FIELD CROPS. 



Seed wheat separated into heavy and lighl Beed and sown at the rate of Lj bu. per 

 acre produced much the larger crop from the heavy kernels, birl only a small differ- 

 ence in yield resulted from selecting heavy Beed from the cropgrown from heavy 

 seed, and light seed from the crop grown from lighl Beed, during the 3 or i - i 

 ing years. Aiter the first year the lighl Beed produced a greater amount of protein 

 per acre than did the heavy seed. The 2 rows of spikelets in the head presented a 

 fairly close agreement as regards the total or the proteid nitrogen contenl of the 

 kernels, and the same was found to be true for one-half the number of spikes, as com- 

 pared with the other half on plants with at least an average number of Bpikes. 



The data also show that there may be quite a large variation in the proteid nitro- 

 gen content of different spikes on the same plant. That of BOO spikes of different 

 plants of the same variety varied from 1.12 to 4.95 per cent, and .">•>! plants of the 

 same variety the following year \ aided from 1 .l'u to 5.85 per cent. As the proportion 

 of gluten to proteids in kernels of different wheat plants was found to vary consider- 

 ably in certain eases, it is recommended that selection for improvement should be 

 based On the determination of gluten. Plants with kernels high in gluten contain a 

 smaller proportion bf other proteids than plants medium or low in this constituent. 



In wheat of the same variety -town under identical conditions, the relation ol 

 gliadin to glutenin was practically the same in plants varying largely in proteid 

 nitrogen, and it is therefore assumed that an increase in the gluten content of a given 

 variety raised in the same region would improve, on the average, its value tor bread 

 making. 



The content of proteid nitrogen, the kernel weight, and the total proteid nitrogen 

 production by the plant are considered hereditary qualities, and it is pointed oul 

 that plants possessing any of these qualities in an extreme degree show a tendency 

 to produce progeny in which the same qualities approach more closely to the average, 

 but that certain exceptional plants may transmit the same or more extreme qualities. 



The yield of grain per plant was decreased in proportion to its Busceptibility to 

 cold, the effect of a severe winter being to reduce its tillering capacity. Earl] 

 maturing plants, as compared with later maturing individuals, gave better yield-, but 

 the grain was slightly lower in nitrogen content and the number of grams of proteid 

 nitrogen in the average kernel was also less. Plants with heads of slightly more than 

 medium size produced the largest yields of grain and were taller than plant- with 

 either larger or smaller heads, while plants with heads of medium size, or slightlj 

 less, tillered most extensively. The weight of the average kernel did not increase 01 

 decrease with the size of the head, although on the very largest heads it was reduced. 

 The largest yielding plants were the tallest and tillered most. 



The variability of wheat varieties in resistance to toxic salts, L. L. 11 \u\ SB 

 {('. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Bui. 79, pp. 48) . — Experiments were conducted 

 to study the effect of the harmful salts present in the so-called alkali soils of the West 

 on the growth of wheat. 



Varieties representing very different conditions of -climate and soil were selected 

 and a description of each is given. The seeds were germinated in Bphagnum moss, 

 and only Beedlings having healthy and vigorous rootlets were used. When the radi- 

 cles were from 3 to A em. long the seedlings were taken out of the sphagnum and the 

 tips of the roots imme r.-ed in the different salt solutions. After 24 hours they were 

 taken up, the elongation of the rootlets measured and transferred to hydrant water, 

 where they remained foranother24 hours. The radicles showing additional growth 



in the hydrant water over the growth in the salt solution were considered as having 

 survived, and those making no additional growth as being dead. 



