964 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



plete (.lirections for tlie culture of wheat ou the l^araniie Plains and other plateau 

 lands are given. 



The manuring of grass lands, A. D. Hall {Jour. Roy. Ayr. Soc. England, 

 64 {1903), pp. 76-109, firji^. 4). — English experiments whii'h liave been made in recent 

 years on the possiliility of improving pasturage by different systems of manuring 

 are suinniarized and discussed. Of the general conclusions, the following are of 

 special interest: 



"It is better to lay up the same land for hay each year, grazing the aftermath 

 onlv, and, in the same way, always to graze other land rather than graze and hay in 

 alternate years. In this way we obtain the fullest development of those gras.ses and 

 clovers which are suited to haying and grazing, respectively. For the same reason 

 the system of manuring once adopted should be varied as little as possible, for even 

 manures as similar as nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia encourage different 

 kinds of grass. 



" On poor land any large expenditure on manures will be wasted; the character 

 of the herbage must be slowly re-formed; a full manuring is only utilized when 

 there are plenty of strong and vigorous grasses or clovers among the vegetation." 



The estate of Quednau, an example of modern methods of cultivation, 

 A. Backhaus {Das Versuchsgut Quednau, ein Beisplel der Angewandten Modernen 

 Betriebslehre. Berlin: Paid Parey, 1903, pp. 370, fig.^. 44)- — In this volume an account 

 is presented of the opportunities offered on large agricultural estates for testing and 

 applying modern methods of culture. Historical notes are given on the estate of 

 Quednau. A detailed description is presented of the plan upon which the estate is 

 laid out and of various experiments which have been organized and carried out, 

 especially on the suljjects of fertilizers, cultivation of cereals, grasses, and roots, feed- 

 ing animals, electro-culture, and the control of weeds and fungus diseases. 



HORTICULTURE. 



Experiment on the manuring of cabbages {County Council Northumberland, 

 Education Com., Rpt. 1903, p. 102). — Experiments in manuring cabbages were made 

 on soil of medium loam ironx 15 to 18 in. deep. The field had not been manured 

 previously for 40 years. The largest number of salable heads was secured on the 

 plat fertilized with 30 tons of barnyard manure, 225 lbs. of sulphate of ammonia, 650 

 lbs. of basic slag, and 175 lbs. of muriate of potash. Fully as good results were 

 obtained when 300 lbs. of nitrate of soda was used in place of the 225 lbs. of sulphate 

 of ammonia. The increased yields obtained when these fertilizers were used were 

 10 tons greater than when 30 tons per acre of barnyard manure was used alone. 



Experiment on the manuring of carrots {County Council Northumberland, 

 Education Com., Rpt. 1903, p. 103). — The carrots were grown in rows 17 in. apart. 

 The soil was so poor that heavy applications of manure were necessary. The best 

 results were secured from the use of 30 tons of barnyard manure combined with 350 

 lbs. of slag, 110 lbs. of sulphate of ammonia, and 175 lbs. of muriate of potash. The 

 yield in this case was about 25 per cent greater than where barnyard manure alone 

 was used. 



Burbank's new rhubarb {California Fruit Grower, 29 {1904), No. 822, p. 1). — A 

 letter is (juoted from Luther Burbank in which the characteristics of his recently 

 produced variety of rhubarb are given. This variety produces edible stalks through- 

 out the year. Instead of the strongly acid taste of the older varieties it has a fruity 

 flavor resembling that of the strawberry or raspberry. The plant has not yet been 

 sufficiently multiplied to permit of its introduction to the public. 



Iron absorption by spinach; manuring with iron salts, O. von Czadek 

 {Ztschr. Landw. Vrr-mchaw. Oextcrr., 7 {1904), No. 2, pp. 6,5-67). — An experiment was 

 made to determine whether the iron content of plants could be increased by fertiliz- 



