EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 3l3 



EEPORT OF THE SOUTH HAVEN SUBSTATION FOR 1905. 



BY L. R. TAPT AND T. A. FARRAND. 



Special Bulletin No. 35. 



Prof. L. R. Taft, Horticulturist: 



Sir: The following report upon the work at the South Haven Sub- 

 Station for the year 1905, is respectfully submitted : 



The work at the station has been carried out along the same lines 

 as in former years, that is, variety testing and practical demonstrations, 

 and experimentation in spraying and other cultural methods. That the 

 work is highly appreciated is shown by the heavy correspondence and 

 numerous calls made at the station for advice. 



To those who visit the station; the work is more satisfactory in that 

 they can compare the conditions here with their own and see some of 

 the work carried out in detail, and also note the results. 



The number of people investing in fruit farms is increasing and, to 

 many of them, fruit growing as a business is new. For this reason and 

 the farther one that the destructive insects and diseases are continually 

 appearing in new places, a much larger amount of outside work has 

 been done than in former years. By going out to the farms and observ- 

 ing the conditions, it is much easier to suggest the course that should 

 be followed, than from mere description. It was impossible to respond 

 to all of the calls but it was always done when the station work was in 

 a condition to permit it. This line of work is always highly appreciated 

 and no other has done more good, or proves more far-reaching in its 

 results. To the beginner the question of getting started right is an 

 important one as, in many instances, it means the difference between 

 financial success or failure and, in the latter case, much hard work 

 and time will be wasted. 



Considerable outside work was done this season in carrying on spray- 

 ing experiments, the details of which will be given later on in this re- 

 port. This was necessary on account of the limited area of the station 

 grounds and the small number of trees of each variety of fruit ; for this 

 reason, it would seem advisable to extend this line of work in the future. 

 The results of experiments are often interesting and they are object 

 lessons for the locality in which they are carried on. 



The showing of fruit this season was on the whole much smaller than 

 usual, more especially of the tree fruits, all kinds of which bloomed 

 full, but the cold, dashing rains during the blooming period had much 

 to do with the imperfect fertilization and consequent dropping of the 

 fruit of the sour cherry and apples, although the unusually heavy crop 

 of apples in 1004 had its effects in shortening the crop this year. There 

 was a good crop of plums, sweet cherries and quinces, but a light crop 

 of pears. Grapes also were light but bush fruits and strawberries did 

 well. The peach crop was small as most of the original orchard has 

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