640 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.38 



A number of asparagus seedlings are being grown in the nursery as a result 

 of intercrossing and selection experiments. The work has thus far shown that 

 the selection of seedlings from intercrossed parents results in securing fine 

 large plants, whereas wuth seedlings of ordinary stock of some varieties only 

 occasional large plants were secured. So far as can be judged a large number 

 of the seedlings apparently inherit the succulence and desirable qualities of 

 the parents from which they were selected. 



Further observations made by C. C. Wiggans on fruit-bud development as 

 influenced by treatment and previous crops bear out previous reports that 

 individual spurs of the varieties under consideration will fruit two years in 

 succession only in exceptional cases. Attempts are being made to determine the 

 amount of stored plant food in the spurs by determining the amount of carbo- 

 hydrates present. Determinations of retlucing sugar, total sugar, and starch 

 indicate that there is no great difference in the amount of these present in 

 bearing and nonbearing spurs. The determinations were made between Jan- 

 uary and June, 1917, upon spurs of the previous year. Moisture determina- 

 tions showed that the bearing parts have a slightly higher percentage of 

 moisture than the nonbearing fruit spurs. The water movement from fruiting 

 parts appears to affect the spurs as well as adjacent leaves. The cortex sap 

 from bearing parts was found to be more concentrated than the sap from non- 

 bearing parts. Freezing-point depression tests of sap from parts bearing more 

 than one fruit indicate that there may be some correlation betv^-een the number 

 of fruits and depression of the freezing point. Leaf sap and also spur sap 

 from spurs bearing three apples was slightly more concentrated than sap from 

 spurs bearing one apple. In general, the bearing spurs have a smaller number of 

 leaves and the leaves are smaller in size than on similar nonbearing spurs. 

 The total leaf surface of nonbearing spurs averages nearly 50 per cent greater 

 than that of the fruiting spurs. 



Further observations were made by J. C. Whitten and C. C. Wiggans on the 

 relative value of fall and spring for planting fruit trees. Fall planting gave 

 the best results, as in previous years. The past year's work emphasizes more 

 fully that root growth does not begin imtil after the ground freezes on top 

 and shows that late fall planted trees came through the winter in far better 

 condition, making larger growth in the spring than those planted earlier in 

 the fall. 



In continuation of previous station studies on the rest period of horticultural 

 plants (E. S. R., 35, p. 221) preliminary investigations were undertaken by 

 W. H. Lawrence with the view of determining greater specific knowledge of 

 the factors influencing the rest period of horticultural plants. An outline is 

 given of the preliminary work undertaken, but no results are presented at 

 this time. 



In connection with cooperative spraying experiments conducted under the 

 direction of W. H. Lawrence, numerous complaints have been received relative 

 to the burning of the foliage and the russeting and burning of the fruit. A 

 study was made of several of the combination sprays more conunonly employed, 

 with special reference to this trouble. The results indicate that lime-sulphur- 

 arsenate of lead produced fruit of the best keeping quality, had a favorable 

 action on the size, did not have an inhibitive action on the normal coloring of 

 the fruit, produced the smallest percentage of injury known as calyx burn, had 

 the least severe action in russeting the fruit, gave the best results in con- 

 trolling curculio, and induced the least burning of the leaves and the smallest 

 percentage of defoliation of the tree. 



[Report of horticultural inTestigations] (New Mexico Sta. Rpt. 1917, pp. 

 43-51, 55, figs. 2). — Brief statements of progress made with various horticul- 



