The observed seasonal progression and annual variations in the cold resistance of field-grown winter wheats during a 6-year period at Lincoln, Nebr., together with associated variations in the environment, were utilized in a study of the more obvious weather factors contributing to field hardening. Two apparently distinct hardening stages were recognized in this work. During November and early December high daily temperature maxima in conjunction with high radiation appeared to be most conducive to hardening. High temperatures with low radiation or high radiation with low temperatures were least effective. High temperatures and radiation were effective only in increasing hardening under the influence of shortening days, however. Rather xeric conditions also appeared to favor hardening. This suggests that maximum hardening at this period results from a radiation-temperature balance reacting with day-length and drought influences to give maximum accumulation of organic reserves. Subsequent exposure to sustained low temperatures resulted in further progressive increases in hardiness for about 3 weeks. This low-temperature hardening reaction seemed always to effect maximum hardening for the season, the actual level apparently being determined by the efficiency and duration of the preceding growth-hardening stage. Controlled experiments showing a reduction in hardiness under the influence of reduced light intensity are reported.

The effect of fertilizers on the length of winter wheat heads was determined by measuring large numbers of heads taken from field plats in 1935, 1936, and 1937. The significance of mean differences was shown by analysis of variance. The use of Shepherd's correction for grouped data is illustrated. A statistical study of the number of heads necessary to make a representative sample is included. From the measurements and calculations, the following conclusions were drawn: 1. The unfertilized wheat produced longer heads in 1935 than did the fertilized wheat. In 1936 the condition was reversed. During both years, fertilizer applications greatly increased the number of heads per foot of row. The number of heads per foot of row on the unfertilized soil was almost twice as great in 1935 as in 1936. Accordingly it is concluded that when crowding is not a factor, fertilizers may be expected to increase the length of heads of winter wheat, but when the stand is so thick that the greater number of heads as a result of the fertilizer causes crowding, the length of the heads may be decreased. 2. Some fertilizers produced longer heads than did other fertilizers. 3. No differences in the results were obtained by using Shepherd's corrections for grouped data. 4. The data obtained from the measurement of 100 heads picked at random from each bundle showed that samples of 100 heads were not truly representative of the entire population. 5. When 700 heads were measured from each bundle, the significant differences were approximately the same as when all the heads were measured. The number "700" was also theoretically checked by calculating "N" from the formula for "t."

Growth curves and data on yields of wheat, oats, flax, and corn, together with weight per 1,000 kernels of wheat, oats, and flax during a period of four years, 1934-1937, are presented. Temperature and precipitation data and graphs of soil moisture in the plats on which these crops were grown are presented. Methods employed in this study are described in detail. The period of investigation is too short to warrant a statistical analysis or definite conclusions. Certain tendencies may be observed as follows: (a) In wheat there is a positive and fairly consistent association between weight of straw and yield of grain when the four years' data are considered. The association is much less apparent in oats and flax. (b) Weight per 1,000 kernels is associated rather directly with yield of oats grain and to a less extent in flax. The association is much less apparent in wheat. (c) The number of seeds per boll is associated directly with yield of flax seed, but the association between number of kernels per spike and yield of wheat grain is not apparent. (d) Associations of yield with precipitation may be more apparent than real since the temperature factor is important. (e) In corn there appears to be no association of yield of forage with rainfall and not uniformly with height. Measurement of several individual plants present some important advantages over mass samples, as follows: (a) Comparison of individuals in growth, yield, and disease can be made. (b) Individuals accidentally injured or killed are easily detected and eliminated from consideration. (c) Variation due to individual differences may be measured and used for determination of this error. (d) Individuals may be selected in areas of full stand and free from weeds, ant hills, animal droppings, etc. (e) The same samples may be used for each determination. The available soil moisture offers a single factor which represents a resultant of various elements of environment. In 1936, growth continued in wheat after soil moisture at all depths sampled had been reduced below the computed wilting coefficient. In oats, flax, and corn growth continued after soil moisture at one or two depths had been so reduced.

