EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. -27 



were vigorous and quite productive, and perhaps are somewhat hardier 

 than those commonly grown ; but, with a few exceptions, the fruit was 

 small and of poor, and even of a disagreeable, flavor. From these trials 

 it is evident that none of the melons are adapted to take the place of our 

 better varieties, and the other vegetables were quite variable in type, 

 and in every respect inferior to the kinds we have at present. During 

 the winter and spring a variety of vegetables were tested ii\ the forcing 

 house, using different methods of culture and various kinds of soil and 

 fertilizers. 



THE EXPERIMENTAL ORCHARD. 



The season was quite favorable to the growing of fruit, and many of 

 the young trees bore their first crop. The cherries and plums were espe- 

 cially productive, but while a fair crop was secured in the old apple 

 orchards, comparatively few of the younger trees blossomed, and as a 

 result but few were added to our list of tested sorts. In the fall of 1897 

 winter-cover crops were sown in all the orchards, and crimson clover was 

 used quite extensively, both alone and with oats. In order to test the 

 comparative hardiness of plants grown from seed produced in Mich- 

 igan and Delaware, plots of one acre each were laid off for the compara- 

 tive tests; but the season was quite favorable and little or no difference 

 could be observed, as in neither case was there any appreciable injury 

 from the winter. Other areas were sown at different times, to ascertain 

 which was most favorable. The seedings made about the first of July 

 gave the best growth before winter set in, and appeared much the strong- 

 est in the spring. Good results, how T ever, were secured upon plots sown 

 as late as the middle of August, although they were inferior to those 

 earlier sown. For cherries and other fruits that ripen early, the July 

 seeding will probably be desirable; but for the later varieties of cherries, 

 plums and peaches, which require cultivation up to the middle of August, 

 it will be best to delay the sowing of the seed until that time. When oats 

 were used with the clover, even though the amount of the seed used did 

 not exceed three pecks per acre, there was a noticeable reduction in the 

 growth of the clover. The oats, however, made a good growth, and 

 would have undoubtedly served to lessen the winter killing of the clover 

 had the winter been a severe one. 



When oats were used alone, at the rate of two bushels per acre, a good 

 growth was secured, even when sown as late as the middle of August, 

 and before winter set in many of the plants were large enough to form 

 hearls. During the winter the plants were killed and in the spring 

 formed a sufficient mulch to prevent the baking of the soil, even where 

 it was clay loam, although plowing was delayed until the middle of May. 

 On the other hand, where crimson clover was used the surface was badly 

 baked, so that on being plowed the land was quite lumpy. This seems 

 to be the principal objection to the use of crimson clover upon a heavy 

 soil, and it holds to an even greater degree against the use of rye as a 

 winter-cover crop. When eitber of these are to be used upon stiff soils, 

 it will be almost necessary to plow them as soon as the land is sufficiently 

 o"ry in the spring, but ordinarily it will be even better to rely upon the 

 oats as a cover crop for such soils. Oats were also used between the 

 rows of raspberries and grapes, care being taken not to scatter the seed 



