500 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



transmitted to the seed, and by the seed to the following crop. Quality rather 

 than quantity, is the standard by which the consumer measures the value of 

 this crop, and as such the value is influenced by flavor and sugar content. The 

 fact that flavor cannot be measured with instruments is of secondary importance 

 with this crop, for taste has learned to recognize that the varieties which are 

 sweetest are those with the best flavor, and that a poor variety cannot be ma- 

 terially improved by artificial sweetening when canning it. That the sugar content 

 may be influenced by climatic conditions seems at least probable when con- 

 sidering the results of sugar beet investigations. In order to ascertain the extent 

 of this influence, some analyses of early and late varieties were intended to be 

 made during the past season, the varieties to be used for such purpose being 

 Premium Gem, a medium early variety, and Teddy Roosevelt, a late variety. 

 Unfortunately, the variety bought for Teddy Roosevelt, although sold and marked 

 as such, proved to be a common short podded variety. 



Among varieties tested for the first time, the following are deemed worthy of 

 note: New Dtvarf Champion, the largest of the second early varieties. Peas 

 sweet and of good quality. Vines stout with dark green foliage. Dwarf Telephone 

 or Daisy has nothing to indicate any relation to the standard Telephone variety. 

 The peas are small, though fairly sweet for a medium- early variety. Premium 

 Gem is a week earlier than the last, the vines are more prolific, the peas are 

 larger and fully as sweet. For quality Thomas Laxton Is one of the best of the 

 medium early A-arieties, but the least prolific. The pods are scattering but well 

 filled with large sweet peas. Admiral Dewey also lacks in prolificness but makes 

 up somewhat for the greater size of the pods which are well filled with large 

 peas of good quality. Iowa Challenge as one of the first edible of the medium 

 early varieties is very prolific, the short pods being invariably well filled, though 

 the peas are not as sweet as those of Surprise, a variety whose shorter vines are 

 nearly as prolific. The peas of both of these two varieties are of good size. For 

 a profitable variety of fairly good quality, Nott's Excelsior is the best of the 

 medium early varieties which have been tested so far. Improved Stratagem 

 is the largest podded of the late varieties and the quality is excellent. Is claimed 

 to be an improvement on the old Stratagem variety which is a shy bearer. The 

 claim is not substantiated, for the pods are scattering though usually well filled 

 with very large peas. Sander's Marrow is as good as the last for fine quality. 

 The pods are not always well filled, but being more numerous, and the peas being 

 equally as large, the variety is more profitable. A further description of the 

 varieties will be found in the following table: 



Varieties. 



Alaska 



Extra Early 



New Dwarf Champion 



Premium Gem 



Dwarf Telephone or Daisy 



Improved StrataRem 



Sutton's Excelsior 



Admiral Dewey 



Sander's Marrow 



Thomas Laxton 



Nott's Excelsior 



Iowa Challenge 



Surprise 



Quality. 



Fair 



Fair 



Oood 



Fair 



Fair 



Very good 



Fair 



Good 



Verv good 



Good 



Good 



Fair 



Fair 



BEANS. 



For snap beans the early varieties are giving good satisfaction, and they wax 

 better than the green pod varieties. Pole beans as a rule are too late to be 

 profitable, and aside from the well known Scarlet Runner, only the early ripening 

 of the yellow pod varieties have given good results. Two Colored Fire Bean 

 is a promising pole variety, a little later but nearly as hardy and as ornamental 

 as Scarlet Runner. The blossoms are white with .the standard a bright pink. 

 Currie's Rust Proof Wax is the most prolific of the bush A'arieties tested. The 

 varieties are described in the following table: 



