190 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



trust to the chances of obtaining a valuable novelty, the gardeners will 

 depend on such kinds as have been well tested and are known to be val- 

 uable. 



EFFECT OF USING SEEDS FROM THE FIRST RIPE FRUITS. 



For three years we have attempted to learn the effects of planting seeds 

 from the first fruits that ripened, as compared with those selected late in 

 the season. 



The first two years, a slight gain in the earliness of the crop was noticed, 

 but it was observed that while this gain was considerable in the case of 

 varieties of the angular type, it became a loss when the smooth, apple-shaped 

 sorts were considered. 



This year, the results show, as an average of fifteen varieties, that the 

 plants grown from early selected seeds gave ripe fruits in 143 4-5 days, 

 while those from the main crop were 145 2-15 days, a difference of 1^ days 

 in favor of early selected seeds. As in previous years, the angular sorts 

 show a marked difference, while in the apple-shaped sorts there is, if any- 

 thing, a slight average loss in earliness. 



Taking the number of ripe fruits up to September 10, we find an average 

 gain of four fruits to the plant by early selection. 



The greater portion of the work of planting, cultivating, and growing the 

 crops treated of, has been done by the members of the junior class of the 

 College, who are assigned to this department for three hours each day 

 throughout the college year, for practical instruction in horticulture. 



They have thus become familiar with the methods of vegetable culture, 

 and have also had an excellent opportunity of studying the characteristics, 

 and learning the merits, of the different varieties. In this work they have 

 been under the direct charge of my assistants, thus securing accuracy and 

 rendering the work far more instructive. 



During the first portion of the year I was assisted by Mr. H. P. Gladden 

 and Mr. D. Anderson. In August Mr. Anderson resigned, and Mr. H. J. 

 Hall was appointed to succeed him. The notes have been largely taken 

 and the tables have been compiled by tHem. Mr. Gladden has also furn- 

 ished the accompanying notes on beans, beets, cucumbers, peppers, radishes, 

 and squashes. 



L. R. Taft, 



Agricultural College, Mich., ) Hort'iculturist 



January 1, 1891. \ 



