HORTICULTURE. 557 



bunches grown in compost weighed 568 gm., and contained 0.222 per 

 cent nitrogen, 0.0G6 per cent phosphoric acid, and 0.342 per cent potash. 

 Eight bunches grown in ashes and peat weighed 574 gin., and con- 

 tained 0.235 per cent nitrogen, 0.048 per cent phosphoric acid, and 

 0.235 per cent potash. A table is given showing the quantities of fer- 

 tilizers applied to each plat, and the number and weight of radishes 

 produced in each. The authors believe that "since the number of rad- 

 ishes from each plat depends upon the quality of the seed used, and 

 the weight depends almost entirely upon the age of the plants, no 

 great stress should be placed upon either the number of bunches or the 

 weight of crop in estimating the comparative profits of the crops." In 

 all cases the radishes grown in ashes and peat reached marketable size 

 from 1 to 4 days earlier than those grown in compost, and were quite 

 as smooth, tender, and crisp. 



Experiments in subwatering, E. S. Goff and F. Cranefield 

 ( Wisconsin Sta. Ept. 1896, pp. 243-251, Jigs. :i). — A new method of sub- 

 watering greenhouse plants is described in detail. The greenhouse 

 bench is lined inside with galvanized iron forming a water-tight pan 2 

 or 3 in. deep. A layer of bricks set edgewise in the pan conducts the 

 water gradually to the soil above. The soil used consisted of 2 parts 

 sand, 2 parts loam, and 1 part sheep manure. 



Comparisons were made between subwatered and surface-watered 

 beds for growing a number of crops. In the first trial with lettuce 234 

 plants of the Grand Rapids variety were grown in each bed. The seed 

 was sifted and only the larger seeds were sown. The young plants 

 were watered by placing the seed box in shallow pans of water. One 

 hundred and seventy-one plants from the subwatered bed weighed 

 10,572 gm., and an equal number from the surface-watered bed, 8,306 

 gm. The leaves of the lettuce from the subwatered bed were more 

 tender and crisp than from the other. In the second trial with lettuce, 

 sifted seed was sown as before, but the young plants in seed boxes that 

 were intended for the surface-watered bed were surface watered and 

 those for the other bed, subwatered. Eighty-three plants from the sub- 

 watered bed averaged 58.5 gm. in weight and 89 from the surface- 

 watered bed averaged 46.8 gm. The plants from the subwatered bed 

 were of better quality than the others. 



A similar test was made with Lentz Early beets and Early Forcing 

 carrots. From the subwatered bed 79 beet plants weighed 3,827 gm. 

 and the. roots 402 gm. From the surface-watered bed an equal number 

 of plants weighed 3,232 gm. and the roots 381 gm. In the case of car- 

 rots 44 plants from the subwatered bed weighed 628 gm. and their roots 

 190 gm., while 51 plants from the surface- watered bed weighed 365 gm. 

 and their roots 126 gm. 



A modification of the subwatered method in which the bricks were 

 laid flat instead of on edge resulted unsatisfactorily. The water was 

 not transmitted uniformly to the soil and more frequent waterings were 

 required. 



