of the most important cash crops for the farmer. He has thus shown a great desire to try out any new variety of potato, which shows especial adaptation to his conditions with a view of increasing the profits per acre with this particular crop. The potato varieties were planted on May 14, 1914, in rows 165 feet long and 3 feet apart, one row to each variety. The following varieties were represented: Peerless, Early Red, Early Ohio, Early Russet, Irish Cobbler, Carmon No. 3, Gold Coin, Rural New Yorker, Burbank, and Great Divide. In this experiment a study was made of the comparative yield and quality of home-grown seed introduced from districts outside of the State. Of the potato varieties, Great Divide and Burbank were the heaviest yielders, with 13,025 and 10,027 pounds per acre, respectively. These two varieties have been grown for many years in Nevada and indicate the value of well-selected home-grown seed over that introduced from other States. The highest starch content is found in the Early Red, but the yield per acre is only 4,225 pounds. The remaining varieties, however, show only slight variations in the starch content. Field Beets In recent years a great many inquiries have been received at the Experiment Station relative to the yielding power and quality of different types of beets grown under Nevada conditions as a supplementary feed for different kinds of live stock. During the past two years sugar-beets have been grown in different valleys of Nevada on a commercial scale as a supplementary feed in fattening cattle, sheep, and swine. The beet varieties were planted on April 27, 1914. The seed was sown at the rate of 20 pounds to the acre, about one inch deep, in rows 24 inches apart. Here the aim was to compare the value of the sugarbeets, half-sugar beets, and mangels as a supplementary feed in fattening cattle, sheep, and swine. The results of this test favor the sugar-beet. Although slightly surpassed in yield by the Golden Tankard, a half-sugar beet, the high sugar content gives it a greater value as a food for fattening live stock. The "Our Ideal" mangel shows a comparatively high yield of 16,616 pounds per acre, but the low sugar content of 4.21 per cent indicates a feed of low quality. Corn The dairying industry is being rapidly developed in several agricultural districts of the State. A sentiment has arisen among the dairymen that in order to increase the profits during the winter months it becomes necessary to get away from the one-feed ration of alfalfa hay by supplementing this forage with grain or ensilage. Since ensilage and alfalfa make a good balanced ration and as ensilage provides a succulent and very palatable food when needed, there is a demand for information on the varieties of corn, sorghum, and other forage crops that are best adapted to the local soil and climatic conditions. The experiment on varieties of corn grown for ensilage included the following: Improved Leaming, Pride of Minnesota, Pride of the North, Sure Crop, Minnesota No. 13, Northwest Dent, Minnesota King, Huron Dent, and Wisconsin Yellow Dent. Each variety was represented by eight rows 300 feet long and 3 feet apart. The seed was planted with a hand corn-planter 3 feet apart in the row and about 211⁄2 inches deep. Furrows were made between every two rows for the irrigation of the crop. Although the above hardy northern varieties of carn do not mature grain except in occasional favorite seasons, certain types produce profitable crops of forage, which provides a very palatable and satisfactory food for cattle and sheep when placed in the silo and fed in connection with alfalfa. On September 9, 1914, a very hard frost occurred which threatened the growth of all varieties. On the following two days the corn was harvested and placed in the silo. The Improved Leaming, Minnesota King, and Pride of Minnesota were the heaviest producers, ranking in the order named, the highest yield being 19,513 pounds per acre. The experiment with sorghums grown from ensilage occupied the field directly east of the farm dwelling and included the following varieties: Evergreen Broom-corn, Dwarf Broom-corn, Red Kafir, White Kafir, Dwarf Black-hulled Kafir, Medium Yellow Milo, Feterita, and Shallu. The seed was planted with the hand-planter in rows, three feet apart, and about two inches deep. The crop was irrigated in the same manner as corn. In the different sorghums used in this experiment, the broom-corns advanced the most toward maturity. Although the growth was checked by the heavy frost early in September, a uniform crop of excellent heavy brush was formed with the two varieties of broom-corn. The Dwarf Broom-corn made the heaviest