HORTICULTURE. 435 



reported in the present publication. Each of the fruits is considered 

 separately. The number of growers using clay loam soils and sandy 

 soils, and the average yields on both soils in the years 1893 and 1894 

 are reported. The heavier soils as a rule gave considerably larger 

 yields than the light ones. The number of varieties of each fruit grown 

 in the State is noted, and a list of the varieties most grown in the dif- 

 ferent sections of the State is given, together with the number of grow- 

 ers reporting each variety. The report also records and discusses sta- 

 tistics in regard to methods of cultivation, manuring, the prevalence of 

 insect enemies and diseases, the average yields, expenses, returns, and 

 like data. Some practical suggestions are given on the culture of the 

 various fruits mentioned. 



Experiments in shading, B. D. Halsted (¥ew Jersey Stas. Rpt. 

 1897, pp. 344-354, figs. 6). — To test the effect of shade on the prevalence 

 of fungus diseases a number of garden crops were shaded by lath 

 screens. The screens were supported on stakes at various heights 

 above the soil, depending on the size of the plants shaded. Between 

 each 2 laths of the screen an open space equal to the width of a lath 

 was left. The screens were put in position as soon as the seeds were 

 sown. 



Shading was found to affect the time of germination of seeds quite 

 noticeably. With the first crop of Lima beans the seeds planted in the 

 open had germinated well by May 26, while under the screens germina- 

 tion had failed almost entirely. The author believes the failure due to 

 the low temperature of the shaded soil. With the second crop, when 

 the conditions were changed, the shaded soil being warm and moist and 

 the exposed soil hot and dry, the beans germinated much sooner in 

 shade than elsewhere. In the case of bush beans observations made 

 May 2G showed that the foliage of the shaded plants was darker in 

 color than that of the unshaded plants, their first pair of leaves were 

 longer, the third leaf was less advanced, the stems were shorter, and 

 the roots had much fewer tubercles. Leaves of shaded turnips were 

 darker green, less blighted, and less hairy than those of the unshaded 

 plants and the roots of the shaded plants were considerably smaller. 

 Shaded potatoes produced weaker vines than others and were kept 

 free from Phytophthora longer. Club root of turnips and scab of 

 potatoes was uninfluenced by shading. No marked effects were ob- 

 served in case of onions. The first crop of peas germinated quicker in 

 the open than under screens. The vines grew somewhat higher aud 

 produced fewer pods in the shade than in the full sunlight. The plants 

 of the second crop were less fruitful and also less blighted in the shade 

 than elsewhere; no difference in germination was noticed. Shaded 

 carrots produced more foliage but much smaller roots than unshaded 

 ones. The blight was also apparently checked by shading. Shaded 

 plants of the second crop of lettuce were much larger and better than 

 unshaded ones. The author believes the differences would have been 