Samples taken with a soil tube from beneath corn and sorgo rows showed from 20 to over 200 times as much sugars as sucrose in the soil beneath the crowns of sorgo than under those of corn. By taking larger soil samples with a spade in such a way as perhaps to be more representative of the condition sampled, than with the tube, the residual sugars expressed as sucrose were shown to occur both vertically and horizontally in highest concentrations near the crowns of the plants. Vertical slices to a depth of 1 foot, exceeding 100 p.p.m. of sugars, were not encountered over 6 inches from row centers while at the sorgo row center some were over 4,000 p.p.m. Horizontal 1-inch layers in the row and extending 4 inches on each side of it, ranged from over 12,000 p.p.m of sugars in the first such layer to less than 10 p.p.m. in the 10th inch layer. Rows of wheat parallel to the previous crop rows showed marked and statistically significant decreases adjacent to and over the row centers of sorgo and milo, while the slight decreases adjacent to previous corn rows were not significant.

The results of 4 years' experiments on the control of bunt (Tilletia spp.) in wheat sown in artificially infested soil are presented. New Improved Ceresan was superior to the other standard seed disinfectants tested. When applied at 3 ounces per bushel it reduced infection 66.3 and 74.8%, based on infection in the untreated checks as 100%. A 3-ounce rate sometimes caused a marked reduction in stand. Bunt was reduced 47.5 and 52.3%, by 1/2-ounce and 1-ounce rates of application, respectively. There was no consistent loss in effectiveness when the seed was treated 3 weeks before sowing. Ethyl mercury iodide was about equal to New Improved Ceresan when the grain was sown 24 hours after treating, but there was a distinct decline in effectiveness when 10 days elapsed between treating and sowing. Copper carbonate and copper sulfate were equally effective in controlling infection by spores in the soil. Copper carbonate reduced bunt in the crop 22.3 to 31.5% in the 4 years. Results in one year indicated that under certain conditions formaldehyde may be as effective as copper carbonate and copper sulfate, but in two other years formaldehyde reduced infection only 4.4 and 10.3%. Percentages of bunt were significantly lower when the wheat was sown the day the soil was inoculated and watered than when sown a week or 10 days later. Under the conditions of this experiment, between soil inoculation and sowing 50 to 60 days usually were required before sufficient spores were destroyed to eliminate danger from heavy infection. Low temperatures, however, occasionally prevented heavy infection. Low percentages of infection were obtained in untreated checks sown 60 days or more after the soil was inoculated with bunt spores. The seasonal trend in bunt infection in treated and untreated wheat was very similar.

Studies on the relative merits of different methods of inoculating seed of oats with smut seem to show the following: 1. Immersing the seed in a smut-spore suspension under vacuum may result in infection percentages as high as those resulting from hulling the seed and dusting it with spores. 2. Inoculation by the latter method in addition to being extremely laborious may cause a severe reduction in emergence and stand, even in smut-resistant varieties. 3. The suspension-vacuum method offers a quick and effective way of inoculating large numbers of oat seeds with spores of loose or covered smut. untreated wheat was very similar.

The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 300dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format. | Includes bibliographical references | With a basal mash consisting of yellow maize and wheat by-products, 10 per cent, of meatmeal was as satisfactory as 15 or 20 per cent, during the period from 9 weeks to maturity. Age at sexual maturity and subsequent egg yield were unaffected by the different amounts used, but size of egg was directly dependent on the level of meatmeal. On all three rations there was a high mortality, but it was much higher in the group receiving 10 per cent, than in those on higher levels. This was largely accounted for by the prevalence of prolapse on the low level of meatmeal. Here there were 22 cases of prolapse compared with 13 and 3 in groups receiving 15 and 20 per cent, meatmeal. respectively. Prolapse was frequently followed by cannibalism. The occurrence of this disorder did not appear to be influenced by egg size, egg yield, or age at sexual maturity. | ab2018