FIELD CKOPS. 



577 



of 0° C. will keep beets in perfect condition for weeks. Even slightly frozen beets 

 may ))e brought back to a normal condition if allowed to thaw out slowly and gradu- 

 ally, which shows that freezing is not necessarily destructive. 



There was no indication of a relation between the activity in respiration and the 

 content of either sugar, total nitrogen, or albuminoid nitrogen. A high sugar con- 

 tent was not always associated witli an intense activity in respiration. 



Intramolecular respiration, which takes place when oxygen is lacking, was also 

 observed in the beet, and at temperatures ranging from 2 to 4° C. perceptible quan- 

 tities of carbon dioxid were given off. Ethyl alcohol is considered a product of 

 intramolecular respiration in the beet root. The following table shows the range in 

 loss of sugar under normal respiration at different temperatures: 



Range of loss in sugar and its carbon, dioxid equivalent per 100 kg. of beets during 24 



hours of storage. 



Temper- 

 ature. 





 5 

 10 



Sugar. 



I Carbon dioxid 

 equivalent. 



Grams. 



2. 30- 5. 18 



10. 35-18 69 



23. 01-29. 62 



Grams. 



3. 55- 7. 99 

 15. 98-28. 86 

 35. 52-45. 73 



Seedling- and other canes in the Lieeward Islands, 1902-3, F. Watts {Imp. 

 Dept. Agr. Wed Indies, Painpldet 21, 1903, pp. 39). — The results obtained with plant 

 and ratoon canes in Antigua and St. Kitt's are briefly summarized. In Antigua 

 seedling cane B 208 gave the best average results. Other promising canes were 

 B 109, B 156, B 130, and B 306. The ratoon croj) of these new seedlings retained the 

 promising character. 



In the St. Kitt's experiments Caledonian Queen and B. 208 headed the list of plant 

 canes. Among the ratoon canes B. 306 gave the best results. The data obtained 

 seem to indicate that selection affects the resulting canes to some extent. Cane tops 

 proved superior to cuttings for iilanting, and Bordeaux mixture was most efficient in 

 protecting the tops and cuttings against the attacks of fungus diseases and thus insur- 

 ing the growth of the buds. Placing the tops and cuttings vertically and covering 

 the ends produced better results than other methods of planting. 



Ridge V. level culture for sweet potatoes, R. A. Emerson ( West. Fruit Grouer, 

 13 {1903), Xo. 4, p- ~3). — An account is given of growing sweet potatoes in Nebraska 

 on ridges and with level culture, both with and without irrigation and A\ith and 

 without mulching. Level culture gave considerably the best results on the unirri- 

 gated and consequently dry soil. There was considerable advantage, on the other 

 hand, in ridging where the soil was irrigated; and this difference was especially 

 marked when the rows were also mulched. The increased yield secured by ridging 

 on irrigated land amounted to 29 i>er cent, and to 53 per cent when the ridges were 

 also mulched. 



Variety tests of tobacco, E. Chuaed and G. Martinet ( Chron. Agr. Canton ]^aud, 

 16 {1903), No. 23,2yp. 637-643). — Of 6 American varieties, Improved "White Burley 

 showed the greatest adaptability to the new conditions and is considered of greater 

 value for the region than any other of the varieties tested. The seed obtained from 

 America gave a larger yield than the seed produced by this crop. 



Report of the tobacco expert, R. S. Nevill {Queensland Agr. Jour., 13 {1903), 

 No. 5, 2)p. 437, 45.5'). —Six varieties of tobacco, Lax, Blue Pryor, Yellow Pryor, Hes- 

 ton. Conqueror, and Burley, were grown. The season was dry, and of the varieties 

 tested Lax proved by far the most drought-resisting and the only one giving a fair 

 yield. 



