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night. In addition to the experiment upon lettuce, peas and rad- 

 ishes, this winter we shall make experiments upon the influence 

 of electric light upon color, and for this purpose we are growing 

 named varieties of heliotrope, verbenas, tulips, petunias, coleuses, 

 primulas, fuchsias, and some other plants. The present indica- 

 tions are that we shall be ready to report upon this series of ex- 

 periments at the close of the winter. 



An interesting field experiment which was inaugurated in the 

 spring of 1889, which it is expected to continue indefinitely, is 

 one to determine the influence of various fertilizers upon fruit 

 trees and to endeavor to answer the question if fruit growing can 

 be carried on profitably with the use of concentrated fertilizers 

 alone. Two orchards are set aside for this purpose, each one be- 

 ing divided into three equal parts. One section in each receives 

 no treatment except the ordinary cultivation. The others receive 

 complete manures of one kind or another, and in addition each 

 one receives an extra amount of some one fertilizer ; for instance, 

 one receives an excess of potash, another an excess of phosphoric 

 acid, and another an excess of nitrogen. By these means we 

 hope to be able not only to answer the question as to whether 

 orchards can be profitably fertilized with concentrated fertilizers, 

 but also to learn something of the controlling factors in the ferti- 

 lizing of orchards. One feature of this experiment refers to the 

 best and cheapest source of nitrogen. Upon one section the ni- 

 trogen is applied in the form of nitrate of soda, and another in 

 the form of leguminous green manure. The orchards in which 

 these experiments are in progress comprise dwarf and standard 

 pears, plums and apricots. Unfortunately most of the soil is clay, 

 and probably results will not be obtained as early as upon sandier 

 soils. 



Experiments upon the best methods of propagating plants are 

 under progress, especially one concerning the moot point of the 

 relative merits of budded, crown-grafted and root-grafted apple 

 trees. 



A very large part of the endeavors of the division is devoted to 

 methods of forcing plants. We are or have been forcing the follow- 

 ing plants : radish, endive, lettuce, spinage, pea, bean, cucumber, 

 melon, tomato, eggplant, mushroom, cauliflower and some others. 

 Another season we shall expect to have our houses ready for the 

 forcing of still other plants. Our cucumber forcing experiment is 