growth of 25,535 pounds of forage per acre, but the Red and White Kafirs showed a greater proportion of leaf growth and thus were considered more profitable for forage. The average yield per acre of the Improved Leaming variety of corn was 16,018 pounds per acre or 23.8 per cent less than that of White Kafir, which produced 21,027 pounds per acre. Cereals In In the agricultural districts of Nevada, where intensive farming is practised, alfalfa has formerly been the principal crop grown. recent years the enormous production of alfalfa, together with the gradual decrease in the number of live stock fed in the State, has caused the price of alfalfa hay to drop so low that farmers are gradually replacing portions of their alfalfa fields with other crops, of which the cereals are probably most important. No continuous systematic variety tests have been conducted in this State, and thus there is no available data as to the varieties of crops best adapted to the different localities. The experiment with varieties of wheat, oats, and barley included 30 varieties of wheat, 36 of oats, and 36 of barley. Each variety was represented by one row 65 feet long. The seed was planted April 20, 1914, about 11⁄2 inches deep in rows one foot apart. Discussion of Row Varieties of Wheat-In the row test of wheat varieties, Bluestem, White Club, Chul, and New Zealand were the highest producers ranking in the order named, Bluestem wheat from Washington producing 55.3 bushels per acre. The average yield of the eight check plats of Marquis wheat (Nevada seed) was 36.5 bushels per acre, while the Montana Marquis seed produced 46.8 bushels per acre. Discussion of Row Varieties of Oats-In the experiment with oat varieties the results show a very low yield for all varieties, due chiefly to the fact that the birds took at least one-half of the grain before it had reached maturity. Of the thirty-six varieties tested, Colorado Kherson, Sparrow Bill, Wisconsin Pedigree No. 1, Great Dakota, Wisconsin Pedigree No. 5, and Wisconsin Swedish Select were the heaviest yielders in the order named, Colorado Kherson producing 44.5 bushels per acre. Discussion of Row Varieties of Barley-Of the thirty-six varieties of barley, White Moravian (Idaho), Blue Ribbon, No. 682 Heil's Hannah, Boldi, and Chevalier were the greatest producers in the order named, White Moravian being the highest yielder with 69.0 bushels per acre. The characteristic feature in this test is that the highest producers were two-rowed varieties of barley. Field Peas Although alfalfa is the forage crop most generally grown in the State, there is often need for a short-lived legume, where such a crop is desired for one or two years in a rotation. If two years can be devoted to such a crop, common Red Clover cannot be surpassed, but where an annual crop is desired, it is very important for the farmer to know which of these crops is best suited to his conditions, also which variety will produce the greatest yields of good forage or seed. In the tests of varieties of field peas each variety was represented by one row. The seed was sown May 13, 1914, with the hand drill, about 2 inches deep in rows 3 feet apart and 65 feet long. This experiment included 16 varieties of field peas. In the row tests of these 16 varieties of field peas, White Marrowfat shows the greatest yield of 945 pounds of seed per acre. The California-Mexican Large bean was the only variety planted which produced seed, the yield being 554 pounds per acre. In the plat test of the five common varieties of field peas, the Green Canada produced the heaviest yield of 5,278 pounds of forage per acre. In the row test with varieties of soja beans, the seed was planted in the same manner as the peas. In 1913 a number of soja-bean varieties were planted and very few bacteria nodules were found on the roots of the plants. As no seed pods were produced, there was a possibility that the lack of the proper bacteria in the soil might be the cause. In the 1914 trial a sack of soja-bean soil was introduced from the Wisconsin Station and applied to one-half of the rows of the soja-bean variety test. The inoculated soil showed no advantage over the soil not inoculated in the growth of soja beans. The results of this experiment indicate that the local conditions are too severe, relative to late spring and early fall frosts, for the production of soja-bean seed. The indications are, however, that this crop may prove very valuable for forage. The variety of Lucas No. 305 produced 7,939 pounds per acre or 41.1 per cent more forage than the Green Canada field pea under the same soil conditions. Although this crop is coarser in quality of forage than