944 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



notes is given sliowing the growth of trees in the forest belts at the Central 

 station, together with a descriptive list of the best 30 hardy ornamental flower- 

 ing shrnbs. 



R. Robertson reports from the farm for the Maritime provinces brief notes 

 and data on tests of fruits and vegetables, together with a list of vegetables 

 recommended for culture. Similar notes and data are given for the stations at 

 Manitoba and Saskatchewan by N. Wolverton and A. Mackay, respectively. 

 In addition to data on variety tests at the British Columbia station, T. A. Sharpe 

 in charge, descriptions are given of a large number of varieties of apples, pears, 

 plums, and cherries which fruited for the first time in llKH!. 



Report upon the botanical and agricultural department for the year 1906, 

 A. E. Evans (Govt. Gold Coast, Rijt. Bot. and Arji: Dept., 1906, pp. 1-18, 27-32).— 

 A progress report of the botanical gardens of Aburi and branch agricultural 

 stations in the Gold Coast, including data relative to seed and plant distribution 

 and cultural tests of a large number of economic plants, the more important of 

 which are rubber, cacao, camphor, cinnamon, allspice, guinea grain, lemon oil 

 grass, logwood, and several kinds of fiber plants. 



In an appendix are given meteorological data for the year and for the past 10 

 years, together with tables showing the value and quantity of the principal 

 vegetable products exported from the colony during the last 10 years. 



Report of the chief, horticultural division, G. S. Scott {Orange River 

 Colony Dcpt. Ayr., Ann. Rpt., 3 {1H06-7), pp. 215-2-'i8, pis. 2).— This report con- 

 sists principally of lists of varieties of fruits and nuts growing in the different 

 experimental orchai'ds in the Orange River Colony, with remarks on their 

 present condition, together with tabulated data on the test of an American fruit 

 evaporator showing the capacity of the inachine and the results for each kind 

 of fruit dried. 



New creations in plant life, W. S. Harwood {Xeio York, 1907, pp. XVI1I+ 

 430, pis. .jO). — A revised and enlarged edition of this work (E. S. R., 17, p. 771), 

 treating of the life and achievements of Luther Burbank in the development of 

 new varieties of fruits, nuts, vegetables, forage plants, and trees, together with 

 details of the methods employed and the theories advanced by this plant breeder 

 in the production of new varieties. 



Plant culture by electricity, H. J. Shepstone (8ci. Amer., 97 (1907), No. 

 16, p. 279, figs. 3). — A brief description is given of the apparatus being used in 

 a test of Thwaite's electric culture system at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Lon- 

 don. Some 200 plants, consisting of geraniums, fuchsias, various kinds of 

 palms, grasses, tomato plants, etc., are said to be included in the test. 



Studies with asparagus, J. Yercier (.four. 8oc. Nat. Hort. France, Jf. ser., 8 

 (1907), June, pp. 369-388). — An account of fertilizer experiments with aspara- 

 gus conducted by the author in conjunction with several growers in the depart- 

 ment of Cote-d"Or, France. Among the questions studied were a comparison of 

 commercial fertilizers with stable manure, the influence of the various chemicals 

 on yield and quality, and the influence of the soil and of chlorophyll on the 

 quality. The results are tabulated and discussed and formulas based on the 

 experiments are suggested for different types of soil. 



Relative to the influence of chlorophyll on the flavor, several shoots of 

 blanched, violaceous, and green asparagus were submitted to a jury for a test. 

 The green asparagus appeared to have the best flavor, which is believed to be 

 due to the presence of the chlorophyll. 



Cantaloupe breeding', P. K. Blinn (Colorado Sta. Bui. 126, pp. 10, figs. 5). — 

 Cantaloupe breeding investigations were commenced at the station in 1903, 

 with a view to developing a rust-resisting cantaloupe. This bulletin contains 



