FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 193 



sprouting. They were wintered in a warm cellar and were left there till the 

 last of May. As fast as any of them sprouted they Avere removed. On the 

 date named all that remained sound and with no signs of growing Avere planted 

 for seed. This was a long time after new onions appeared in the markets of 

 our State from Bermuda. I see no reason why we should not raise onions 

 which will keep foreign bulbs out of the market. Two years ago I sent some 

 seeds to friends in two different counties for trial. They are much pleased 

 with their improved keeping qualities and pronounced the yield good and quality 

 equal to the best. 



Root Pruning Tomatoes, Potatoes, Wheat and Corn. 



On two hills of potatoes of the variety known as Alpha an effort was made 

 to keep off the tubers and also to root prune and thus cause them to set flowers 

 and produce berries on the tops for seed. No flowers were produced. 



In a short row of tomatoes which were in flower when they were transplanted 

 into the garden, every other plant was root pruned at two different times about 

 a week apart. The pruning uas rather carelessly but thoroughly done with a 

 spade thrust down near the plants, within five or six inches. In every case the 

 plants thus pruned were checked in growth, the fruit ripened later, and was 

 much less in quantity in comparison with the plants not thus pruned. 



Early in spring two small beds were filled with wheat plants taken from the 

 field. One was filled with Clawson, the other with Diehl. These were root 

 pruned thoroughly every week and sometimes oftener. The cuts were made 

 deep and perpendicular on four sides of the i^lants within about two or three 

 inches of the center of each stool. This was kept up till the spikes or heads 

 appeared in sight, when the pruning ceased. In one case a plant tipped over 

 and out of the small hole where it was pruned. The dry weather and the 

 pruning and removal, or something else, made the plants a little more back- 

 ward than those in the field where they were undisturbed. The plants were 

 set about nine inches a part each way and kept free from weeds. The soil was 

 sandy loam, — not what I should call good for wheat. The birds disturbed it 

 a good deal. Some of the spikes were used up in crossing the two varieties. 

 The heads which set were long and good, except that they did not fill well. 

 The wheat was badly shrunken. 



In anotlier i)lace Mr. Gullcy reports some of our experiments on root pruning 

 Indian corn. In every case the root pruning as we conducted it was a disad- 

 vantage to the corn plant, as shown in the stalks and in the ears. 



Ilyh-idizing White and Alsike Clover. 



An effort was again made this year to hybridize alsike clover with pollen of 

 white clover. Mr. Charles, who was entrusted with the experiment, obtained 

 twenty or more seeds which he is quite certain were the result of a cross of the 

 two species mentioned. 



Since the report was written, the seeds have grown and the plants appear 

 like those of alsike clover. Probably the pollen of the alsike clover was not 

 all removed. 



Will lied Clover not Visited hy Bees Produce Seeds ? 



For three years some experiments have been made to test this question. 

 Three years ago some young heads of red clover were tied up in cloth sacks 

 before any flowers had opened. A similar number of the same age were 

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