1044 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



In the spring of 19U;> a pruning experiment was started with Kieffer pears 

 in the 2-year old orchai'd of F. M. vSoper, at Magnolia, in which it was desired 

 to compare the results of early severe with early moderate pruning, and these 

 kinds with late moderate pruning after the trees were in full foliage. The 

 trees had never previously been pruned. As to the results, all that could be 

 determined in 1903 was the extent of growth and appearance of the foliage, 

 which was considerably better on the trees pruned early and severely. Those 

 pruned early and moderately were next best, being much better .than the late 

 pruned trees. 



An outline is given of commercial fertilizer tests planned to be conducted in 

 apple orchards, in which it was decided to use a fertilizer containing 200 lbs. 

 of nitrate of soda, 85 lbs. of acid phosphate, and 165 lbs. of muriate of potash 

 as the standard formula. Variations of this formula were also to be used in 

 conjunction with cover crops. 



In the hope of finding a preserving fluid capable of holding the color and shape 

 of various fruits, the writer made several tests with a great variety of 

 preservatives. Notes are given as to the behavior of apples, peaches, and plums 

 in these different mixtures. In general, no satisfactory preservative was 

 obtained. 



A test was made in order to determine what injury would result by dipping 

 nursery trees in a bath of kerosene or crude petroleum for the prevention of 

 scale. A V-shaped trough 8 ft. long was the dipping receptacle, in which the 

 tree was dipped and thoroughly covered with the insecticide. The trunk just 

 above the roots was treated by pouring the insecticide over it. The trees treated 

 included peach, pear, apple, and cheri-y, and the results are tabulated. The 

 results show more or less severe injury in all cases, whereas in each case the 

 cheek trees passed through the winter in good shape. The treated apples and 

 pears appeared to suffer less from injury than the peaches and cherries. The 

 use of crude petroleum is somewhat less dangerous than kerosene. 



It is sometimes the practice to paint the trunks of trees to prevent injury by 

 rabbits, mice, borers, etc. In order to determine whether this treatment has 

 any injurious effects on the tree, several young apple, pear, and peach trees 

 were painted in the fall of 1903. The paint used was pure white lead, thinned 

 with raw linseed oil. The soil was removed down to the roots and the paint 

 applied on the trunk from the roots to 18 in. above the ground. No injury 

 whatever followed the use of this paint. 



The work in regard to the special pruning of fruit trees was carried on as 

 previously outlined (E. S. R., 15, p. .578). 



Report of the horticulturist, II. C. Henricksen {Porto Rico iSta. Rpf. 1906, 

 pp. lS-2Jt, pis. 2). — The horticultural work conducted at the Porto Rico Station 

 consists mainly of tests as to the adaptability of economic fruits; the intro- 1 

 ducing and testing of new varieties; the selection of superior native varieties; 

 methods of propagation, planting, and fertilization; experiments in shipping 

 fruits to distant markets ; and the distribution of seeds and plants of varieties 

 which have given promising results. A summary is given of results secured 

 with the following plants under investigation : Pineapples, mangoes, avocados, 

 citrus fruits, cacao, and grapes. Several other fruits and plants are noted as 

 to their general behavior. 



Of the pineapples, the Ruby, a variety from Jamaica, appears to be the most 

 promising of the less-known kinds tried. The Variegated Lajas, a variety found 

 by the writer near Lajas, produced fruit during the past season. The variega- 

 tion is in tlie fruit, as well as in the plant, making it valuable for decorative 

 purposes, while the quality is said to be equal to that of the ordinary Cabezona. 

 Attempts have been made for several years to ship the Cabezona pineapple 



