365 



before. This was equal to a complete forking over, the piles having 

 been handled twice with a fork in the operation." January 21, 1890, 

 both piles were weighed, measured, and samples analyzed. The ma- 

 nure had lost, during the year, about 05 per cent and the compost about 

 30 per cent of its weight. Analyses of both the manure and the com- 

 post at the beginning and end of the year are given, together with a 

 calculation of tlie total amounts of valuable fertilizing ingredients in 

 the same. 



" These figures show a loss from the weathering in every particular 

 except the phosphoric acid, of which a somewhat larger amount was 

 obtained Irom the later analysis, but the apparent gain is so small that 

 it could easily have occurred within duplicate determinations on so 

 small an amount." 



Allowing 17 cents per pound for nitrogen, 4 cents for potash, and 7 

 cents for ijhosi)horic acid, the loss amounted to $1.25 for one half cord 

 of manure, and 59 cents for one half cord of the compost. 



New York State Station, Bulletin No. 24 (New Series), October, 1890 (pp. 20). 



Experiments with strawberries (pp. 327-346, illustrated). — In 

 view of the relatively large yield of strawberries and their profitable- 

 ness, the farmers of New York are advised to give more attention to 

 their production. Brief directions for the cultivation of strawberries 

 are given in this article. 



There has been considerable work done at this station within the past 3 years in 

 crossing varieties and making fruit selections. Of 1,000 seedlings fruited in the sea- 

 sons of 1888 and 1889, but 20 were saved as showing any indication of being of value. 

 Of these 20, 15 have been discarded this season. Of 700 seedlings fruiting this year 

 for the first time, less than 50 haAe been noted as good enough to give one more year's 

 trial. This shows how very seldom it is that seedlings, even when crosses, give re- 

 sults commensurate with the time and bother of raising them. This last winter there 

 has been a large amount of work done in the greenhouse in the way of systematic 

 crossing of varieties, or, in other words, breeding for a purpose. When the pollenized 

 plants perfected their fruits many of them gave fruits so utterly unlike the fruits of 

 either of the parents that, with the special idea of studying the potency of the pollen 

 of difl'erent varieties, drawings of several were made, some of which are incorporated 

 in this bulletin. So much has been said against the theory of the influence of pollen 

 showing on the first fruits that the pollenized plants bear that these plates will be of 

 interest to those who are endeavoring to solve this question. 



The 8 crossed varieties illustrated in plates are brietiy described. 

 Brief descriptive notes are also given for 103 varieties of strawberries 

 grown at the station, with a list of the 20 most productive varieties 

 grown in matted and in stool rows. The dates of first bloom and first 

 ripe fruit and the length of the picking season are stated for 15 early 

 and ]5 late varieties. The extent of the injury by leaf blight as ob- 

 served during five years (188G-90) is given for 77 varieties. There are 



