EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 249 



instrument shelter. A similar thermometer was fastened upon the outside of a 

 small tool house which stands about 80 rods south of the shelter, approximately 

 30 feet lower than the shelter, and about 15 feet higher than the strawberry plots. 



The maximum temperature, 45 degrees, was reached between 1 and 2 o'clock 

 p. m. At 5 o'clock p. m. the sheltered thermometer registered 39 degrees, at 6 

 o'clock 34 degrees, at 7 o'clock, when the log piles were set afire 32 degrees and at 

 S o'clock 30 degrees, when the thermometer on the fence post registered 29 degrees, 

 the two preceding readings of this thermometer being the same as those of the 

 shelter thermometer, i. e., 34 degrees at 6 o'clock and 32 degrees at 7 o'clock. No 

 further observations were taken during the evening, the smoke and heat being 

 driven due south by the cold currents, and the fires which were attended to until 

 after 11 o'clock p. m. were still burning early next morning, when the reading of 

 the three thermometers showed: 



In shelter, 26 degrees; on fence post, 24 degrees; on tool house, 23 degrees. 



The thermometers were the official instruments as used by the U. S. weather 

 bureau, and were kindly furnished by Director C. F. Schneider of Lansing. As 

 a further evidence that the fires afforded a slight protection to the extent of 2 

 degrees, a later observation was taken on September 11, when no fires were built, 

 the readings next morning showing: 



In shelter, 30 degrees; on fence post, 30 degrees; on tool house, 27 degrees. 



On September 12 the thermometer was removed from the fence post and placed 

 upon a post of even height in the strawberry plots. Observations the next morn- 

 ing" and the morning of September 19, read: September 13, in shelter, 31 degrees; 

 on tool house, 29 degrees; on strawberry plots, 29 degrees. September 19, in 

 shelter, 25 degrees; on tool house, 23 degrees; on strawberry plots, 23 degrees. 



It is evident therefore that the actual temperature surrounding the plots of 

 ^:trawberries and fruit bushes which are all located 2 to 15 feet below the tool 

 house, were as follows: 



May 26 — 30 degrees; May 27 — 27 degrees; May 28 — 22 degrees, and June 5 — 

 2i degrees. 



The fair crop which ripened under such adverse conditions would give rise to the 

 I'ollowing questions: 



1. Will certain fruit blossoms at certain stages stand a severe amount of frost, 

 and even more than what is commonly termed as killing frost, i. e., 26 degrees? 



2. Was immunity from the severe frosts the result of heat previously stored up 

 in the soil and lingering close to the surface during the few frosty hours of the 

 nights? 



3. Were the plants which were unable to withstand even less severe frosts 

 during the preceding seasons, now acclimated, and able to stand severer frosts 

 than they could further south where they had been propagated? 



Had additional observations been taken, the first two questions might have been 

 answered even at that time. 



In 1902, as during the preceding soason, the beds were mulched with clean 

 straw when about 10 inches of snow was on the ground, this mulch being subse- 

 quently left between the rows. A small portion of the beds had been left un- 

 mulched during the last and preceding winter, and careful observations showed 

 that the clear snow is a much better mulch, at least upon the station plots. 



A.S heretofore shown, the plots received the drainage from the higher adjoining 

 terraces. The time when the mulch has to be removed early in spring is one when 

 work upon the plots is practically impossible, the soil being a deep loam filled with 

 .spongy vegetable matter, and "muddy" being the mildest term which can be used 

 to describe the condition of the plots until late spring. The drier weather of this 

 season enabled the earlier removing of the straw, and to this is at least partially 

 due the better frost resisting power of the plants. 



Until the ground is tile drained, experiments with strawberries on the present 

 plots are valuable only in as far as they will show what strawberry plants will 

 do in this region when subject to the worst possible conditions. Meanwhile, 

 however, a small plot was laid out on higher and well drained ground, and a 

 dozen of the leading varieties were planted May 9 for fruiting next season, the 

 main object being to note the behavior of a few varieties such as Marshall and 

 Michigan when planted on a sandy loam. The matted rows were thinned out 

 and narrowed down to 12 inches after the close of the fruiting season, and no 

 winter mulch was applied, it being the intention of hereafter applying the mulch 

 Ijetween the rows only during the fruiting season. Among the varieties not here- 

 tofore described may be noted: 



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