HORTICULTURE. 



253 



horticulture during the year 1897. A list of the varieties of orchard 

 fruits growing at the college is giveu. Variety tests of small fruits 

 are reported in tabular form, the tests including 13 varieties of red 

 raspberries, 12 black raspberries, 13 currants, 12 gooseberries, and 150 

 strawberries. The relative yield of the varieties of strawberries is 

 given for the year 1897 and also for 1890. A marked difference was 

 noted between tbe relative positions of the varieties in the 2 years. 

 In this connection the author says: "The great change in position of 

 many of these [varieties] shows very clearly how little value should be 

 placed upon the results of but a single test. It is only by the average 

 of a number of trials that we can arrive at a reliable estimate of the 

 value of a variety." 



Notes are given on 57 varieties of geraniums used for bedding. The 

 following varieties are recommended by the author as being best for 

 bedding purposes: "Scarlet — General Grant, J. J. Harrison, Alfred 

 Tennyson, Alfred Maine, Prokop Daubec; crimson — S. A. Xutt, Sam. 

 Sloan; magenta crimson — Adrien Corret; pink — Madonna, Mous. de 

 la Eue; salmon — Mrs. E. G. Hill, John Good; white — La Favorite, 

 White Swan; bronze-leaved — Marcchal MacMahou; silver-leaved — 

 Mad. Saleroi; golden leaved — Crystal Palace Gem." 



Quantities of mineral matters and nitrogen in violets grown 

 under glass, A. L. Winton {Connecticut State Sta. Rpt. 1897. pp. 31:2, 

 313). — An analysis was made of 4 large violet plants, including roots, 

 freed from earth as much as possible, and of 300 flowers as picked for 

 market. The results are shown in the following table: 



Percentage composition of violets. 



Plants. 



Blooms. 



Water 



Nitrogen 



Sand adhering .. 



Pure ash 



Silica 



Oxid of iron 



Lime 



Magnesia 



Potash 



Soda 



Phosphoric acid. 

 Sulphuric acid . . 

 Chlorin 



Per cent. 



75. 815 



.454 



C. 743 



2.030 



.235 



.576 



.182 



.075 



.515 



.163 



.110 



.095 



.079 



Per cent. 

 88. 052 

 .298 

 .235 

 .910 

 .031 

 .028 

 .075 

 .070 

 .462 

 .037 

 .101 

 .070 

 .036 



Collection of information on the culture of valuable plants on the Caucasus. 

 Ill (77//i.s, 1S97, pp. 116; aba. in Selsk. Ehoz. i Lyesov., 185 (1897), June, pp. 718, 719).— 

 This part contains three articles, (1) Tea and the introduction of its culture on the 

 Black Sea coast of the Transcaucasus, by S. N. Tiniotheyef ; (2) The culture of Pis- 

 tacia vera on the Transcaucasus, by E. A. Kamenyetski; (3) Capparia spinosa and its 

 exploitation on the Caucasus. — p. fireman. 



Distribution of seeds, plants, cuttings, etc., E. J. WiCKSON (California sta. Ept. 

 1895-1897, pp. 808-304). — A report on the seeds, plants, cuttings, etc., distributed by 

 the station (E. S. R., 9, p. 944). 



