138 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The iiuuiber of seeds or fruits per pound of the different kinds of seed, as 

 well as the percentage of germination, were determined, and the results are 

 summarized in the following table : 



Comparison of root crop seeds. 



Crop. 



Seeds or fruits per 

 pound. 



Germina- 

 tion. 



Mangels 



Half-sugar mangels 



Sugar beets 



Ruta-bagas.-. 



Hybrid turnips 



Common turnips... 



Kohl-rabi 



Carrots 



32,000 

 24,000 

 22,000 

 161,000 

 183,000 

 200,000 

 114,000 

 440,000 



to 185,000 

 to 36,000 

 to 24,000 

 to 188,000 

 to 266,000 

 to 260,000 

 to 129,000 

 to 460,000 



Per cent. 

 73 to 185 

 100 to 136 

 102 to 132 

 83 to 92 

 71 to 94 

 89 to 92 

 48 to 96 

 15 to 83 



Carrot seed with a germination power of only 15 per cent was sown, and for 

 each carrot secured over 80 seeds were required. Sowing from May G to 9 

 proved l)etter for all roots than sowing as late as June 12. On clay loam soil 

 carrot seed failed to grow when sown i in. deep, while it grew well in sand 

 sown i in. deep. Mangels, half-sugar mangels, and sugar beets were all sown 

 i in. deep, and all others between J and i in. 



Mangels were ready for thinning 30 to 35 days after sowing, ruta-bagas 25 to 

 30 days, turnips 16 to 25 days, and carrots and parsnips 35 to 40 days. An 

 application of 100 lbs. of nitrate of soda per acre was made when the crops 

 were found to be making insufficient growth. Common turnips, some of the 

 hybrid turnips, and cabbages were used from the beginning of September until 

 November, and the other crops were harvested and stored in October and early 

 in November. 



Proper rotation, early sowing, and a uniform stand are regarded as essentials 

 for a high yield. Mangels grown continuously on the same land for 4 years 

 yielded 9.6 tons of roots, containing 1 ton of dry matter, while on land under 

 rotation they yielded 34 tons of roots and 4 tons of dry matter per acre. From 

 25,000 to 30,000 plants of mangels, ruta-bagas, and hybrid turnips, and from 

 40.000 to OO.OOO plants of carrots per acre are suggested as a proper stand. 



Two half-sugar mangels, Vilmorin Half-sugar Rosy and Carter Half-sugar, 

 are considered suitable stock for breeding purposes. Carter Ilolborn Elephant, 

 Kangaroo, and Garton Superlative ruta-bagas were found to be comparatively 

 free from fibrous roots and of uniform and good shape. Tlie Yellow Aberdeen 

 hybrid turnip proved best for early fall use, while Garton Pioneer is later and 

 can be stored as well as ruta-bagas. Mammoth Improved Green Globe and 

 White Egg turnips were the best early varieties. Carter 100-ton carrot was 

 the best variety for clay loam soil. Lobberich Agricultural carrot grew equally 

 well on clay loam and gravel loam, and Giant Wiltshire and Orange Giant 

 gave good yields on heavy clay land. Owing to difficulty in harvesting, the 

 Giant Wiltshire and Orange Giant are better adapted to deep friable loams 

 than to soils of a heavier nature. White Vienna and Carter Model kohl-rabi 

 gave about equally good results. 



With mangels, the average yield of dry matter per acre in the past 3 years 

 was between 2.4 and 3 tons per acre. In 1904 the dry matter in the 9 varieties 

 grown varied between 9.56 per cent and IG.l per cent. Norbiton Giant was 

 near both extremes, with 9.55 per cent in one case and 14.88 per cent in 

 another. The sugar content for this same year varied with the 9 varieties 

 between 4.23 per cent and 8.99 per cent. In sugar content the Norbiton Giant 

 also showed a wide variation, although one sample ranked first. 



