1)58 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



"No advantage was gained either on the clay loam or the sandy loam from the 

 addition of sulphate of potash and acid phosphate; when the soils had already 

 received a heavy application of stable manure. 



"Excellent lettuce was produced on the sandy loam by using commercial ferti- 

 lizers with no stable manure. 



"A heavy application of stable manure to the sandy loam put the soil in poor 

 mechanical condition and a crop of inferior lettuce resulted. 



"The mechanical condition of the clay loam was improved by a heavy application 

 of stable manure. This mixture produced much better lettuce than was grown on 

 the clay loam where commercial fertilizers were used instead of stable manure." 



Pea canning in Delaware, G. H. Powell (Delaware Sta. Bui. 41, 

 pp. 16, figs. 5). — This bulletin treats the subjeet from the commercial 

 point of view. Directions are given for the culture of peas, especially 

 for the canning- factory market, and several details of factory manipula- 

 tion are given. 



The pea-canning industry is of considerable horticultural importance 

 in southern Delaware, representing in 181)8 about 2,000 acres of laud 

 devoted to the growing of the vines, with a product of 144,000 cases. 

 The varieties of peas most largely used for canning are Alaska, Blue 

 Beauty, and French Canner. Advance and Market Garden are canned 

 to a less extent. Three general systems of sowing are in vogue among 

 growers — broadcasting, the 18 inch drill, and the wide-row systems. 



The most troublesome enemy of the growing plants is said to be the 

 sunscald (pea blight, Ascochyta pisi), a fungus which attacks the plants 

 just before the blossoming period. " It is possible to infect new ground 

 with the fungus where the pea- vine compost is spread on land that is 

 to precede the pea crop, and our observation has led to the conclusion 

 that the disease is most severe on land used successively for the pea, 

 or on new land which has been treated with the pea- vine compost." 

 Rotation of crops is the fundamental corrective for the trouble. 



As to the yield, a fair average return for the majority of growers is 

 450 to 750 lbs. of shelled peas per acre, worth from $18 to $30. 



Ginseng — its nature and culture, H. Garman (Kentucky Sta. Bui. 

 78, pp. 125-156, pis. 10, figs. 2). — A statement is given of the production 

 and exports of the roots of this plant since 1821, and its history in the 

 State is reviewed at some length. Its use in medicine is commented 

 upon, and a partial analysis of the dried roots, as published in the 

 Annual Report of the station for 1892, is quoted as follows: 



Composition of ginseng roots. 



Roots 

 Ash.. 



Crude 



iish. 



Per cent. 

 5.278 



Phos- 

 Nitrogeu. phoric 

 acid. 



Per cent. 

 1.600 



Per cent. 

 0.535 

 10. 140 



Potash. 



Per cent. 



0.776 



14. 700 



Lime. 



Per cent. 

 0.856 

 10. 140 



The botany of the species is treated at considerable length and direc- 

 tions given for the cultivation of the plant. The price per pound is 



