470 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



the jirofits l)y $1.73, oven alter allowinj; SI fur the expense of growing and turning 

 under a leguminous crop and disregarding its residual effect. Tlie plat receiving 

 barnyard manure gave a return of $.'157, against $0.88 with no fertilizer of any kind. 

 Moderate apj)lications of ground limestone to acid soils gave a marked improvement 

 in the growth of leguminous crojjs, but tiie full extent of this improvement has not 

 yet been determined. The application of i)hosi)horic aciil proved a very jjrofi table 

 treatment for this soil. IJme and a leguminous croji turned luider gave a return of 

 $2.73, and the addition of phosphoric acid ai)parently increased this return to $7.30 

 per acre; and the returns with manure ($3.39) were apjjarently increased to $8.30 

 by tlu^ addition of ])hosphates. Potash also pi'oved profitable, especially when used 

 with a leguminous <-rop and ])h()sphoric acid, the profit of $7. .30 an acre noted above 

 being brought up to $11.88 where jjotash was added. The use of i)otasli without 

 phosi)horic acid is considered improfitable on nearly all Illinois soils, the swampy 

 soils excepted, since with the excejition of swampy and sandy lands, the subsoils 

 contain large supplies of 2>otash, and attention is called to the probability of making 

 these stores more availal>le to growing crops by tile drainage. 



The effect of tile drainage was observed on the Odin experiment field. In. 1902 

 2 plats, one of which was tile-drained, were treated with a leguminous crop, lime, 

 and phosphoric acid. The yield of oats on the tile-drained plat was 19.2 bu. per 

 acre, and on the other, 16.7 l)u. In 1903 the tiled plat yielded 13.4 bu. of wheat per 

 acre, and the imtiled plat 5.8 bu. An untiled plat treated in all respects the same 

 as the foregoing, and receiving in addition an application of potash, yielded 14 bu. 

 of wheat per acre, while on the tiled land the increase in favor of the potash plat 

 was only from 13.4 to 15.2 bu. Comparing 2 plats on the tiled land, the use of 

 potash appears to have reduced the yield of oats by 1.5 bu. The beneficial effect of 

 nuilching land with wheat straw, which was incidentally observed, is briefly noted. 



The structure and color of wheat kernels, W. von Gromann and F. Schindler 

 {Fufding' s Landw. Ztg., 52 {1903), No. 4, PP- 117-121). — Microscopical examinations 

 were made to determine the possibility of differentiating varieties of wheat by the 

 internal structure of the kernel, and to determine whether widely different climatic 

 conditions influenced tlie color and thickness of tlie pericarj), and whether the color 

 of the grain is due to any extent to the outer layer. 



No regular and well-defined differences in the internal sti'ucture of the kernel of 

 wheat varieties was di.scerniljle. The pericarp of Tril'icnin spelta, T. dicoecuiii, and 

 T. 'iitonococcum differentiated itself from the i)ericarp of tlie naked wheats l)y its 

 weaker development. Wheats from various countries were also studied, but no 

 regular structural differences were observed which might be attributed to climatic 

 conditions. The authors believe, however, that the climate may effect the structure 

 of the pericarp and that, to demonstrate this point definitely, kernels varj'ing 

 practically only with reference to the climatic conditions under wliicli they were 

 produced should be obtained. 



It was found that the color of the pericarp of different varieties of wheat is 

 uniform and the conclusion is drawn that for this reason the difference in color of 

 wheats must be due to the color of the seed coat. The outer layer of the seed coat 

 is colorless, while the color of the inner laj'er accords with the color of the grain. 



Reports on the investigation of Russian Avheat, I. I). Kolesjsikov, A. I. 

 KovENKO, and P. B. Bldkin ( Trudl Sijez. Dijeyat. Sehk. KIioz. Opuitii. Dyelu, 1901, 

 pp. 109-124; uh><. hi Zliur. Opuiln. Agron. [Jour. E.vpt. Lundw.'], 4 {1903), No. 4, pp- 

 486, 4S7). — Attention is called to the fact that the varieties of Russian wheat on the 

 market are little known, and that there is neither a correct botanical description of 

 them nor an established nomenclature. The establishment of at least one special 

 station in Russia for the investigation of agricultm-al plants is recommended. — p. 



FIREMAN. 



