336 EXPEKIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The following season winter wheat grown as a cover crop was plowed under 

 early in May. The amount of vegetable matter turned under on plats Nos. 2 

 and 3 was several times greater than on plat No. 1. The season of 190G being 

 wet, suflsoiling to 10 in. deep after plowing G in. deep produced no effect. The 

 crop grew with much promise lintil the middle of August, when continued wet 

 and cloudy weather caused the leaves to speck badly and very much reduced the 

 yield and quality of the tobacco. It was observed that on the heavy fertilized 

 plats the leaves did not speck more and the lower leaves showed a lesser tend- 

 ency to yellow than on the lighter fertilized plat. This year plat No. 1 yielded 

 529 lbs. of tobacco, produced at a cost of ^39.03 and selling for .$34.15. Plat 

 No. 2 yielded 922 lbs., at a cost of $60.15 and selling for .$.59.91, while plat No. 3 

 produced 1.305 lbs. of tobacco at a cost of $83.49, which sold for $85.37. These 

 poor results wore entirely due to the unfavorable weather conditions. 



In view of the results of the three years' work, the Virginia Station and the 

 Bureau of Soils '* feel justified in asserting that under proper conditions it 

 will be of financial benefit to the farmers in the dark belt of Virginia to use 

 fertilizers much more liberally on their tobacco than they have been accustomed 

 to do. ... A .soil suitable for growing a fairly good quality of tobacco should 

 be chosen. It should possess reasonably good depth and mellowness, so as to be 

 easily tilled, and have a proper water-holding capacity. . . . Good cultivation 

 and handling are also necessary to make a success of a tobacco crop." 



The cultivation of turmeric (Oil, Paint and Drug Reporter, 11 (1907), A'o. 

 22, I). 29). — Brief directions are given for the culture of this crop, and its mar- 

 ket value is discussed. 



Swedish plant breeding at Svalof {ticeitak L'tudde.^forudliinj Pu ScaUJf. 

 Giitebery, 1901, int. 9'i, i>l. 1, figs. ,'/,9). — A detailed description of the Swedish 

 plant breeding station at Svalof and of the methods in vogue at the institution. 



HORTICULTURE. 



Horticultural department, R. W. Fisher (Montana Sta. Rpt. 1906, pp. 1^2- 

 lo'i ). — The results are here given of the work conducted during the year, includ- 

 ing data on fruit-thinning experiments and variety and cultural tests with 

 vegetables, ornamental ti'ees, and shrubs. 



The experiments to determine the relative value of thinning fruit on apple 

 trees (E. S. R., 18, p. 441) were continued during the year, but owing to the 

 uniformly light crop the results obtained did not show a very material Increase 

 in the size of the apples. In one orchard the cost of thinning the fruit on 12- 

 year-old Wealthy trees was 24 cts. per tree, or $2..")2 per acre. When the 

 apples were harvested there appeared to be no difference in tlic size or color 

 of the fruit from thinned and unthinned trees. In another orchard in which 

 the trees were larger and produced a heavier crop than in the first case the cost 

 of thinning fruit was 4$ cts. per tree, or .$.5.40 per acre. The thinning in this 

 orchard increased the size of the fruit about 10 per cent, and on trees very 

 heavily loaded is said to have made the fruit of a marketable size where other- 

 wise it would have been too small. 



As a result of the experiments thus far conducted by the department and from 

 the experience of fruit growers throughout the State, the conclusion is reached 

 that it pays to thin the apples on trees which are heavily loaded. Thinning 

 increases the size without decreasing the total weight and also prevents 

 mechanical injury to the tree I)y distributing fruit more evenly. The ex- 

 jierience of many successful fruit growers lias determined that it is best to thin 

 when danger of severe frost has passed and before the fruit has grown larger 

 than a hazelnut, although the author believes that thinning should be done 

 more or less throughout the growing season. 



