132 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



pp gy — The yields of 11 varieties of cowpeas, teosinte, barley, soy beans, oats, 

 Canada field peas, cattail millet, Egyptian and crimson clover, Florida beggar weed, 

 6 varieties of wheat, alfalfa from 5 different sources, and hairy vetch and oats, are 

 recorded without comment. The varieties of cucumbers and cantaloupes grown at 

 the station are also given. 



Forage crops. The silo, C. M. Conner ( Florida Sla. Bui. 78, pp. 285-311, 

 figs. 8).— Brief discussions on the culture and uses of sorghum, rape, teosinte, rye, 

 and Para grass ( Panicum molle ), and directions for the construction of a silo are given. 



A bisexual hop vine, C. Brunotte ( Bui. Nor. Sci. Nancy, 3. ser., 5 (1904), No. 4, 

 pp. 173-179, pi. 1).— The structure of the hop vine is described in detail, and an 

 instance of a vine producing both male and female flowers is reported and discussed. 

 < )pinions of different authorities on the occurrence and significance of hermaphrodism 

 in the hop are briefly noted. 



The influence of soil moisture on the content of total and proteid nitrogen 

 of oat straw, C. von Seelhorst and Fresenius (Jour. Landw., 53 ( 1905), No. 1. pp. 27, 

 28). — It is known that an increase in soil moisture, other conditions being equal, 

 causes a decrease in the nitrogen content of oat straw, and that this decrease is the 

 more marked as the nitrogen supply of the soil diminishes. The work here reported 

 has reference to the decrease in proteid and digestible proteid nitrogen. 



Three varieties of oats were grown in 3 series of pots containing 55, 70, and 85 per 

 cent of moisture in the soil, respectively. The results show that the rate of decrease 

 is smaller in proteid nitrogen than in total nitrogen. The average percentage of pro- 

 teid nitrogen in total nitrogen was 61.4 on the soil with 55 per cent of moisture and 

 86.5 on the soil with 85 per cent of moisture. The digestible proteid nitrogen 

 decreased more rapidly with the increase of soil moisture than the total proteid nitro- 

 gen, as is shown by the fact that on the dry soil it constituted an average of 54.2 per 

 cent of the total proteid nitrogen and on the moist soil only 44.3 per cent. The 

 average percentage of digestible proteid nitrogen in the total nitrogen increased from 

 33.3 on the low moisture soil to 38.4 on the high moisture soil. 



Canadian field peas, T. Shaw ( U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bid . 224, pp. 16, figs. 4) ■ — 

 This bulletin contains a popular discussion of the Canadian field pea, with directions 

 for its culture for different purposes. A similar article has been previously noted 

 (E. S. R., 8, p. 781). 



A description is also given of how this crop is grown in the San Luis Valley, Colo- 

 rado, at an altitude of 7,000 ft., where it is used for fattening sheep and lambs by 

 pasturing them on the crop. In the author's opinion this system of grazing may be 

 very largely extended in the mountain States. Directions are also given for growing 

 the crop for the purpose of fattening swine in localities where this crop can profitably 

 take the place of corn. 



The potato, S. Fraser ( New York: Orange Judd Co., 1905, pp. 185, pi. 1, figs. 51) .— 

 This book devotes a chapter to each of the following subjects pertaining to potato 

 culture: History and botany, some conditions influencing growth and development, 

 soils, rotation, manuring and fertilizing, considerations of seed, varieties, planting, 

 management of the growing crop, obstructions to growth and development, sprays 

 and spraying, harvesting, storing, production, transportation and markets, chemical 

 composition and feeding value, and breeding and selection. A spray calendar and 

 methods of seed treatment, briefly stated, are given in an appendix. 



The book of the potato, edited by T. W. Sanders (London: W. H. & L. Colling- 

 ridge, 1905, pp. 222, illus.; rev. in Lancet [London], 168 (1905), No. 4264, p. 1346).— 

 This work treats of the history and botany of the potato plant, the soil and its cul- 

 tural and manurial treatment, the propagation by seed, cuttings, eyes, and grafting, 

 the preparation of the seed and systems of planting, forcing potatoes, harvesting, 

 storing and marketing the crop, originating new varieties, and methods of combating 



