EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. 113 



ourselves can control absolutely, rather than in the uncertain climate 

 of a Michigan spring. 



2. Cross-pollination of the Strawl)crry. The objects of this work are 

 similiar to those in orchard pollination. The experiments were begun 

 on forced strawberries in the college greenhouses during the winter of 

 1905-6. They were continued in the field in the spring of 1906, and 

 again on forced plants last winter. We shall need to work at this several 

 more seasons. A field experiment, embodying the results of the ex- 

 periments in the greenhouse, is now under way. 



3. Cross-pollination of forced tomutoes. The objects of this investi- 

 gation are to determine if varieties of tomatoes are benefited by cross- 

 pollination; and also to determine how much influence the amount of 

 pollen applied to the stigma has on the size and regularity of the fruit. 

 A bulletin embodving the results of two winters' work is now in TOur 

 hands. The work will be continued by Mr. Gregg. 



4. Selection of seed potatoes.. The object of this experiment is to 

 determine the practical value of selecting seed potatoes only from the 

 most desirable hills. A selection of hills was made from an acre of 

 Rural New Yorkers last fall, on the basis of size, form, number and 

 weight of tuber in hill. A similar selection will be made from the 

 plants now growing from these selected tubers. This work should con- 

 tinue several years before a report is made. 



5. Breeding hlight-resistant varieties of potatoes.. We seek to do 

 this in two ways: 



(a) By selection. Over 100 varieties, including all those that have 

 shown marked blight-resistant qualities, are being grown. They have 

 been secured from all over the country, and some have come from Japan. 

 Only the best hills are saved. A very marked difference in blight re- 

 sistance is noticed. 



(b) By crossing and raising seedlings. W^e have not yet been suc- 

 cessful in crossing, owing to the few and imperfect blossoms that are 

 borne on potatoes grown here. In 1906 and 1907, 8,000 potato seedlings, 

 from seed obtained from Colorado have been grown, and a minute record 

 and description made of each. Some of these seedlings are decidedly 

 promising. The most blight resistant have been saved and will be used 

 for further selection. 



6. StraiuTjcrry 'breeding. The practical aspect of this investigation 

 is to secure improved varieties of strawberries especially a productive, 

 very late variety, which would be a blessing to Michigan growers of 

 the unproductive Gandy; and to determine how much of practical value 

 there is in "pedigree" strawberries, or the selection of especially good 

 plants from which to take runners, in comparison with the common 

 nursery method of propagating from all plants at random. A minute 

 record has been kept of the behavior of each individual plant in a 

 field of 8,000 plants, of five varieties, set in the spring of 1906 for this 

 purpose; including the vigor, number of runners thrown out, number 

 of fruit stalks, total number of blossoms, number of blossoms killed by 

 frost, dates of ripening, number and weight of fruits borne by each 

 plant, and other features. Selection has been made for each variety 

 as follows: 



(a) The fifty most productive plants. 

 15 



