New Yore: Agricultural Experiment Station. 31 



way. Manufacturers will find, too, that the real conditions of 

 their business are different from those previously displayed on 

 paper. Moreover, the relations between the farmer and the 

 manufacturing plant are likely to be for some time the occasion of 

 wide differences of opinion before a generally recognized business 

 basis is reached. 



DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE. 



Tests of varieties from foreign sources. — In the spring of 1898 

 at the request of Mr. D. G. Fairchild, special agent for plant and 

 seed introduction for the U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

 Washington, D. C, the Station undertook to test a large number 

 of melons and a few other vegetables, seeds of which had been im- 

 ported through Prof. N. E. Hansen who visited East Europe, 

 Siberia and Northwest China in 1897 for the purpose of collecting 

 for the Department seeds and plants which seemed likely to be 

 valuable in the semi-arid regions of this country. 



In the collection of seeds which were sent to this Station there 

 were about ninety varieties of Russian muskmelons and water- 

 melons, besides a number of kinds from Asia. Seeds of pumpkin, 

 sweet corn, turnip and six varieties of cabbage were also received. 



• Arrangements were made to test these vegetables at Geneva 

 and to duplicate the tests on Long Island. The cabbage and 

 turnip were tested under the direction of Mr. C. L. Allen of 

 Floral Park, to whom we are indebted for many courtesies. Mr. 

 Allen is well known as an authority on Brassicas. The other 

 vegetables were tested at Southampton under the direction of 

 Mr. F. L. Greene, a graduate of the Massachusetts Agricultural 

 College. 



In every instance the crops were grown on soil naturally well 

 adapted to their culture and the ground was carefully prepared, 

 fertilized sufficiently to provide for a vigorous growth and given 

 good cultivation. At Geneva the melons were started on inverted 

 sod under glass and not transferred to the field till warm weather 



