212 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



of salts could vary quite widely without affecting the yield. Now it is 

 evident that there is a ibest culture, and a certain definite region on 

 the triangular diagram that shows this. The other cultures grade away 

 gradually on all sides. This kind of arrangement is expected from the 

 nature of grouping of the cultures on the triangle. In all previous work 

 the good-yielding cultures have been scattered over the triangle. Most 

 disconcerting of all duplicate series would not check, culture for cul- 

 ture. A series repeated later would not agree, and so very conflicting 

 results were obtained. I believe that the use of a large number of plants 

 is a great factor in bringing a;bout the good results obtained in the past 

 two years. 



H or tic III tura I Pro fee t : 



This project was outlined as a co-operation between the Department 

 of Horticulture, the Department of Soils, and the Department of 

 Botany about four years ago. At the beginning of the present year, the 

 co-operation was somewhat modified due to the changes in the Horti- 

 cultural Department, and at present the co-operation is between the De- 

 partments of Horticulture and Botany. The outline, somewhat changed 

 from its original form, is appended. The items starred are those being 

 studied in the Botany Department. Work has been pushed along all 

 lines, but especially in the study of carbohydrate synthesis and utiliza- 

 tion. 



The methods used in our former studies did not seem to give con- 

 sistent results, so during the winter the old methods were modified and 

 better results are now being obtained. The H ion studies of buds and 

 spurs w^ere deferred until next year in hopes that by that time a reliable 

 method could be devised for determining the hydrogen ion concentration. 

 The project is still to be continued through the summer and fall. During 

 the spring no trips were made to this experimental orchard at Grand 

 Kapids because of lack of funds; but trips were made to a nearby orchard 

 which had received the same treatment. A detailed report on this proj- 

 ect can not be expected this year. 



Quinlan Orchard Project. (Grand Rapids.) 



1. What is the influence of the diff'ereut fertilizer treatments on 



the size and number of leaves per spur? 

 *2. What is their influence on the rate of carbohydrate synthesis per 



unit of leaf area? 

 3. What is their influence on summer defoliation? 

 *4. What is their influence on the total carbohvdrate accumulation in 



the spurs in the fall? 

 *'5. What is their influence on the rate of carbohydrate utilization 



(as measured by amounts present at successive intervals during 



and after blossoming) in the spring? 

 *6. What is the influence on H ion concentration in the spurs from 



week to week throughout the season? 



7. What is their influence on the percentage of spurs blossoming 

 each spring? 



8. What is their influence on the setting of the fruit? 



9. What is their influence on the yield? 



