HOETICULTUBE. 145 



up level and thoroughly park('(l down. If the rows are wide apart it need not occupy 

 the whole space between them. It is considered best to be a little liberal and round 

 up the sjaaces a few inches above the level of the edge of the frames. Innnediately 

 after the manure is put in place the glass should be closed down and kept so, no 

 matter how high the temperature may go, until the rhul)arb crown bud appears 

 al)ove the surface. Then the same attention must be given to airing as with the 

 ordinary hotbed. Toward spring, when the days are getting longer and the sun 

 liotter, the use of cloth frames or straw mats is advised in preference to glass, since 

 tlie latter induces a weak and sj^indling growth. 



Fertilizer tests on tomatoes, H. A. Huston {Indiana Sta. Bid. 9J, ]>p. 707-J /■')). — 

 This bulletin presents briefly some statistics on the canned tomato industry of this 

 country, and gives the results of some field experiments with fertilizers for tomatoes. 

 The experiments were carried out during the seasons of 1899 and 191)0 on moderately 

 heavy clay loam that would naturally yield about 24 bu. of wheat or 50 bu. of corn 

 per acre. The fertilizer formula followed in the main was that recommended by 

 Voorhees, viz, nitrogen 4.7 per cent, phosphoric acid 7.2 per cent, and i^otash 12 per 

 cent, applied at the rate of 500 lbs. per acre; and was composed of muriate of 

 potash, nitrate of soda, azotin, and acid phosphate. This mixture cost about $32 per 

 ton. On some plats one or more of the fertilizers was omitted, and the amounts 

 applied on the different ])lats also varied. Barnyard maniire api>lied on clover sod 

 at the rate of 12 to 15 2-horse loads per acre formed one plat in 1900. 



The best results were obtained by using a complete fertilizer in liberal amounts. 

 Tlie use of nitrogen alone, either in the form of nitrate or organic nitrogen, was 

 unprofitable. The yield on the barnyard manure plat was the largest obtained with 

 any of the fertilizers. This fertilizer had a tendency to delay and prolong the ripen- 

 ing period, but the total yield was very nearly double that obtained from any other 

 plat. 



On the whole, the use of the commercial fertilizers considerably increased the 

 yields and hastened the maturity of the crop. The results also indicate that on lands 

 of the type used where clover is grown in the rotation, a fertilizer made uj) of 3 per 

 cent nitrogen, 7 per cent available phosphoric acid, and 12 per cent potash would 

 more nearly meet the requirements of the tomato crop than the Voorhees formula 

 and would be about $5 per ton cheaper. Earlier experiments at the station indicate 

 that sulphate of potash gives a better quality of early tomatoes than the muriate. 



The statistics included in the Inilletin show that Indiana is the second State in the 

 Union in the production of canned tomatoes, the average yearly output for the last 

 5 years being 697,200 cases. Each case contains 24 cans, holding 3 lbs. each. Mary- 

 land stands first in the production of canned tomatoes, with a yearly average of 

 1,840,000 cases. 



Successful culture of tomatoes for canning-, E. J. Dirickson {Amcr. Agr. 

 {mid. ed. ), 69 {1902), No. U, p. 491).— The method observed by the author in grow- 

 ing from 50 to 80 acres of tomatoes each season is given. The varieties Ignotum, 

 Trophy, and Favorite are the varieties used, and all considered equally good. 



Mushroom ciilture in France, J. K. Gowdy {TJ. S. Consular Rpts., 68 {1902), 

 No. 259, pp. 5S7-541). — A popular article describing in detail the culture of mush- 

 rooms as observed by growers in the aliandoned mines about Paris. In this work 

 the cost of mushroom culture is estimated as follows: Manure, 10 cts. ; labor, 20 cts.; 

 rent, 2 cts.; total, 32 cts. The receipts per square yard are 6 lbs. mushrooms, 90 

 cts. ; spent manure, 5 cts. ; total, 95 cts. It is believed that if proper means were used 

 to destroy the insects affecting the mushrooms the receipts per square yard might be 

 increased to $2. 



Culture of the edible mushroom Tricholoma nudum, J. Costantin and L. 

 Matruchot {Rev. Om. BoL, IS {1901), No. 155, pp. 449-475, pi. 1, figs. .^).— The cul- 

 ture of the spawn and the production of mushrooms therefrom have been studied, 



