SEEDS WEEDS. 349 



ovis compounds, particularly aldehyde, in the surrounding liquid. The 

 temperature at which the experiments were carried on was found to 

 have an important bearing" on the results. 



The destruction of v^eeds in cereal crops by means of solu- 

 tions of chemicals sprayed upon the foliage, II. L. Bolley {I*roc. 

 Soc. From. Agr. Sd. 1899., pp. 107-109). — The author reports having 

 made in 1896 attempts to destroy the English charlock by means of a 

 solution of corrosive sublimate sprayed over oat fields. The strengths 

 of solutions selected and the weather conditions were such that the 

 experiment was a failure. 



in 1899 the author conducted a series of experiments for the destruc- 

 tion of weeds over large areas hy spraying the crops with different 

 solutions and in the present paper he reports upon the effect of copper 

 sulphate as a weed destroyer. The effect of a 10 per cent solution of 

 copper sulphate sprayed over wheat is stated. At the time of the spra}^- 

 ing", the wheat was 3 to 5 in. in height and the portion of the field 

 selected for the experiment was exceedingly weedy, the principal weeds 

 being charlock, wild barley, wild rose, penny cress, shepherd's purse, 

 wild buckwheat, lamb's quarter, and the great ragweed. This applica- 

 tion was made June 1 and on August 8 all the weeds except the wild rose 

 and older plants of penn}- cress had been destroyed. The wheat leaves 

 were burned slightly at the tip, but the yield was considerably larger 

 than that of an adjoining untreated plat. A number of tests were 

 made with a 1 per cent solution of copper sulphate which was found 

 to kill the great ragweed and charlock but failed to destroy the older 

 plants of penny cress. June 20 an oat and mustard field was sprayed 

 with copper sulphate at the rate of 1 lb. to 4 gal. of water. The oat 

 plants were about 6 in. high, the mustard about equaling it or in some 

 places a little higher. On August 1 the crop on the treated area was 

 entirely free from weeds except for pigeon grass and wild rose. The 

 plants were stalky and well stooled. Upon the untreated area the 

 plants were weak and failed to stool, and the crop was considered at 

 least ^ less than upon the treated plat. The amount of liquid used in 

 the author's experiments was approximately 40 gal. per acre, and he 

 believes the results indicate that spraying to destroy weeds in cereal 

 crops can be carried out on an economic basis. 



Seed selection, P. 0. Vanatter ( Tennessee Sta. lipt. 1899, pp. 75, 76, fig. 1 ). — Popu- 

 lar notes are given on the advantages derived from the use of clean seed and also the 

 value of selected seed in the improvement of crops. 



Clover seed, A. D. kSelby {Ohio Sta. Spec. Bui. 4, PP- 7, figs. 31). — Notes are given 

 on the vitality, purity, and manner of testing clover seed. A number of the more 

 common weed seeds found in samples of clover seed are figured by means of photo- 

 engravings. Detailed reports are given on the analyses of 15 samples of clover seed 

 purchased in the market, and comparisons are drawn between the market price and 

 the actual value of the seed. 



