142 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



and contained no hairy vetcli seed, wtiile others contained vai-ying amounts of 

 spring and other vetches. Most of the hairy vetch seed used in the United 

 States is imported, but an examination of the seed-producing region of Germany 

 and the Baltic Provinces of Russia does not indicate that hairy vetch is har- 

 vested with the seed of the cultivated forms of spring vetch. 



Seed tests made at the station during 1911, G. T. Feench CNew York State 

 Sta. Bui. 3.'i5, pp. .'i2-S8). — ^A continuation of the tests made at this station 

 during 1910 (E. S. R., 24, p. 736), including 548 alfalfa, 253 red clover, 98 

 timothy, 86 alsike, and 30 miscellaneous seed samples. 



Dodder occurred in 12.9 per cent of the alfalfa samples, and in 4.74 per cent 

 of the red clover samples. Large seeded dodder occurred in twice as many 

 samples as did small seeded dodder. Noxious weed seed was a little more fre- 

 quent in occurrence in red and alsike clover than in 1910. Observations indi- 

 cated that several cases of alsike adulteration with yellow trefoil resulted from 

 the presence of trefoil in the field. Centaur ea re pens was again found in 

 several alfalfa seed samples, indicating the importation of seed. Russian thistle 

 and roquette continued to attract attention in alfalfa fields but without indica- 

 tion of being dangerous. 



Chemical tests of 4 samples of sulphur-bleached oats indicated the presence 

 of sulphuric acid in large quantities, while germination tests showed none 

 viable in 2 cases, 14 per cent in 1 case and 1 per cent in another. 



Quality of farm seeds in 1911, F. H. Hall (New York State Sta. Bui. 

 SJf5, popular ed., pp. -'/). — This is a popular edition of the above. 



Methods of keeping crop records at the Michigan Station, F. A. Spragg 

 {Michigan Sta. Rpt. 1011, j)p. 193-211, figs. 15). — This is a paper presented at 

 the November, 1910, meeting of the American Society of Agronomy. It presents 

 blank pages from an accession number book, oat and alfalfa breeding registers. 

 and individual alfalfa and clover registers. The keeping of records and the 

 use of stakes, labels, platting systems, and progeny numbers are explained. 



HORTICULTURE. 



Report of the horticulturist, J. E. Higgins {Haivaii Sta. Rpt. 1911, pp. 

 25-It2, pJs. 5). — Studies of various phases of avocado production were con- 

 tinued during the year. The results have been reported quite fully in a recent 

 bulletin of the station (E. S. R., 26, p. 441). 



The papaya investigations were continued, the work including breediug, 

 priming, thinning, and shipping experiments. It has been found possible to 

 propagate papayas by using monoecious trees without the help of sterile male 

 trees (E. S. R., 25, p. 337). A number of successful crosses are here discussed. 

 Perfect monoecious flowers have been successfully self-fertilized and pollen from 

 such flowers was successfully used on pistillate dioecious flowers and on perfect 

 or hermaphrodite flowers occurring on staminate dioecious trees. The latter 

 flowers can also be fertilized by their own pollen and by the pollen from stami- 

 nate flowers on similar trees. The pollen of staminate monoecious flowers ap- 

 plied to pistillate dioecious flowers has thus far pros-ed unsuccessful. The breed- 

 ing work will be continued to perpetuate, if possible, the monoecious character of 

 certain members of the first generation seedlings and at the same time combine 

 with this character desirable characters of the dioecious papaya. 



One papaya tree growing on the station grounds was devoid of seeds In all 

 the fruits examined. Some of the flowers were hand pollinated with pollen 

 from staminate flowers of the dioecious type, others were sealed in paraffin 

 sacks several days before opening to prevent pollination by natural means. 

 All of the flowers developed full grown papayas. Similar results were secured 



