454 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



FIELD CROPS. 



Variety tests of grains, A. Atkinson (Montana Sta. /.'/'/• 1904, pp. 210-217). — 

 The average results obtained at the station with 23 varieties of spring wheat, 16 of 

 barley, and L4 of oats grown on one-sixtieth acre plats from L900 to 1904, inclusive, 

 arc given in tables. 



Nineteen varieties of wheat gave an average yield of 50 bu. or more per acre, the 5 

 leading varieties and theiryields being as follows: Kubanka, 59.9; Glyndon 692, 59; 

 Glyndon 650, 5s. 7; Glyndon 715, 56.8; and Russian 2955, 56.3 bu. per acre. Wild 

 Goose ranked first with an average weight of 62.4 lbs. per bushel. The latest 

 varieties, Glyndon 768, Boultoh blue stem, and Red fife, required 127 days to mature, 

 and Bart Tremenia and Pringle Champion, the earliest sorts, 120 days. 



New Zealand, a 2-rowed barley, gave uniformly good results during the 5 years 

 and ranked first with a yield of 82.5 bu. per acre. Berkeley, a 2-rowed beardless 

 variety, stood last in yield with an average of 46 bu. per acre, and also in weight per 

 bushel with 51.4 lbs. Guy Mayle, a hulless variety, gave an average weight of 64.6 

 lbs. per bushel, standing first in this regard. No. 5590, obtained from this Depart- 

 ment, gave the second largest yield, averaging 77.7 bu. for A years, and Mandscheuri, 

 California Prolific, Italian, Manhattan, and Improved Cheyenne produced over 70 

 bu. for the 5 years. 



Fourteen varieties of oats ranged in average yields from 101 to 128.5 bu. per acre, 

 with Progress, Wide Awake, and Improved American as the leading sorts. Swedish 

 Select, not included in this test, produced 183.4 bu. per acre in 1904. Victoria stood 

 last in productiveness but ranked first in weight per bushel with 42. S lbs., and in 

 earliness, with a growing period of 110 days. The latest varieties, American White 

 and Bland White, required 122 days to ripen. All varieties weighed over 39 lbs. 

 per bushel. 



The yields of the different field crops grown on the station farm are recorded and 

 a brief description of cooperative tests is given. In 1902 tests were carried on by 50 

 farmers in 16 counties; in 1903, by 204 in 21 counties; and in 1904, by 84 in different 

 parts of the State. 



Summary of press bulletins [on field crops] (Oklahoma Sta. Rpt. 1905, \>\>. 

 32-41, 42-49). — Previously published articles on the culture of spelt, cowpeas, corn, 

 and cotton are reprinted. Spring-sown spelt produced at the station 9.8 bu. of grain 

 per acre and 0.68 ton of straw, and a fall-sown crop, 6.9 bu. of grain and 0.82 ton of 

 straw. Spelt has not given promise of furnishing pasture during fall and winter. 



Field crops at Wag-g-a Experimental Farm, (i. M. McKeown (Agr. Gaz. A'. S. 

 Wales, 16 [190.5), No. 4, pp. 337, 338) .—Among 24 varieties of wheat Federation stood 

 first with a yield of 22 bu. 15 lbs. per acre. Of different quantities of seed per acre, 

 40 lbs. gave the highest yields. Drilling 'proved more satisfactory than broadcasting. 



The improvement of poor pastures, T. H. Middleton (Jour. Agr. Sci., 1 (1905), 

 No. /, pp. 122-145). — The results for 2, 3, and 8 years of 6 experiments in manuring 

 poor pastures are described. On a light soil potash produced hut little effect, and on 

 heavy soils phosphatic fertilizers gave highly profitable returns. In the first years 

 the use of other fertilizers was not justified by the results, but where the work was 

 carried on for 8 years lime w T as profitable after the first 3 years and potash the last 2 

 years. Nitrogenous fertilizers were but little effective. Phosphatic fertilizers pro- 

 moted the growth of Trifolium repens, T. minus, and Medicago luputina. These plants 

 improved the soil and increased the stand of grasses. Lime favored the increase of 

 grasses in the herbage. The first lew years the available potash of the clay soil was 

 apparently sufficient for the leguminous plants, but later the use of potash fertilizers 

 on ordinary poor pastures became necessary. Basic slag, owing to its content of 



