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Even though several characteristics useful for testing fescue (Chewings fescue Festuca rubravar. commutataGaud., and red fescue, Festuca rubraL. var rubra) for cultivar purity have been identified, additional methods are needed for distinguishing similar cultivars. The investigation reported here was conducted to determine if cultivar differences not observable on untreated plants would develop in response to a high concentration of aluminum. Seedlings of 20 Chewings fescue and red fescue cultivars were grown in sand nutrient culture with a complete nutrient solution and with continuous light. Twenty‐eight days after seeds were planted a solution of Al2(SO4)3in water with a concentration of 216 ppm actual Al was applied to the surface of the sand until solution drained from the bottoms of the flats. Thereafter the Al solution was applied 6 days a week and a complete nutrient solution was applied once a week. Plants were evaluated 15 days after the first Al application. Cultivars differed in percentage of plants that developed purplish red leaf blades and also in the percentage of plants that developed necrotic leaf blades. Plants classed as having red leaf blades were 63% and 61% respectively for Kensington and Banner, and, at the other extreme, 16%, 24%, and 24% for ‘Ensylva’, ‘Fortress’ and ‘K4‐21’. Plants classed as having necrotic leaf blades were 57%, 40% and 40% respectively for ‘Ruby’, Ensylva, and Fortress and 0% for ‘Banner’, 1% for ‘Highlight’ and 2% each for ‘Cascade’, ‘Encota’, and ‘Erika’. Cultivar differences were not great enough to place cultivars into discrete categories, but they were great enough to be useful for distinguishing contrasting types.

The possibility of using chemicals to accentuate varietal differences in birdsfoot trefoil was investigated. Preliminary experiments with several chemicals showed that foliar applications of N‐dimethylaminosuccinamic acid (B‐995) could be used to cause ‘Empire’ plants to differ from ‘Viking’ and common European plants in growth habit, stem number and stem length. Treated Empire plants were shorter or more nearly recumbent than Viking or European plants. Results of using this chemical on greenhouse grown plants varied from one time of the year to another. Growth chamber experiments were conducted to determine what environmental conditions were responsible for this variation. Long photoperiods or low light intensity did not reduce the effectiveness of the chemical. High dark period temperatures or light from incandescent bulbs did reduce its effectiveness. A combination of high dark period temperature with low light intensity or with light from incandescent bulbs drastically reduced the effect of the chemical. Under these conditions increasing the concentration of B‐995 did not increase its effectiveness. One or 2 additional foliar sprays at 3‐day intervals did increase its effectiveness

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including the reprints from "The New American Market," report series in the October 25, 1947 and the July 26, 1947 issues, the trip of the Kokoda riverboat to the Mississippi River in the February 7, 1948 issue, and a mistake in the article "Butte: New Mines, New Life," about the Anaconda Copper Mining Co.'s investment in the December 27, 1947 issue.

Seed characteristics are not distinctive enough for reliable identification of Festuca rubraL. cultivars; therefore, research was conducted to identify seedling characteristics useful for cultivar purity testing. Starting 2 weeks after seeds were planted, seedlings were sprayed three times, at 3‐day intervals, with 700 μl/liter of ethephon (2‐chloroethyl‐phosphonic acid) until the foliage was completely wet. This resulted in development of two distinctly different types of plants. The first had long‐narrow‐leaf blades and the second had short‐wide leaf blades. All seedlings of the Chewing fescue cultivars ‘Cascade’, ‘Highlight’, and ‘Jamestown’ were of the long‐narrow leaf type. In contrast, all seedlings of ‘Rainier’ and 98% of the seedlnigs of ‘Ruby’ red fescue were of the short‐wide leaf type. ‘Arctared’, ‘Illahee’, and ‘Pennlawn’ red fescue developed 74, 36, and 39% short‐wide leaf plants respectively. Even though this technique distinguishes only two types of plants, it was useful in determining accuracy of labeling of Festuca rubraL. seed samples.

Seedlings of red rescue (Festuca rubmL.) varieties and of Chewings rescue (Festuca rubravat. commutataGaud.) were grown under controlled conditions in growth chambers. Seedlings differed in growth habit, color of lower leaf sheaths, and green weight. A high correlation was found between decumbent growth habit and green color of lower leaf sheaths. Daily cold periods induced up to 50% of common plants to become decumbent in growth habit. Decumbent plants did not occur if they were grown with continuous warm temperatures. All varieties and seed samples tested with daily cold periods produced mixtures of plants decumbent, intermediate, and upright in growth habit. However, seed samples differed in percentages of these types. Varietal differences were not great enough for precise varietal purity determinations, but some samples of comomn seed could be distinguished from seed of improved varieties.