636 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



alkaline soil for this plant. Redtop appeared in but 4 instances, 3 of 

 which were upon unlimed soil. This is in accord with previous obser- 

 vations at the station to the effect that redtop can succeed on a soil 

 too acid for the successful growth of either blue grass or timothy. 

 Clover was found upon every one of the limed plats, but was wholly 

 absent on the unlimed sections, and the best clover was found i;pon 

 the plats which had received potash and phosphoric acid but no 

 nitrogen. 



Potato experiments in 1899, G. Martinet (^1;;/^ Ag7'. Suisse, 



1 {1900), No. '^^pp. Ji5-49, dgm. 1). — A record is given of the results 

 obtained in tests of a large number of varieties of potatoes in 12 dif- 

 ferent localities and of the effect on yield of growing potatoes at 

 different altitudes. 



As a result of the tests of varieties, Silesia and Cygnea are recom- 

 mended for the general crop. 



In order to determine the effect of altitude on the yield of potatoes, 



2 varieties grown at an elevation of 580 meters were planted at an 

 elevation of 780 meters in comparison with the same varieties regularly 

 grown there. Converseh% tubers grown at the higher altitude were 

 planted at the lower altitude in comparison with the same varieties of 

 native-grown tubers. The results show that the total jdelds of both 

 varieties were higher by from 5 to 10 per cent at the higher altitude 

 than at the lower, and that the seed tubers from the higher altitudes 

 gave the better yields under all circumstances. 



Notes on sand lucern, J. D. To war {Michigan Sta. Bui. 181. p>P' 

 165, 160). — Sand lucern was sown on 2 tenth-acre plats on light 

 drifting sand at the station at the rate of 15 lbs. per acre. The lucern 

 was given entire possession of the ground. No crop was produced 

 until the second 3^ear, when it was mowed 3 times, yielding at the rate 

 of 6,800 lbs. per acre on one plat and 5,917 lbs. on the other. The 

 plant withstood the severe winter of 1898-99, when fruit trees, 

 wheat, clover, and other hardy plants were killed, and the following 

 season produced 4 crops, amounting to 10,580 lbs. on the better plat. 

 The first cutting was obtained May 31. 



Sand lucern is a legume, closely resembling alfalfa. It is recom- 

 mended for light sandy soils where the moisture is a considerable dis- 

 tance below the surface. Samples of seed have been distributed to the 

 farmers throughout the State for experimental planting. 



Sugar-beet and sorghum investigations in 1899, A. D. Selby ( Ohio 

 Sta. Bui. 116, pp. T7b-19o). — Sugar hacU (pp. 175-188). — The coopera- 

 tive cultural experiments with sugar beets reported in 1897 and 1898 

 (E. S. R., 11, p. 14:2) were continued in 1899. Five hundred lbs. 

 of seed, made up of -1 varieties, was received from this Department 

 and distributed by the station to the farmers throughout the State. 

 An uneven stand was obtained bv manv farmers. Germination tests 



