DirifilOy OF HORTICULTURE 



725 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



PEAS. 



Twelve varieties of peas -were planted about April 15, and the first to be fit for use 

 were harvested June 20. They were planted in rows 3 feet apart and the plants were, 

 as nearly as possible,! inch apart. They were all harvested while in the very highest 

 condition for table use and were not left to mature to make large yields. The earliest 

 variety was Gregory's Surprise, and the next was Thomas Laxton, but both of these 

 were light yielders. The heaviest yielder was Heroine, giving in the pod something- 

 over 7 tons per acre. Others very close to this standard were: McLean's Advancer, 

 American Wonder, Juno, Telephone, and Gradus. The tall varieties were rodded ou 

 ordinary tree branches, and these made excellent trellis work, as none were ever broken 

 down, and they were easy to pick from. 



POTATOES. 



Twenty-three varieties of potatoes were grown on a very uniform piece of ground. 

 It was fall-ploughed clover sod, and a light application of barnyard manure was given. 

 The potatoes were planted in rows 30 inches apart and about 1 foot apart in the rows. 

 They were w-ell cultivated during the season and hilled up when the tops got large 

 enough to cover the row space. 



To try to prevent the late blight, they were sprayed with Bordeaux mixture four 

 times during the season. The season being a very wet one, it was difficult to choose a 

 time when rain would not more or less wash the spray mixture off. In every variety 

 there were some tubers affected by the disease at digging time, and, after Being stored 

 for a time in a cool, dark cellar, a great many more ppoiled. 



Under the present system, it seems difficult to get a uniform variety test, for 

 probably the best half-dozen varieties change places in as many years, and occasionally 



Agassiz. 



