136 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



HORTICULTURE. 



The fruit growers' guidebook, B. H. Favor (/S7. Joseph, Mo., 1911, pp. 285, 

 figs, 00). — A popular manual of fruit growing Intendeil us a guide for beginners 

 and as a handy reference work for the commercial orchardist. The subject 

 matter is discussed under the headings of the orchard, orchard heating, thinning 

 and harvesting, packing, spraying, orchard pests and diseases, principles of 

 pruning, profits in fruit growing, and small fruits. 



Fruit growing at Weraroa Experimental Farm, W. A. Boucher {Jour. New 

 Zatl. Dvpt. A(jr.. 2 {VJll). .Yo. J, pp. tJ,3-153). — This consists of notes and 

 tabular data on varieties of orchard and small fruits being tested at tbe Weraroa 

 Experimental Farm. 



Suggestions on commercial muskmelon growing, E. Walker (ArJcansas ^ta. 

 Circ. 9, pp. -'/). — Tbe pbases discussed include fertilizers, preparing the land, 

 getting a stand, transplanting melons as related to earliness, hardening off the 

 plants, the use of panes of glass for forcing the seed in the lield, varieties, and 

 harvesting. 



Spraying cucumbers and cantaloups, T. C. Johnson {Virginia Truck Sta. 

 Bui. 5, pp. 85-100). — Cooperative field experiments for the control of anthrac- 

 nose and mildew conducted during the summers of 1908 to 1910 inclusive are 

 reported, together with a resume of exiieriments conducted at the station in 

 1910 to determine the relative efficiency of a number of different sprays as a 

 means of controlling these diseases. 



In 1908, with 3* : 6 : 50 Bordeaux applied 3 times with cucumbers and 4 

 times with cantaloups, there was a net return for the increased yield of- 

 $46.70 per acre for cucumbers. The sprayed portion of the cantaloup field 

 yielded at tbe rate of 10,000 melons per acre while the unsprayed portion 

 yielded 3,500 melons per acre, and the sprayed melons sold at an increased 

 value of from 25 to 30 cents per hundred, owing to their better quality. 



A similar experiment in tbe control of anthracnose on cucumbers in a com- 

 mercial field was made in 1909 in which the object sought was to prolong 

 the bearing period until after the bulk of the crop from earlier plantings had 

 been marketed. The vines sprayed with Bordeaux yielded at the rate of 144A 

 bbls. per acre and tbe unsprayed vines 109 bbls. The variation in yield 

 became more marked as the picking season advanced. The sprayed vines 

 still bore a fair yield when plowed under on August 2, while the unsprayed 

 vines were dead. 



In a similar commercial experiment conducted in 1910, 8 applications of 

 Bordeaux mixture were made, beginning June 18 and at subsequent intervals of 

 a week or 10 days. The increased production resulted in a net gain of $25.56 

 per acre. 



In the station tests there was applied Bordeaux mixture 3:6:50; Sulfocide 

 used first one part with 200, and later with 250, parts of water; self-boiled 

 lime-sulphur S : 8 : 50 ; and commercial lime-sulphur at the rate of 1 part to 

 50, 75, and 100 parts water. The efficiency of tbe sulphur s]n-ays used at the 

 rates given seemed to be entirely insufficient to justify tbeir further use as 

 a fungicide for this class of plants, and they injured the foliage more or less 

 seriously. As compared with the check plats, Bordeaux mixture increased the 

 yield of cucumbers 59.1 per cent while Sulfocide, self-boiled lime-sulphur, and 

 commercial lime-sulphur caused losses of 11.4, 24.8. and 05.8 per cent, respec- 

 tively. In the cantaloup plat Bordeaux mixture increased tbe yield 11.2 i^er 

 cent and Sulfocide, self-boiled lime-sulphur, and commercial lime-sulphur 

 reduced the yield 31.3, 23.4, and 70.2 per cent, respectively. 



