608 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



of woeds, especially fliarlofk and sparry; and that the muriate of potash plat pre- 

 sented tlie l)est appearand', Ijeing followed by the i)lat receiving kainit. Muriate of 

 potash api>arently increased the percentage of scutched flax to retted straw and also 

 slightly inii)rove(l the quality of the flax. The kainit plats show a greater yield of 

 retted straw, hut no increase in scutched flax as compared with the check i)lat. 

 Kainit was applied at a loss, which is considered due to the unfavorable season. The 

 use of potash gave profitable returns in sonu^ instances. The plat receiving 4 cwt. of 

 salt per acre produc-ed a smaller yield of retted straw and a higher percentage, but a 

 lower total yield of scutched flax than the unmanured plat. The use of salt did not 

 affect the quality. 



A mixture of kainit and superphosphate was more effective than either of these 

 fertilizers api>lied alone. The results with a mixture of kainit, superphosphate, and 

 suljihate of annnonia were in accordance with those of the previous year. The use of 

 5 cwt. of rape meal i)er acre seemed to have increased the yield of rette<l straw, 

 decri'ased the yield and projiortion of scutched flax, and to have injured the quality. 

 The rai)e meal was apjilied at a loss. The average returns for basic slag applied at 

 the rate of 5 cwt. per acre indicate a reduction in the yields of retted straw and 

 scutched flax and also in the ratio of fiber to straw. The experiments are to be 

 continued. 



Belfast Brand and Eiga Child from Dutch seed and Belfast Brand and Pernau 

 Crown from Riga seed were grown for comparison. The Riga seed gave larger yields 

 of scutched flax than the Dutch seed, and for the varieties the results were in favor 

 of Pernau Crown. The seed of this variety also produced a flax of superior quality 

 to that obtained from the seed of the other varieties. As in 1901, the Russian seed 

 gave better financial returns than the Dutch seed. Contrary, however, to the results 

 of the previous year, the Belfast Brand of Dutch seed yielded more scutched flax and 

 gave better financial returns than the Dutch Riga Child seed. 



A comparison of the Irish and the Belgian Courtrai system of scutching gave 

 financial results in favor of the Belgian system. The results of these scutching tests 

 for the last 2 years are summarized as follows: "With Irish retted straw Irish mills, 

 in the hands of Irish workers, give better pecuniary returns than does a Courtrai 

 mill in the hands of Courtrai scutchers. With Belgian retted straw . . . the 

 Courtrai mill gives the better returns. With straw retted in Ireland by the usual 

 method, the Courtrai mill worked by Belgians, and fitted with modified blades, 

 yields more profitable returns than does the Irish mill worked by Irishmen, or the 

 unmodified Courtrai mill worked by Belgians." 



An experiment to determine the influence of rippling resulted in a reduced yield 

 of retted straw and of scutched flax. The seed obtained did not cover the expense 

 and loss incurred. A heavy rainfall greatly influenced this trial. 



Experiments -with, oats and barley, R. S. Seton {Bd. Agr. and FisJieries \_Lon- 

 dori], Itpt. Agr. Education and Research, 1902-3, j^^- 77-86). — The comparative weights 

 of 2,000 grains of 14 varieties of oats, the percentage of husk, and the weight per 

 plat of unshelled and shelled grain are tabulated. Experiments were conducted for 

 3 consecutive years. The grains of the new varieties obtained by selection and 

 hybridization were the heaviest and the largest. The season influenced the weight 

 of the grain of some varieties considerably, while upon others it had hardly any 

 effect. 



Attention is called to the difference in the niunber of plants of different varieties 

 to be expected on a certain area, when the same quantity of seed by weight is sown. 

 It is shown that the percentage of husk is influenced by the variety and the season. 

 Goldfinder, at the head of the list in productiveness, contained 4 oz. of husk in 1 lb. 

 of grain, and Pioneer, ranking last, contained 5J oz. Black Tartarian and Pioneer, 

 both l)lack varieties, have a high proportion of husk. In 1900 and 1901 the average 

 weight of husk on 200 grains of all varieties was 1,82 and 1.827 gm., respectively, and 



