92 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



In Nos. 6 aud 14 the cost of the labor of the crops could not be given 

 because experiments were conducted, so many weighings were necessary 

 and so much time was devoted to objects other than crop production 

 that to state the amount of time expended on the field for the sake 

 of comparison with the crop produced would lead to erroneous con- 

 clusions. 



The lessons to be drawn from many of these crops are compiled in a 

 bulletin to be issued this November and numbered 149. 



CLINTON D. SMITH, 



AgricuHurisi. 

 Agricultural College, Mich., ) 

 November 1, 1897. \ 



EEPORT OF THE HORTICULTURIST. 



To the Director: 



Sir — I herewith present the report of the Horticultural Department 

 of the Experiment Station, for the past year. 



There have been few changes in the department, either in the lines 

 of work pursued, or in the assistants who have taken part in it. During 

 the year four bulletins have been issued, No. 142, Small Fruit Trials at 

 the College; 143, Fruit Tests at South Haven; 144, Vegetables, Old and 

 New, and 148, Strawberries. We have now, nearly ready for the printer, 

 several other bulletins that will be issued during the next two or three 

 months. Last spring a number of experiments in cultural method were 

 undertaken, and good results secured u^ to the first of August, but the 

 heavy rains at that time, continuing for several days, so affected the 

 plots that no definite results could be secured, and the bulletins pub- 

 lished have related almost entirely to the tests of varieties. 



STATION ORCHARDS. 



The young orchard, planted at various times during the past +en 

 years, is now coming into bearing, and, if the conditions are favorable 

 next year, we shall be able to make a thorough test of many of the new 

 kinds of tree fruits. This year, owing to the almost total failure of the 

 apples, only a few varieties have fruited, but a large number of cherries 

 bore this season, as did many of the plums and pears, and among the 

 new varieties there seems to be several that that are worthy of general 

 planting. Among the cherries that seem particularly promising are Brus- 

 seler Braune, Wragg and Vilne Sweet. Tlie former has fruited, more or 

 less, for the past four or five years, and has several times been favorably 

 noted in bulletins; it is a variety of the Morello type, and, for that class, 

 is particularly strong growing and upright in habit. It is an early 

 bearer, and in productiveness is equaled by few sorts; the cherries are 

 fully as large as many of the sweet varieties and are of a very dark 

 brownish-red with dark flesh; the flavor is acid and, when ripe, they 



