768 



Rhode Island Station. — J. D. Lowar, B. S., lias been appointed assistant agricul- 

 turist, with general supervision of field work at the station and of co-operative field 

 experiments witb corn. B. L. Hartwell, B. S., has been appointed assistant chemist. 

 In this State the insjiection of fertilizers is made nnder the direction of the State 

 board of agriculture. The chemical work connected with the inspection is now being 

 done at the station instead of at Brown University, as heretofore. 



Utah Station. — Feeding experiments with silage vs. dry fodder corn, recently com- 

 pleted, indicate that in the climate of Utah properly cured dry fodder will give better 

 results than silage. 



Virginia Station. — H. M. Magruder died suddenly June 1, at Washington, D. C. 



Wyoming Station. — The station has issued its first bulletin, describing its organi- 

 zation and plan of work. The station staff as now organized is as follows: Dice 

 McLaren, M. S., director and agriculturist; B. C. Bnfi'nm, B. S., horticulturist; J. D. 

 Conley, M. A., Ph.D., geologist and chemist ; Aven Nelson, M. S., botanist; F. J. Nis- 

 wander, B. S., entomologist; Edwin E. Slosson, B. S., chemist; Grace R. Hebard, B. S., 

 M. A., secretary. 



Calumet Plantation, Louisiana.— Under the title Sorghum as a Sugar Plant 

 for Lower Louisiana, by F. E. Coombs, there has recently been published a record 

 and discussion of field and laboratory experiments with sorghum daring 1B89 and 

 1890, conducted under the direction of W. J. Thompson, at Calumet Plantation, 

 Parish St. Mary, Louisiana. 



Census Bulletin No. 59, April 29, 1891 (pp. 11).— A preliminary report on flori- 

 culture by J. H. Hale : 



" While floriculture has been carried on as a business in this country for upward of 

 one hundred years, it is only within the past twenty-five years that it has assumed 

 large proportions. Out of a total of 4,659 establishments 2,795 were started between 

 1870 and 1890, and of these 1,797 between 1880 and 1890. There are 312 commercial 

 floriculture establishments owned and managed by women. These 4,659 establish- 

 ments had in use in the census year 38,823,247 square feet of glass, covering a space 

 of more than 891 acres of ground. The establishments, including fixtures and heat- 

 ing apparatus, were valued at $38,355,722.43 ; tools and implements, $1,587,693.93 ; 

 and gave employment to 16,847 men and 1,958 women, who earned in the year 

 $8,483,657. Fuel for heating cost $1,160,152.66. The products for the year were 

 49,056,253 rose bushes, and 38,380,872 hardy plants and shrubs, while all other plants 

 amounted to 152,835,292, reaching a total value of $12,036,477.76 for plants. Cut 

 flowers brought an additional income of $14,175,328.01. 



" From the tabulations in the bulletin it appears that the largest number of square 

 feet of glass in one establishment in the United States is in the District of Columbia ; 

 the oldest establishment was started in New York ; the largest number of roses prop- 

 agated were, respectively, in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Ohio ; the largest number 

 of hardy plants propagated were, respectively, in Illinois, New York, and Kansas; 

 the largest total value of plant sales were, respectively, in New York, Pennsylvania, 

 and California, and the largest total value of cut flower sales, respectively, in New 

 York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. 



"In addition to the Society of American Florists 965 state and local floral societies 

 and clubs and 358 horticultural societies, aided by the agricultural and horticultural 

 press, helped to develop this industry to its present large proportions." 



Department of Agriculture, Queensland. — The following publications of the 

 Department of Agriculture, Brisbane, Queensland, have been received at this office: 

 Bulletin No. 2, Report of the Agricultural Conference of the Agricultural and Pas- 

 toral Society of South Queensland, August, 1890. Bulletin No. 3, The Cultivation of 

 Maize, by E. M. Shelton, M. S. (formerly of the Kansas Station). Bulletin No. 5, 

 Canning and Otherwise Preserving Fruits for Home and Market, by E. M. Shelton, 

 M. S. Bulletin No. 6, Tobacco, Its Cultivation in Northern Queensland, by S. Lamb. 



