HORTICULTURE 



The major part of the Assistant Horticulturist's time has been 

 occupied in teaching. Extension work occupied twenty-two days' time. 

 Experimental work with lettuce, beans, sweet potatoes, and egg plants 

 occupied the remainder. 



lettuce; 

 The cantaloupe growers of Salt River Valley, in casting about 

 for a crop to occupy their time and land during the winter months, first 

 began to take serious interest in lettuce during the winter of 1914-15. 

 The efforts of most of the growers this season were discouraging from 

 a financial standpoint. The two most serious difficulties were in the 

 matter of season and marketing. The writer, therefore, took up the 

 task of aiding in the solution of these problems. The questions which 

 arose were : 



1. Wdiat methods of packing, loading, and refrigeration will in- 

 sure the safe arrival of lettuce on the market? 



2. What is the best variety for Salt River Valley ? 



3. What cultural methods would resuh in earlier maturity of the 



crop? 



The Glendale growers, who are most vitally interested, solved or 

 partially solved most of the shipping problems themselves during the 

 season of 1915-16. They found that lettuce reached Eastern markets 

 in excellent condition if the following precautions were observed : 



1. Pack crates with a 3-inch bulge before the lid is put on. 



2. Precool the packed lettuce in the cold storage room of the local 

 creamery for 48 to 60 hours (or until a car is made up). 



3. Load cars before daybreak. 



4. Load the car only two-thirds deep. 



5. Leave ventilating space between rows of crates in the car. 

 At the writer's suggestion Mr. S. B. Tatum, of Glendale, shipped 



a sample of lettuce to A. Steinfeld & Company, Tucson. The manager 

 of the grocery department of this store suggested that the shipper line 

 the crates with paper to prevent contamination in transit. Mr. Tatum 

 acted upon this suggestion by lining the crates in a part of a car 

 consigned to a commission merchant in Kansas City. Word came back 

 from this merchant. "Line all crates hereafter. Lined crates bring 25 

 cents a crate more than unlined." 



Work to decide the relative merits of different varieties was begun 

 at the Yuma Date Orchard in the fall of 1915. The following varieties 