the field pea, the high yield per acre gives it a place where it should be carefully considered where field peas or other annual legumes are grown as a forage for live stock. Millets Millets should become a very useful catch crop in parts of this State where other more intensely cultivated crops fail early in the season, due to some pest or unfavorable soil or climatic conditions. In the test of varieties of millets the seed was planted May 13, 1914, in rows 290 feet long and 3 feet apart, four rows representing each variety. Seven varieties were included in this test. The results of this experiment show that the three heaviest producers are Siberian, Golden, and Hog, in the order named, the Siberian millet yielding 6,595 pounds of forage per acre. The Siberian millet matured about one week later than the other varieties. Cooperative Variety Tests A variety test of grain was conducted on the farm of L. W. Langford. Stillwater, Nevada, in cooperation with F. B. Headley, Superintendent of the U. S. Experiment Farm at Fallon. This test was conducted on a heavy black loam, free from alkali and quite uniform in texture throughout the plats. The plats were plowed about nine inches deep in March, cross-doubled-disked, but not properly leveled; thus the low and high places resulted in an uneven stand of grain. The soil was in a relatively poor physical condition, being heavily infested with mus tard and other weeds, thus resulting in low yields of grain. The plats were irrigated four times by the flooding methods, the first application being made three days after planting, and the subsequent irrigations when the crop showed need of water. Of the wheat varieties, Little Club, Dicklow, and Bluestem were the highest yielders, in the order named, Little Club producing 31.8 bushels per acre. Of the oat varieties, Early Mountain, Swedish Select, and Spencer were the greatest producers, in the order named, the highest yield being 24.5 pounds per acre. DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY S. B. DOTEN The principal lines of work carried on in the Department of Entomology in the fiscal year 1914-1915 were as follows: Studies of Hymenopterous Parasites of the Codling Moth (con cluded). Studies of the "Isle of Wight Disease," or Bee Paralysis; and I. ADAMS FUND PROJECT Study of Hymenopterous Parasites of the Codling Moth In the present fiscal year and in the previous one it became increasingly evident that, while further work upon this project might lead to interesting entomological discoveries, there seemed little prospect of its having any direct effect on agriculture. While the parasitic insects under observation seemed to show interesting changes of habit in attacking a host-caterpillar new to them, still there was little to indicate that they would ever become of any great importance in checking the numbers of the codling moth. These wasplike insects, parasitic on the apple-worm, are themselves attacked to such an extent by other secondary parasites that the increase in their numbers is automatically checked. Moreover, it became evident that the longevity of the parasitic insects in question, males and females alike, depended largely upon the abundance of a natural supply of sweet food. The presence of plantlice in the orchard, producing quantities of honeydew, is a condition highly favorable to these parasitic insects. A food supply furnished by the floral nectar of weeds growing in the orchard would be almost equally important-that is, the presence of plant-lice and weeds, both of which are highly injurious to the orchard itself, will furnish conditions favoring the increase of certain parasites of the codling moth, but favoring likewise the increase of their enemies, the secondary parasites. It is apparent that the many complications existing in this matter make it not practical to attempt to check the codling moth by means of its parasitic enemies. It seemed evident to the writer that this project should be concluded as soon as a definite stage could be reached; for this reason, with the assistance of Mr. George G. Schweis, experimental studies which had been long in progress were brought to a conclusion. Work on the project had contributed a number of interesting methods of study; certain of the data appear to be of sufficient importance to warrant publication. Such data, however, belong to biological science rather than to agricultural science, and may be published later as contributions to the science of entomology. Two papers were published in the course of the fiscal year on a method of photographing living insects, which was the outcome of an *Resigned August, 1915, to enter commercial apiculture. |