HORTICULTURE. 447 



complete comparison could be made until the close of the season. 

 Comparative notes are given on 50 varieties of tomatoes. 



Bulletin 28 of the station on strawberries is reprinted (E. S. K., 7, 

 p. 7GC), and notes are given on 62 varieties of strawberries grown 

 in 1890. 



An attempt was made to keep grapes fresh by the use of vapor of 

 alcohol. Two bunches of ripe Norfolk grapes were placed under a bell 

 jar with 2 small bottles of alcohol. On December 18, the grapes were 

 plump and sound and had a nearly normal flavor but their color had 

 become somewhat darker brown. On February 10 they were still 

 plump with a few exceptions but had an alcoholic flavor. 



To test the relative merits of pruning grapevines before and after 

 the leaves are formed, 2 Concord vines in a row of 12 were pruned 

 after their foliage had started, the others having been pruned before. 

 By the last of June the early pruned vines were much superior to the 

 others in growth, productiveness, and size of fruit bunches. 



Report of the working and results of the Woburn Experi- 

 mental Fruit Farm since its establishment, Duke of Bedford 

 and S. U. Pickering ( Woburn F.iptl. Fruit Farm. Hpl. 1897, pp. 1-149, 

 181-492, Jigs. 7, pis. 7). — Description of grounds and experiments (pp. 

 1-56). — In this first report of the new fruit experiment station estab- 

 lished by the Duke of Bedford, a detailed account is given of the experi- 

 ments laid out, of the soil, its location, chemical composition, the 

 fertilizers used, etc. The results already obtained, though necessarily 

 incomplete, are thought by the authors to present many features of 

 interest and practical importance. As an indication of what is being 

 done, the principal experiments with apples may be noted as follows: 

 Twenty two experiments with manures, including kinds and amounts of 

 manure, ways of applying it, etc.; G modes of soil treatment; 19 ways 

 of planting trees, G ways of arranging them; 16 methods of training- 

 trees; 14 modes of branch treatment, and 5 of root treatment. In 

 addition to the above, crossing apples is to be fully studied, and work 

 is to be done on diseases of the apple. The apple collection of the farm 

 includes 117 varieties. Somewhat less extensive experiments have 

 been undertaken with a number of fruits. 



Expert mental results (pp. 57-149; 181-192). — This part of the report 

 treats at considerable length of methods of making observations, the 

 sources of error, and the results of the experiments. The vigor of 

 growth was determined by estimating the average size of leaves, the 

 total leaf area per tree, the number of new shoots per tree, and the 

 length of new wood formed. The agreement between these different 

 factors of vigor of growth was more general than was anticipated, 

 though they were affected in different degrees by different treatments. 

 The wood growth was affected by beneficial or injurious treatment 

 much more than the leaf size; indeed, except where the special treat- 

 ment affected the wood growth by nearly 50 per cent, there was usually 

 almost no effect on leaf size. 



