170 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



RHUBARB — Rheum Rhaponticum. 



As was the case last year, so the present one: the alleged early varieties 

 have grown to usable size no earlier than has the Linnaeus, which, judging 

 from experience, may very profitably fill the place of any and all other 

 varieties, whether for the home plantation or for market; whether early or 

 late. 



ASPARAGUS— 4sparagfM.s officinalis. 



Of the six varieties of asparagus planted in the spring of 1890, the 

 Palmetto has steadily maintained its superior size and productiveness. 

 The plant being dioecious, and therefore every seed a cross, the necessary- 

 inference would seem to be, that the variety may have acquired its appar- 

 ent fixity, through the process of selection. Be this as it may, its obvi- 

 ous superiority in size, renders it worthy of a leading position as a profit- 

 able variety. 



Results from the planting of crowns from old plantations, have not, so 

 far, been satisfactory, many having failed to grow, and yet others dying, 

 after a more or less feeble start, leaving the plat weak and thin as com- 

 pared with one of the same variety, planted at the same time, and under 

 the same treatment, but of young plants. 



T. T. LYON. 



VEGETABLE TESTS. 



Bulletin No. 90. February, 1893. 



During the past season we have grown many of the novelties offered by 

 the seedsmen in their catalogues of 1892. Many of the high priced 

 "novelties" are inferior to the older and well-known sorts, although some 

 are of real merit. In this bulletin we have endeavored to give the results 

 gained from the experience of one season. Perhaps another year's trial 

 might change our opinion in some instances. Some of the best of the older 

 kinds have been grown with the new, for comparison. The summary at 

 the end of each class may aid the grower in selecting varieties for planting. 



BUSH BEANS, 



The beans were planted in drills two and one half feet apart, June 10 

 and 11. Ten feet of drill were given to each variety. In this space one 

 hundred beans were planted; from the number coming up the per cent, of 

 germination was computed. After all the beans had germinated that would 

 do so, each section was thinned to thirty plants; these thirty plants were 

 divided in two parts of fifteen each; with one section the pods were picked 

 and weighed when in edible condition. In this way the c<)mparative pro- 

 ductiveness of the several varieties was determined. The other lot of 



