844 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



practically as intermediates. Tlie study of the inheritance of sweetness and 

 sourness was based wholly on crosses of subacid varieties. The total progeny 

 indicates strongly that crosses of these subacid varieties breali up in the pro- 

 portion of 3 sour apples to 1 sweet one. 



The authors call attention to the following difficulties likely to arise in the 

 application of Mendelian principles in the breeding of apples: The determina- 

 tion of the factors by which the various characters are transmitted; com- 

 plications arising when a character skips a generation — does not appear in 

 the Fi generation ; it is possible that some characters may be linked together 

 in transmission and that others will repel each other ; the bringing together 

 of complementary characters may result in reversions and thus produce unex- 

 pected characters ; the breeder will not be able to obtain new characters by 

 working with Mendelian characters nor augment those that exist with the 

 possible exception of size and vigor; it will be necessary to work with large 

 numbers of plants — which is difficult with apples; disappointments will often 

 come from the attempt to work with fluctuating variations; and there is 

 likely to be much confusion between " simple Mendelian characters " and 

 " blending characters." 



Some new apples from known parents, F. H. Hall (New York State 8ta. 

 Bui. 350, popular ed., pp. 12). — A popular summary of the above bulletin. 



Apples of Missouri, W. W. Chenoweth {Ann. Rpt. Missouri Bd. Hort., 5 

 (1911), pp. 271-336, figs. JfO). — This comprises descriptions of Missouri's most 

 important varieties of apples. The material is compiled principally fi;om The 

 Apples of New York (E. S. R., 17, p. 1157), only such changes having been 

 made as were deemed necessary to adapt the subject matter to Missouri 

 conditions. 



Artificial cross-fertilization of the mango, A. J. Brooks {West Indian Bui., 

 12 {1912), No. ^, pp. 567-569). — A preliminary experiment in the development 

 of improved varieties of mangoes by cross-fertilization is briefly described. 



Report of the assistant horticulturist, T. B. McClelland {Porto Rico Sta. 

 Rpt. 1911, pp. 28-31). — A brief statement of the station's work with coffee 

 (E. S. R., 25, p. 746), vanilla, rubber (E. S. R., 25, p. 749), and cacao. 



In addition to the old plantings of Porto Rican coffee a number of intro- 

 duced coffees have now come into bearing. The cofl'ee trees in the transplanting 

 experiment begun in August, 1909, show a tendency toward earlier production 

 where the trees were planted when less than a year old, and also where older 

 trees were transplanted with a ball of earth. Storage and germination tests 

 were conducted in 1909 and 1910 to determine whether the viability of coffee 

 seed might be prolonged by excluding the moist air of the Tropics. In all 

 these tests, the seeds which were very severely dried for any considerable 

 length of time had their viability destroyed. A certain amount of moisture, 

 as yet undeterminetl, appears to be necessary for its prolongation. 



Experimental tapping of 8 to 9-year-old Castilla rubber trees gave only a 

 slightly greater yield than that of the year preceding. 



Fertilizers for carnations, D. Lumsden {New Hampshire Sta. Bui. 159, pp. 

 3-lJf, figs. Jf). — This comprises a study of the relative value of nitrate of soda, 

 muriate of potash, ground bone, a commercial fertilizer, and hen manure as 

 top-dressings for carnation plants gro\vn on raised benches in the greenhouse. 

 Observations are also made relative to the difference in the keeping qualities 

 of flowers raised under the various treatments given. Ground bone was found 

 to give the best all around results, the vigor of the plants and the keeping 

 qualities of the flowers being markedly superior to the plats treated with other 

 manures. 



