22 Diuector's Eeport of the 



Hexagonal foklimj funiUjalor. — For the work on Long Island a 

 new form of fnmigator was devised, wliicli possesses some 

 advantages over all other forms. This is hexagonal in form, 

 with sides hinged to allow of folding into compact form for 

 transportation and storage, and with removable folding top. In 

 operation the box is held rigid by the top and by braces at the 

 bottom. Two sides and part of the top swing back easily to 

 allow of placing the fumigator about the tree to be treated. The 

 hexagonal form avoids waste space about the tree. 



DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE. 



The forcing of lettuce has come to be one of the important 

 industries connected with market gardening in this and adjacent 

 States. In 1895 a line of- experiments was undertaken at this 

 Station bearing upon practical problems which are to be met in 

 the business of forcing lettuce. The first report on this line of 

 work was given in 1898, in Bulletin 14G, and also in the Station's 

 Annual Report for that year. This report treated of " Soil Mix- 

 ture for Forcing Lettuce," and " The Use of Commercial Fer- 

 tilizers in Forcing Head Lettuce." In the conclusions therein 

 set forth it was stated that when the soil was fertilized with 

 heavy applications of stable manure no advantage seemed to fol- 

 low the addition of either sulphate of potash, acid phosphate or 

 nitrate of soda. On the clay loam mixed with 15^ per ct. stable 

 manure by weight a slight increase in growth followed the addi- 

 tion of nitrate of soda. Since 1898 the investigations have been 

 continued each year for the purpose of gaining further informa- 

 tion on the economical use of commercial fertilizers in forcing 

 lettuce either when used alone or in combination with stable 

 manure. Nitrogenous commercial fertilizers were tried alone 

 and in combination with various percentages of manure. The 

 tests were made with loose lettuce and head lettuce both on a 

 medium clay loam and a light sandy loam. The nitrogenous 

 commercial fertilizers which were com])ared were nitrate of 

 soda, at the rate of 600 lbs. i)er acre, sulphate of ammonia 480 

 lbs. per acre, dried blood 1,000 lbs. per acre, and a combination 



