840 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



HORTICULTURE. 



Novelties in vegetable fruits, B. D. Halsted (New Jersey Htas. Bill. 209, 

 pp. 2!f, pis. Ji, figs. 10).— As iu previous years the stations offer several vegetable 

 novelties originated in connection with plant-breeding investigations. The list 

 includes white and yellow strains of Golden Bantam crossed with Premier, 

 Stowell Evergreen, Banana, and Adanis-Crosby sweet corns, 5 new tomato 

 crosses, the Ivory and Jersey Pink eggplants, a snap bean with wax pod, and 

 a snap bean with green pod, the Jersey Green and the Fluted Orange summer 

 squashes. 



Horticultural descriptions with illustrations are given of the various crosses, 

 together with extracts from I'eports on some sweet corn crosses which were 

 sent out in the previous year (E. S. R., IS, p. 836). 



Vegetable growing, H. L. W. Costenoble (Govt. Isl. Guam, Dept. Ayr. Bui. 

 1, pp. l-'i). — -This bulletin contains brief cultural directions for the cultivation of 

 ail the more common vegetable crops. 



The bean industry of Ontario, G. G. White {Rpt. Farmers' lasts. Ontario, 

 won, pt. 1, pp. S3-102, map 1). — An account of the origin and development of 

 the bean industry in the different sections of Ontario, including considerable 

 data relative to the soil formation in the different districts, together with 

 directions for bean culture in which soil and soil preparation, cultivation, 

 harvesting, insects and diseases and their control, varieties, and marketing are 

 discussed. 



Sweet corn investigations, M. X. Straugiin {Maryland Sta. Bui. 120, pp. 

 S7-78, fi(/. 1). — In a previous station bulletin (E. S. R., 10, p. 065) the experience 

 of several local sweet corn growers in saving and growing their own seed was 

 cited to show that as good seed can be grown in Maryland as in the New Eng- 

 land States, where most of the sweet corn seed is secured. Considerable in- 

 formation was also given relative to the practical methods of producing sweet 

 corn for seed. 



The present bulletin contains a report of a sui)plementary study along these 

 lines, as well as for the purpose of securing preliminary data for the systematic 

 breeding of .sweet corn. The work reported includes se\-eral analytical studies 

 relative to the methods of determining sugar in sweet corn ; the relative 

 sugar content in drie<I and green corn as well as its relation to physi(!'al char- 

 acteristics ; comparative analyses of dried, green, and canned corn, composition 

 of corn grown iu different latitudes, effect of storage at different temperatures, 

 and a study of the enzyms of green and dried corn. The results of breeding 

 work to date, together with observations on the proportion of husk, grain, 

 and cob, and the relation of varieties to insect ravages are also reported. 



Although it was impossible when the work was started to obtain seed from 

 the same variety grown at many different places or at a sufficient range of 

 latitudes and altitudes to procure full data, some 41 samples of seed were pro- 

 cured representing 29 varieties and grown in at lea.st 7 different States. These 

 samples were analyzed and the tal)ulated results show a considerable range in 

 the sugar content of the different varieties, altliough there appears to be no 

 difference in favor of any particular latitude. 



By removing a few rows of kernels analyses were made of several samples 

 of green corn and, later, of dried corn of the same ears. The varieties used 

 were Crosby and Stowell Evergreen. An examination of results shows no 

 correlation between the sugars of corn in the green and dried state, hence, it is 

 concluded that in selecting corn for breeding the selection should be made 

 when the corn is in the green edible or canning stage of ripeness. 



