FIELD CROPS. 985 



Some varieties of winter barley, R. J. Mansholt {Orgaan Yer. 

 (Judleer. jRijLs. Zandbouwsckool, 12 {1900), No. IJ^), p- i^)-— This 

 article contains descriptions and records of trials of some varieties of 

 l)arley, principally of the two-rowed and four-rowed kinds. Most 

 of these trials were of hybrids, of which the most promising- were 

 double crosses. Two of these are particularly interesting from the 

 fact that whiU^ they are of precisely the same parentage, one is a two- 

 I'owed and the other a four-rowed soi't. They resulted from the fol- 

 lowing crosses: Groningen winter by Algerian two-rowed by Gron- 

 ingen winter barley. The fact that a summer barley enters into these 

 crosses makes it doubtful whether they will en(hir(> a severe winter, 

 but this point has not yet been tested. 



The Canadian Mammoth and the English Matchless were tested but 

 wei'e discaixlcd as not suited to the conditions prevailing ou the experi- 

 ment farm. — ii. m. tieters. 



Cooperative grass and forage plant investigations vrith State 

 experiment stations, T. A. Williams ( JJ. S. Dept. Agr. , Office of the 

 S(,'i;f(irij., Vii'c. X<K S, pp. 14). — Report of a visit to certain experi- 

 ment stations in the West for the purpose of arranging for cooperative 

 i^rass and forage plant investigations between the station and this 

 Department through the Division of Agrostology. Cooperative 

 experiments are suggested along the following lines: (1) The forma- 

 tion, care, and management of pastures, (2) range improvement, (3) 

 alkali-resistant crops, particularly those best adapted to furnish forage 

 that can be used to supplement the native ranges, (4) cover crops for 

 soils liable to wash which will at the same time afford a suppl}^ of 

 forage or can be turned under for green manure, (.5) a continuous soil- 

 ing series for use in sections where the dairy industry is paramount, 

 (6) winter pasturage for the South and Southwest, (7) sand-binding 

 grasses for the coast regions and along the Great Lakes, (8) meadow 

 crops for higher altitudes, (9) supplementary forage crops, particu- 

 larly those with a short season of growth that can be grown in rota- 

 tion with wheat, cotton, and other primary crops, either for forage or 

 for the improvement of soil fertility, (lo) di'ought-resistant cro})s for 

 arid sections, (11) the selection and deNcIopment of iiuproved varieties 

 of grasses and forage crops adapted to s])ecial conditions and uses. 



Experiment in top-dressing grass land, H. J. Wheeleh and 

 -I. A. 'Vi\AA^r,\\AST {/i/iix/r /s/i//t</ Sf(/. liul. 71., j'l^- lo-20).- — A detailed 

 account of the grasses grown, manures used, and the yield obtained per 

 acre in 1809 on the grass lands here noted was given in an earlier 

 l>ull(^tin (E. S. R., 11, p. tUl). An early drought atfected the yield 

 of grass in 1900 and only one crop of hay was secured. 



The plat fei'tilized with 1,200 lbs. of acid phosphate and 180 lbs. of 

 muriate of potash Imt no nitrogen produced l.G tons of barn-cured 

 ha}' per acre. When 15(» lbs. of nitrate of soda was added to these 



