19171 HORTICULTURE. 839 



character transmission in some Scarlet Runner bean hybrids and bush bean 

 crosses is briefly noted, and the records of breeding experiments with eggplants, 

 okra, and Hibiscus, as well as the limitation studies with beans and peas, are 

 presented in tabular form. 



The results of five seasons' work with beans indicate that limiting the yield 

 of the plant to one pod greatly increases the weight of the seed. 



Truck crops, W. J. Green and E. J. Riggs {Ohio Sta. Bui. SOS (1916), pp. 

 177-184, figs- 4). — An outline is given of investigations of the Washington 

 County truck farm, including the results of fertilizer experiments with sweet 

 corn, cucumbers, cabbage, and tomatoes as determined by increased yield per 

 acre under each treatment. 



The results for the first season show that the crops grown on manured land 

 have not been any larger than those on the land receiving chemical fertilizers, 

 and that manure valued at $2 per ton has been a costly fertilizer as far as the 

 first crop is concerned. It is pointed out, however, that a larger part of the 

 effect of manure is realized in the succeeding crops than is the case with 

 chemical fertilizers. 



A chemical study of the asparagus plant, F. W. Mobse {Massachusetts 

 Sta. Bui. 171 {1916), pp. 265-296). — In connection with a long-continued series 

 of fertilizer experiments on asparagus conducted at the station (E. S. R., 26, 

 p. 44), the author investigated the chemical composition of the asparagus plant 

 and the effect of different fertilizers upon the proportions of the more important 

 plant constituents. The analytical data secured are presented In detail and 

 fully discussed. See also previous papers (E. S. R., 30, p. 142). 



As to the chemical composition and changes during different stages in the 

 development of the asparagus plant, '* during the earlier years of the asparagus 

 field the crowns and roots steadily increased in size, doubling in weight between 

 the second and fourth years after setting. The proportion of protein remained 

 nearly constant in the dry matter of the roots during the period observed, while 

 the sugar decreased and the cellulose and allied compounds increased. The 

 composition of the young stalks cut in the spring changed as the cutting 

 season advanced. Dry matter was practically constant, but sugar increased 

 in proportion while protein decreased somewhat. 



" The development of the asparagus tops to maturity was accompanied by a 

 continuous increase in the cellulose and its related groups — pentosans and 

 lignin. Protein and sugar decreased in their proportions, but were not wholly 

 translocated to the roots from the ripened tops. Water was the dominant 

 constituent of the asparagus plant in all the stages studied. It was highest 

 in the young stalks. The summer or growing roots were a little more watery 

 than the late fall or storage roots. Calcium oxid and sulphuric acid steadily 

 .'iccumulated in the asparagus tops as they grew old, but potash and phosphoric 

 acid were transferred either to the fruit or back to the roots." 



Relative to the effect of different fertilizers on the composition of the aspara- 

 gus plant, it was found that " withholding one of the constituents of a com- 

 plete fertilizer from the annual top-dressing was accompanied by a smaller 

 average weight of roots in the samples taken from the plat thus treated. 

 Withholding nitrate of soda lessened the percentage of nitrogen and of soda in 

 the roots; withholding muriate of potash lessened the proportion of potash in 

 the roots ; withholding acid phosphate produced no apparent change in the con- 

 stituents of the roots. An increase of nitrate of soda from the minimum to the 

 medium amount in the top-dressing caused an increase in the percentage of 

 nitrogen in the dry matter of the roots. An increase in the amount of muriate 

 of potash produced some increase in the percentage of potash in the roots. 

 98133°— No. 9—17 4 



