858 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



An examination of the stand in a number of corn fields showed a variation 

 of from •;.".(, to 89.6 per cenl of perfection. The percentage of ear-bearing stalks 

 was found to vary from 49.2 to 84.8. 



The average yields of different breeding plats at the station in 1905 varied 

 from 63.2 to 104 bn. per acre as calculated to 100 per cent stand. The yielding 

 power of individual ears on the different plats showed marked variation-:. 



Corn selection, F. W. Card and M. A. Blake (Rhode Inland Sta. Rpt. 1905, 

 pp. 200, 201). — This line of work at the station has been previously described 

 (E. S. R., 16, p. 766). 



The seed planted in 1904, taken from tbe upper-ear lot, with 8 ears per stalk. 

 produced 222 1-ear stalks. 291 2-ear stalks. 101 3-ear stalks, and 8 4-ear stalks. 

 Owing to immaturity and poor development the seed used in 1904 and 1905 did 

 not germinate strongly and gave an uneven stand. The results showed a 

 decided reduction in the number of ears per stalk over those produced in 1903, 

 and they indicate that the well-known cultural conditions are of greater impor- 

 tance than tbe selection of seed from the most productive parent plants. 



Chemical studies of hops in 1904, J. Satava (Bcr. Vers. Anst. Brauindus. 

 Bohmen, 1905, No. 11, ]>p. 'i n - map 1). — The discussion is devoted mainly to the 

 volatile oils, the hop acids and resins, and the hop tannin. 



The soft resins are divided into a-resin and /3-resin, according to their be- 

 havior toward alcoholic lead acetate solutions. The a-resin. containing one of 

 the hop acids called humulon. forms a precipitate in such solutions, while no 

 combinations with lead are formed in the case of /3-resin. which is associated 

 with lupulin. The principal points brought out by this study, according to the 

 author, are that the intensity of pure hop aroma increases with the a-resin and 

 humulon. and that the quantity of these substances in the product from long- 

 established hop districts is quite constant in different places and in different 

 seasons. 



The book of the potato, T. W. Sanders (London: W. H. d- L. Collingridge, 

 1905, pp. IX +2.12. pi. /. figs. 108).— This book gives advice on the different 

 phases of potato culture in the garden and in the field, and in this connection 

 the history, botany, and marketing of the potato are discussed. Directions for 

 combating the diseases of tbe plant and its insect enemies are given, and varie- 

 ties for the production of early, medium, and late crops, aggregating 269 sorts, 

 are listed. 



Rice growing in Arkansas, W. G. Vincenheller (Arkansas Xta. Bui. 89. pp. 

 117-128, figs. Jf). — An experiment in rice growing under the direction of the 

 station was begun in Lonoke County in Arkansas in 1902, and continued in 1904 

 and 1905. 



The results of the first year demonstrated that rice would succeed on the 

 prairie lands under irrigation. Ten acres were grown in 1904, one of the plats 

 yielding at the rate of 75 bu. per acre. In 1905 the area was increased to 30 

 acres, but owing to unfavorable weather conditions only 25 acres were har- 

 vested. About 17 acres of Honduras rice yielded 53 bu.. and about 8 acres 

 of Japan 67.53 bu. per acre, the average for the 2 varieties being 57.8 bu. 



The dates of planting, flooding, and harvesting, together with the yields, are 

 shown in a table, and general directions for growing the crop under Arkansas 

 conditions are given. The history of rice culture in the United States is 

 briefly noted. 



Sugar beet industry, R. Harcourt (Ann. Rpt. Ontario Agr. Col. and E.rpt. 

 Farm, 31 (1905), pp. 86-91). — Statistics concerning the sugar-beet industry in 

 Ontario are given, and a test of different varieties of sugar beets is reported. 

 Of the large-growing varieties Giant White Feeding and Tankard Cream gave 



