FrELD CROPS. 45 



New contribution to the question of the influence of the water content of 

 the soil on the development of the plant, C. von Seelhorst {Jour. Landw., 48 

 {1900), No. 2, pp. 165-177, ph. i?). — A study of the influence on the form and com- 

 position of oats and spring wheat of varying amounts of water in the soil and of 

 increasing and decreasing the water content of the soil at different stages of growth. 



Action of sulphuric acid employed in watering clover and sugar beets, A. 

 Damseaux {Bui. Agr. \_Brusseh'], 15 {189D), No. 7, pp. 619, 6"20).—ln these experi- 

 ments the plants were watered with a solution containing 24 gm. of sulphuric acid 

 to each liter of water. The results were positive. The production of stems and 

 leaves was diminished and the constitution of the plants modified. In the case of 

 the clover the yield was much reduced by the use of the acid. With sugar beets the 

 total yield and the percentage of sugar were both reduced. The quotient of purity 

 was slightly raised and the i)er('entage of suljihuric acid in tlie asli almost doubled. 



Russian cereals adapted for cultivation in the United States, M. A. Carleton 

 ( U. S. Dept. Agr., Division of Botany Bui. 23, pp. 42, pis. 2, figs. 2). — A general dis- 

 cussion is given of the characteristics of Russian and American grain soils, climatic 

 conditions of the grain belts of the two countries, etc., with notes showing the cultural 

 methods followed in Russia, and other data on each of 7 varieties of wheat, .3 of oats, 

 2 of barley, 2 of emmer, 6 of millet, and 1 each of Indian corn, buckwheat, Tanibof 

 flat pea, and Polygonum iveyrichii, recently secured from Russia for trial in this country, 

 and similar data on a number of other varieties of wheat and oats now being intro- 

 duced. Descriptive notes as to Russian methods of harvesting, threshing, cleaning, 

 and milling wheat are included in the bulletin, as is also a list of Russian cereals 

 already grown in this country, notes on the preparation of cereal foods in Russia, 

 and suggestions regarding the requirements of a proper test of new cereals. 



Cotton, H. Lecomte {Le colon. Paris: J. B. Bailliere & Sons, 1900, pp. 496, figs. 37). 



The manuring of cotton, G. P. Foaden {Jour. Khediv. Agr. Soc. and School of 

 Agr., 2 {1900) , No. 2, pp. 87-91).— The use of barnyard manure increased the yield 

 of cotton, but decreased the quality of the staple. Medium api)lications of poudrette 

 gave profitable returns, yielded a higher proportion of fiber in ginning, and produced 

 superior cotton. Experiments in the use of guano did not give conclusive results. 



Culture experiments with German, English, and French fodder beets 

 {Landw. Wchnscltr. Sachsen, 2 {1900), No. 18, pp. 159, 160).— Tents of 10 German, 6 

 French, and 4 English varieties of fodder beets are reported. Yellow Eckendorfer, 

 Yellow Tannenkriiger, and Red Eckendorfer of the German varieties, in the order 

 named, have given the best results. 



Experiments with fodder beets, P. Thiele {Filhling's Landw. Ztg., 49 {1900), 

 Nos. 4, pp- 143-146; 5, pp. 1S5-187; 6, pp. 207-209). — Variety and distance experi- 

 ments are reported. Yellow Tannenkriiger and Yellow Eckendorfer gave the best 

 yield of 11 varieties grown. Rows 14 in. apart gave better results than rows 12 

 in. apart. 



Forage crops, W. B. Anderson {Indiana Sta. RjU. 1899, pp. 59-66). — Notes on the 

 culture and yield of the following forage plants grown at the station during the sea- 

 son: Corn, Kafir corn, sweet sorghum, Dwarf Essex rape, soy beans, cowpeas, field 

 peas, vetches, and combinations of Canada field peas and oats. Cooperative experi- 

 ments with some of these plants were carried out by farmers in different parts of the 

 State, the results of which are briefly noted. 



Forage crops other than grasses; how to cultivate, harvest, and use them, 

 T. SuAW {New York : Orange Judd Co., 1900, j)p- 287, figs. 29).— The author tells how 

 to cultivate, harvest, and use for the purposes of forage, corn, sorghum, non-saccha- 

 rine sorghums, plants of the clover family, other leguminous plants, rape, cabbage, 

 the common cereals, millet, root crops, and miscellaneous plants. Chapters are 

 given on successions of crops for continuous forage throughout the season in each of 

 the different sections of the United States, and on sheep pastures at the Minnesota 

 University Experiment Farm. 



