No. 2, March, 1921] HORTICULTURE 147 



from the live tissue above ground in about eighteen days after the leaves open, and Chandler 

 shows that the soluble carbohydrates decrease greatly as growth begins. He states that 

 pruming on June 1 resulted in increased vigor, even though the reserve carbohydrate supply 

 must have been nearly exhausted. It is shown that pruning reduces the leaf surface, and 

 thus by reducing transpiration, the demand for water from the roots is reduced. By reduc- 

 ing the number of growing points and the amount of cambial area, it should reduce the demand 

 for mineral nutrients. The author states, "It would seem probable then that the increased 

 vigor of top growth would continue until the reduced size of the tree would be balanced by a 

 reduction in root growth due to the reduction in leaf surface. Thus pruning would be a 

 dwarfing process. Experiments and tables are included to show that different branches on 

 the same tree cannot be used in pruning experiments, because the one pruned branch would 

 not have a fair chance or would not get the same amount of water, from the rootsy due to the 

 reduced leaf area, if the other branches were unpruned. This tends to explain the ease with 

 which one branch on a tree is suppressed as compared with the others by pruning. — The effect 

 of pruning on nursery trees was studied as was also the effect of nitrogen on newly planted 

 peach trees. Tables were included to show the effect of the pruning, necessary to secure 

 an open head, on the leaf surface of the trees. — An experiment was also carried on in 1919 to 

 test the influence of summer pruning. — E. C. Auchter. 



959. Chevalier, Aug. Recherches sur les poiriers, noyers, chataigniers des parties 

 froides de I'Indo-Chine et du Sud de la Chine. [Research on pears, walnuts, and chestnuts in 

 the colder regions of Indo-China and southern China.] Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. Paris 170: 

 1335-1336. 1920. — The following species are reported as wild : Pirus Pashia, Pirus granulosa, 

 Juglans sagillata, and Castanea Duclouxii. The cultivated forms are Pirus communis and 

 P. Simonii and Juglans duclouxiana. — C. H. Farr. 



960. CoLLisoN, R. C. A progress report of fertilizer experiments with fruits. New York 

 Agric. Exp. Sta. [Geneva] Bull. 477. 53 p. 1920.— Experiments M-ere conducted with apples 

 in a nursery and in orchards, with cherries and pears in orchards, and with grapes in a vine- 

 yard. In Baldwin apple orchards the results as regards growth and yield were erratic. The 

 growth of Spy apple trees in the orchard was generally increased by fertilizers, but not con- 

 sistently. There was no significant difference in color or size of fruit. The growth of apple 

 trees in the nursery was increased by the application of fertilizers containing potassium and 

 phosphorus, but nitrate of soda was without effect. The growth and yield of cherry trees was 

 increased by the use of fertilizers, and there were indications that the supply of available 

 nitrogen may be a factor of some importance in vineyards. The author concludes that, in 

 positive results, the experiments up to date have been very disappointing. Evidently, the 

 effects of other factors operative in the experiments have masked any results of a positive 

 nature which may have been due to the fertilizers applied.— F. C. Stewart. 



961. Cunningham, G. H. Mortality among stone fruit trees in Central Otago. New Zea- 

 land Jour. Agric. 20: 359-364. 1920.— Excess of water is the cause of much injury in irrigated 

 orchards. Stone-fruit trees are more susceptible than apples to such injury. Many orchards 

 are set in soil which is too alkaline for fruit trees. Valsa Leucostoma, and Nectria cinnabarina 

 were found as weakling parasites in some instances. — N. J. Giddings. 



962. Bearing, Charles. The muscadine grapes — their culture and uses. Proc. Amer. 

 Pomol. Soc. 1917: 52-59. 6 pi., 19 fig. 1918.— Attention is drawn to the fact that the musca- 

 dine grapes were the first native American grapes to be brought under cultivation in this 

 country and that the Scuppermong is the oldest named native, cultivated grape. The mus- 

 cadine grapes are grown mainly in the southeast. After having briefly given the early history 

 of the development of the muscadine grape industry, the author explained the investigational 

 work with muscadine grapes of the United States Department of Agriculture.— A general 

 field survey was first made to gather accurate information concerning the existing industry, 

 and cultural experiments were started. These tests showed that (a) it is better to propa- 



