

 Illinois soils, C. (1. Hopkins {J/llnoln Sta. JiuL S6\pj). 113-143, Jigs. 8). — Cooperative 

 rotation experiments have been in progress for 2 years at Vienna, Odin, Cutler, and 

 Mascoutah, in southern Illinois, and the results thus far obtained are reported. The 

 plan of the experiment is as follows: First year, corn or wheat with a legmninous 

 catch croi? on certain plats; second year, oats with a leguminous catch croji on the 

 same plats as in the first year; third year, clover, cowpeas, or some other leguminous 

 crop. 



All leguminous catch crops are plowed under for the benefit of the land. The 

 quantity of lime applied is governed by the need of the soil, as indicated by a deter- 

 mination of its acidity. Phosphoric acid is given in applications of 400 lbs. of fine- 

 ground steamed bone per acre the first year, and of 200 lbs. each year thereafter, 

 and potash in applications of 200 lbs. i^er acre of potassium chlorid or potassium sul- 

 phate the first year and afterwards 100 lbs. ammally. The fertilizers are not applied 

 uniformly to all plats, but only to certain ones. Barnyard manure is used alone and 

 in comljination on some i)lats, and is applied only once in a rotation at the rate of 2 

 tons per acre. 



The results obtained on each experimental field are shown in tables and discussed. 

 Owing to the very uniform soil on the Cutler experiment field, the results there 

 obtained are taken as the basis for a general discussion of the effects of the soil 

 treatment. 



Making allowance iuv the value of the fertilizing materials removed by the wheat 

 crop, a i)iat on which leguminous cro})S were i)lowed under gave a net return of $1.42 

 per acre of wheat, while the check plat gave ^O.SS. The results of 2 other j^lats 

 indicated that the omission of this treatment with luguminous crops had reduced 



