752 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



the next 2 weeks with dry, clear weather, the treated trees continued, 

 with one exception, to expand their leaves. By this time the buds on 

 one of the untreated trees began to start, but those on the other 

 untreated trees showed no sign of starting. Later the ground was well 

 irrigated and mulched. All the trees ultimately grew except 2, both 

 failures being in the untreated lot. By fall little difference could be 

 seen between the trees of the treated lot and the live ones of the 

 untreated lot, showing that the advantage of the treatment is only in 

 starting growth. The results of these experiments are shown in figures 

 from photographs. 



Trees taken up, removed to a building, injected with water, and 

 returned to their places started promptly after the treatment, the 

 results being striking in some cases. In all cases deciduous trees less 

 than 4 years old were used. The amount of water absorbed from the 

 apparatus up to the time of expansion of the leaves was rarely over 

 10 cc. The apparatus used in the tests consisted of an inverted flask 

 of water supported on a post by the side of the tree and connected by 

 rubber tubing with a root of the tree. Air was admitted to the flask 

 through a short glass tube. A simpler form of apparatus is recom- 

 mended for ordinary use consisting of an open cup of galvanized iron 

 soldered to the upper end of a piece of small gas pipe, the lower closed 

 end of which is placed in the ground near the tree. Near the end of 

 the pipe a T is inserted as an outlet for the water and a rubber tube 

 connects the T with the root of the tree. 



A test was made to ascertain to what extent slight pressure pro- 

 motes absorption of water by living wood. A small apple scion was 

 immersed in distilled water and another similar one was connected 

 with distilled water under pressure of between 5£ and 5f ft. and left 

 exposed to the air. In about 18 hours water was forced through and 

 dropped from the scion connected with the water pressure. In 118 

 hours the immersed scion had increased about 17 per cent in weight 

 and the other nearly 26 per cent. 



In regard to the practical value of this treatment of trees the author 

 says: 



"Trees of which the bark is shriveled and the buds blackened by undue drying, 

 or of which tbe roots have* been killed by severe freezing in dry soil, can not be 

 saved by this treatment. But trees of which the bark and buds are plump, that are 

 unable to expand their leaves, even when the soil about their roots is moist, may 

 generally be assisted to do so by the apparatus here described. The treatment will 

 probably have especial value for trees thatnt is desired to plant without severe cut- 

 ting back of the top." 



Orchard cultivation, T. J. Burrill, and J. G. Blair (Illinois Sta. 

 Bui. 52, pp. 105-127, Jigs. 13). — In this bulletin the common cause of 

 failure of orchards in Illinois is attributed to the summer drought and 

 the lack of proper cultivation and care to counteract the ill effects of 

 the dry period. Experiments in orchard cultivation and management 

 begun at the station in 1887 are reported and results are presented in 



