HORTICULTURE 



During the fiscal year ending July 1, 1917, the time of the 

 Assistant Horticulturist was taken up as in previous years almost 

 entirely with teaching work. Correspondence, a little extension 

 work and a study of lettuce growing and sweet potato storage took 

 up the balance. The work on lettuce culminated in the publicatioa 

 of Timely Hint No. 77. 



LETTUCE 



Work with lettuce was conducted at the Mesa Farm. An acre 

 was planted with the objects in view: variety and strain tests, 

 fertilizer tests and cultural tests. 



The work with varieties included the New York, or Los An- 

 geles variety obtained from ten different seed houses ; Iceberg from 

 seven different houses and forty-seven dift'erent varieties, with the 

 results shown in Talkie V. 



It can be seen from the table that the seed of the same variety 

 from dift'erent seed houses give practically the same results except 

 in the matter of germination. This emphasizes the desirability of 

 making germination tests before planting. This was done with all 

 varieties planted. Each package had the germination per cent 

 marked on it and allowance made for seed of low germination per 

 cent. The result was a very uniform planting considering the 

 wide range of varieties. Samples testing lower than 30 per cent in 

 a standard seed tester were not ])lanted. 



Eight plots 48x71.6 ft. or approximately 1-12 of an acre were laid 

 out to receive dift'erent fertilizer treatment. Plot one received cot- 

 ton seed meal at the rate of 650 ])ounds per acre, equivalent in 

 fertilizing elements to five tons of barnyard manure. Plot 2 re- 

 ceived cotton seed meal at the rate of 1300 pounds per acre. Plot 

 3 at the rate of 2600 pounds per acre. Plot 4, cotton seed meal at 

 the rate of 650 pounds per acre and manure at the rate of five tons 

 per acre. Plot 5, check, not fertilized. Plot 6, fertilized at the rate 

 of five tons of manure per acre. Plot 7, at the rate of 10 tons per 

 acre, and plot 8 at the rate of 20 tons per acre. 



