I 



NEW JERSEY. 157 



In addition to the Adams fund investigations in plant breeding 

 some Avork was done under the Hatch fund in fixing certain of the 

 more promising sorts of beans, sweet corn, tomatoes, and eggplants 

 secured in the breeding investigations. 



The stations continued to give considerable attention to various 

 features of peach growing in the State and published Bulletins 226 

 and 231 on this work. The peach orchards planted for experimental 

 purposes at Vineland and High Bridge came into bearing during the 

 year and some of the newer varieties fruited sufficiently to give indi- 

 cations of their value as commercial sorts. Studies were also con- 

 tinued on the behavior, prevalence, and control of peach diseases. 



The investigations wnth carnations and roses were conducted for 

 another-year in greenhouses. The results with carnations upon the 

 various soil mixtures indicated that the physical character of the soil 

 is an important factor in the success of this plant. Tt was also 

 observed that a certain variety of rose produced good crops of high- 

 quality flowers during the past season on plats which had received 

 only chemical fertilizers. Several demonstrations of greenhouse fu- 

 migation with potassium cyanid were made by members of the horti- 

 cultural division in private ranges with entire success. Some coopera- 

 tive fertilizer tests were planned and begun with one of the promi- 

 nent rose growers of-the State. 



The work of the stations in animal husbandry included the main- 

 tenance and grading up of the dairy herd and some observations on 

 groAvth and feeding of forage crops to cheapen the cost of milk pro- 

 duction. The work in this line, as already mentioned, was strength- 

 ened by the organization of departments of dairy husbandry and 

 poultry raising. 



The biologist continued investigations on oyster propagation and 

 floating and w^as able definitely to establish certain important points 

 relating to the catch of spat on cultch. He demonstrated the marked 

 advantage of placing shells as nearly as possible the day before the 

 set occurs, and determined the conditions which make it possible to 

 predict with reasonable certainty the date of setting as related to 

 spawning. A comparison was made of planting shells in heaps and 

 of sowing them broadcast in securing a catch of seed oysters. A 

 new floating laboratory for oyster investigations was equipped and 

 used for the first time during the year with very satisfactory results. 



In cooperation with the horticulturist the entomologist carried on 

 a study of the insect enemies of the peach, including particularly 

 investigations with reference to the influence of the plum curculio in 

 favoring the development of rot or causing a portion of the June 

 drop, and a series of experiments on the control of the peach borer. 

 Investigations were also made on the injuries and methods of con- 

 trol of the flea beetle on cranberries. In connection with his work 



