24 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



believed that early in the season the soil in that latitude is too cold below a depth of 

 3 ft. to admit of root growth. The roots of durum and bread wheat reached a depth 

 of more than 4 ft,, and showed that the system of rooting is vertical instead of lateral, 

 as in corn and potatoes. The root development was greater in the durum than in 

 the bread wheat samples. As observed by the station, the root development in 

 cereals varied considerably during different years. 



The samples of barley and oats showed a comparatively light and shallow root 

 growth. The roots of emmer resembled those of wheat and extended to a depth of 

 3£ ft. The flax roots grew almost directly downward and branched very little. 

 In the specimens studied they had reached a depth of 4 ft, The brome grass speci- 

 men taken from a 3-year-old sod showed the densest rooting of all samples. Native 

 slender wheat grass, also from a 3-year-old sod, did not have the strong root growth 

 of the brome grass, but its root system was heavier than that of any other crop 

 studied. During 2 years of growth the roots of red clover had grown down over 4 

 ft. and had quite fully occupied the upper 3 ft, of soil. Crimson clover roots in a 

 single season had attained a depth of 3 ft. by August 22. 



Hand hoeing- of grains, K. Kubis (Deut. Landw. Presse, 32 (1905), No. 11, pp. 

 84, 85). — Experiments conducted in 1903-4 are reported, and the results show that 

 barley, oats, and wheat were profitably hoed with a hand hoe working two rows at 

 a time. The larger yields are considered as resulting from preventing the formation 

 of a crust on the surface of the soil, and in general to the conservation of soil mois- 

 ture. The stubble on the hoed plats was plowed under easier and better than on 

 the check plats. 



The influence of seed, soil, and fertilizers on the endosperm of spring" 

 wheat and barley, H. vox Feilitzen (Jour. Landw., 52 (1904), No. 4, pp. 401- 

 412). — Experiments were conducted for 2 years on 4 different kinds of soils, and the 

 results show that in the same sample of spring wheat or barley the hard glassy ker- 

 nels are richer in protein than those of a mealy constituency. 



Glassiness or mealiness in the seed produced no effect upon the yield or upon the 

 size of the kernel, but apparently exerted a slight influence upon the glassiness and 

 mealiness of the grain. The proportion of glassy kernels was found to be greater 

 and the protein of the grain was higher, as a rule, on moor soil than on soil of min- 

 eral origin. The climatic conditions of the season are considered as producing a 

 marked effect on the quality of the grain. Nitrogenous fertilizers, in general, 

 increased the percentage of glassy kernels. 



It is concluded that the soil, the fertilizers used, and especially the weather con- 

 ditions, exert a greater influence upon the texture of the grain of either spring wheat 

 or barley than the seed, and that the use of mealy seed can not be regarded as a 

 factor in breeding a better barley for malting purposes. 



The influence of fallow and pea culture on the nitrogen balance of soils 

 and the growth of wbeat, F. Wohltmann and P. Schneider (Dent. Landw. 

 Presse, 31 (1904), No. 102, pp. 853-855). — The results of experiments showed that 

 the fallowed soil was in a better physical condition and also furnished a larger supply 

 of nitrates to the succeeding crop than the soil which had produced a crop of peas. 

 The ammonia content of the soil did not show marked differences. 



Fallow is considered more advantageous to a succeeding crop of winter wheat than 

 pea culture on account of the greater amount of soil moisture it provides. Four 

 varieties of winter wheat after fallow gave higher yields of grain and straw, and one 

 variety a smaller yield than when grown after peas. The weight of the grain, as 

 determined for 3 varieties, was in every case in favor of the wheat grown after peas. 



Crops for the silo, cost of filling, and effect of silage on the flavor of 

 milk, W. J. Fraser (Illinois Sta. Bui. 101, pp. 627-644, Jigs. 7). — This bulletin dis- 

 cusses the advantages and value of silage, the crops best grown for the purpose, the 



