960 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



wlielly gray, or rich chofolatt* uplands as second class; and poor, stiff red or post-oak 

 laud and jioor gray to white ])rairie, as third-class alfalfa lauds. 



Tabulated results of fertilizer experiments made at the station sIidw tliat so ll)s. of 

 nitrate of soda i)er acre, applied with the seed in the spring, was iiu-ffective, while 6 

 tons of stable manure per acre, applied in Fel:)ruary to fall-sown alfalfa, more than 

 doubled the yield. In general spring and fall sown plats yielded at the rate of about 

 1 ton of hay per acre the iirst siuumer. A plat receiving 18 tons of stable manure 

 per acre yielded 3.4 tons of hay per acre the tliird season after the application; and 

 a plat given 20 bbls. of lime per a<'re, at the tiuie the manure was apj)lied to the other 

 plat, gave practically the same yield. Large quantities of lime and manure applied 

 together did not give an increase the third year after application as compared with 

 either used alone. A plat of sandy soil of fair quality inoculated with earth from an 

 old alfalfa field and treated with 1,000 lbs. of slaked lime per acre, gave a total yield 

 for the season of 2,2(3(> lbs. of hay per acre as compared with practically nothing on 

 the check i)lats. 



The general failure on all these plats was due to winterkilling. An adjacent plat 

 sown with criuison clover at the time the alfalfa was sown yielded 6,100 lbs. of hay 

 per acre, and produced that same season 13,000 lbs. of sorghum hay per acre. From 

 cooperative experiments it is learned that on prairie lands an application of 200 lbs. 

 of cotton-seed meal, 240 lbs. of acid phosphate, with 200 or 100 lbs. of kainit per acre 

 has given good results with alfalfa. The use of stable manure also produced good 

 yields. 



Plants taken in April from plats sown the ]ireceding October showed a large sup- 

 ply of tuljercles on inoculated and limed soil, and an aljsence of tubercles on soil 

 neither limed nor inoculated. It has been found that earth from melilotus or bur 

 clover fields will serve to inoculate the soil for alfalfa. 



From observations made during 8 years the author concludes that in central Ala- 

 bama fall sowing of alfalfa should be done from September 15 to October 15, and spring 

 sowing from March 1 to 20. Broadcasting 20 lbs. of seed per acre has in general given 

 the best results at the station when the crop was grown for hay. When used for green 

 feed small areas may be profitably drilled and cultivated. In some of the tests crab 

 grass increased rapidly on the alfalfa plats from one cutting to another. 



Directions for the breeding of corn, L. H. Smith {Illinois Sta. Circ. 74, pp- ]0). — 

 This circular briefly describes the methods followed and recommended by the Illinois 

 Station for the imiDrovement of corn by systematic selection and bree<ling. This 

 matter has been presented at greater length in previous publications f)f the station 

 (E. S. R., 14, p. 855; 15, p. 352). 



Kherson oats, T. L. Lyon {Nebraska Sta. Bui. S3, pp. S). — This Russian variety 

 is described as being well suited to central and western Nebraska on account of its 

 habits of growth. Results obtained at the station and by farmers throughout ttie 

 State are reported. In 1900 this variety yielded at the rate of 52.6 bu. per acre on 

 about 2 acres of land, standing first among a number of varieties grown in compari- 

 son. In 1902 it yielded 41.7 bu. per acre, being followed by Texas Red, and Sixty 

 Day, another Russian varietj', with yields of 33 and 29.6 bu. per acre, respectively. 

 The varieties were all sown March 26, but the two Russian sorts were ripe July 5, 

 while the Texas Red did not mature until July 16. 



The result of a variety test conducted in 1903 places the Kherson oats at the head 

 of the list, with a yield of 68 bu. per acre, followed by Texas Red, Canada Red, and 

 Sixty Day with 57.5, 53.1, and 52.4 bu. per acre, respectively. The yields obtained 

 in the cooperative tests which have been in progress for 3 years are given in a table. 



"Work of the experiment station and laboratories of the Hawaiian Sugar 

 Planters' Association, C. F. Eckart {Ilair'tiian [SiKjdr Pl(inters'''\ >Sf(>. Rpt. 1903, 

 pp. 1-74, (lijms. 3). — This report includes further results of previously described work 

 (E. S. R., 14, p. 565). As in former years Lahaina and Rose Bamboo cane were grown 



