EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 191 



much benefit to the soil. Of the two, barley makes the stronger growth and is to 

 be preferred. 



The orchard was worked and kept clean until August 3rd, 1903, when a second 

 test was started in which the sand vetch, barley, oats, cow peas, field peas, and 

 Mammoth and Crimson clovers were included. They all made a good start, but the 

 season was so wet and cold that the cow peas did not make as good a growth as the 

 previous year, which seems to strengthen the fact that they have no value as a 

 cover crop in Michigan orchards when sown as late as August 1st. The other 

 crops made a good growth when winter set in, the ground was well covered. 



TOMATOES AND POTATOES. 



TOMATOES. 



BY L. R. TAFT A>-D M. L. DEAN. 

 Bulletin No. 214. 



The v/et weather during the past season made the variety test of tomatoes 

 rather unsatisfactory. The vines made an abnormal growth and set only a small 

 amount of fruit, most of which failed to mature, while much of the fruit that 

 matured was soft and of poor quality. The soil upon which the test was made had 

 been used several years for the growing of vegetables, but last season was seeded 

 to Crimson clover and heavily manured with well-rotted compost. The ground 

 was plowed early in the spring, rolled and worked frequently to conserve the mois- 

 ture, and get the soil in the best possible mechanical condition. The location 

 was well under-drained but the excessive rains kept it in such condition that good 

 results were impossible. 



For several years there has been much inquiry as to the relative earliness of 

 the fruit from transplanted plants, and those sown in the field. To determine this, 

 several varieties, both early and late, were selected and on April 13th seed was 

 sown for one lot in small boxes in the greenhouse. As soon as the seedlings were 

 of the proper size, which is about two inches in height, they were picked out into 

 flats and given a space two inches square. June 13th the plants were transplanted 

 Into the field in rows six feet apart, with four feet in the row. The weather was 

 favorable and the plants showed no check from the transplanting. At the same 

 time seed was sown in hills; on June 20th the seedlings began to show through 

 the ground and on July 14th were thinned to one plant in a hill, leaving the strong- 

 est and most thrifty plant. The seedlings made a very rapid growth and grew 

 faster and more stocky. than did those transplanted. There was but little differ- 

 ence in the maturing of the tomatoes but the exact difference it would be hard 

 to determine, because so many of the varieties failed to mature the crop. 



The advantage of staking tomatoes was very clearly demonstrated; as the 

 tomatoes can be planted much closer, the fruit will be of better quality, and in 

 excessively wet years it is possible to ripen a good crop of fruit when if planted In 

 the ordinary manner it might not mature at all. ^ 



KOTES ON VARIETIES. 



Atlantic Prize — One of the standard early varieties of the Ruby class. It is bright 

 red in color, a little rough but very productive. 



Beauty — One of the most popular of its class. It is of medium size and has a 

 purple tinge. The fruit grows in clusters and maintains its size during the entire 

 fruit season. It is very solid and popiilar as a shipping sort. 



Belmont — A desirable early variety. It is of the Trophy type, smooth, and of 

 good quality; color, bright red. 



Bird — One of the earliest varieties grown, but is rather small to be popular as 



