HORTICULTURE. 1045 



to the Stiitcs. Tlieso ^oncriilly jjroved iiiisuccessriil, nitpiinMitly bcomsc of 

 roii^'li liaiulliiif?, biul packing, and wet seasons. In I'.mh; the season was favorable 

 for shipping, and experiments were continued. Of shipments made to New 

 York, a very small percentage of the fruit was spoiled. Shipments to Boston 

 and Washington were reported as having been received in perfect condition. A 

 special crate lias liccn made for the Cabezona, which measures 16 in. wide, 14 in. 

 deep, and :U) in. long, holding S pines weighing from to 12 lbs. each. In 

 harvesting the Cabezona a i)ortion of the stem nmst be cut off with the pine, 

 since when the pine is removed from the ston, as is done with the Red Spanish, 

 a cavity is left in the end of the fruit in which decay rai)idly starts. 



Experiments were made in dipping the fruit in solutions like amuKmiacal 

 copper carbonate and a weak formalin solution, as well as dipping the ends of 

 the stems in melted paraffin, which, however, appeared to be of no benefit. 



Over 100 varieties of citrus fruits are being tested at the station, and some very 

 desirable local varieties have been found. An entirely seedless orange, found 

 near Mayaguez, is said to be very promising, and a perfect navel, also entirely 

 seedless, was found near Penuelas and budded at the station under the name of 

 Penuelas Navel. Extensive fertilizer experiments with citrus fruits are being 

 conducted in cooperation with planters. 



Several varieties of cacao imported from Trinidad and planted in 1903 are 

 now fruiting, but the fruit is seriously attacked by the pod disease. Investiga- 

 tions are to be made to determine if picking and burning the diseased pods and 

 spraying can be done with profit. 



Some Early Harvest and Red Astrachan apple trees planted in April, 1905, 

 bore fruit during the past season of fail'' quality and not the least diseased. 

 Peaches of the Peen-To, Jewel, and Waldo varieties, planted at the same time, 

 have also produced fruit of flrst-class quality. 



About 1,000 packages of seed and plants have been distributed to planters on 

 the island and to various points in the United States and abroad. 



Vegetable growing in Porto Rico, H. C. Henricksen (Porto Rico Sta. Bui. 

 7, mi. li.'i, /)/.S'. 10, fif/s. 2). — This is the Spanish edition of this Itulletiu. the 

 English edition having been previously noted (E. S. R.. 18, p. 142). 



The use of manure as a summer mulch in vegetable forcing houses, W. J. 

 (Jree.n and C. W. Waid (Ohio Stit. ('ire. 09. pp. '/). — In this circular an account 

 is given of an experiment conducted at the Ohio Station during the past 2 

 seasons on the use of strawy manure on the soil as a mulch during that part of 

 the summer when crops are not growing in the greenhouses. 



The croi)s tested were tomatoes and lettuce. The soil was mulched to a 

 depth of .") or ("> in. with fresh strawy manure, and water applied in the form of 

 a spray until the manure and soil were thoroughly wet. Watering was repeated 

 often enough to keep the soil moist. At planting time the coarse part of the 

 mamirc was removed and the finer portion was worked into the soil; soil 

 nnilclicd ill this manner was found to be in good mechanical condition and 

 darker in color than unnuilchcd soil. On the lettuce plats ?> successive crops 

 were raised without the ap]ilication of any additional manure or fertilizer. 

 T.i(iuid manure was furnished the tomato plants when the fruit I)egan to rijien. 

 This method of treating the soil gave very favorable results at the station. 



Similar experiments were also conducted by the Miller P>ros. of Toledo, Ohio, 

 in the past 2 seasons unknown to the station authorities. As a result of the 

 two series of experiments the station recommends this mulching ^'or soils which 

 are to be used for vegetalile forcing. The manure should be sutRcient in quan- 

 tity and richness to furnish enough plant food when leached into the soil to 

 supply P, crops of lettuce, and should be ai)p]ied to a depth of at least 5 or in. 

 A considerable quantity of coarse material iu the manure is said to be an advan- 



