1072 experimp:nt station record. 



Fertilizing- by means of leguminous plants applied to tea culture, A. E. 

 Kerkiioven {Tei/.winnnia, 13 {190J), No. 1, pp. l.'y-.n). — Theexperimentstirst under- 

 taken in 1899 have not been definitely completed, but the author gives the results 

 of work done up to Januarj', 1902. Small tea plantations were fertilized with vari- 

 ous commercial fertilizers, with stable manure, and Ijy planting with a native legu- 

 minous tree called ' ' dadap. ' ' The results so far obtained indicate that tlie first effect 

 of the planting of "dadap" in the tea plantations is injurious because of the sha<le, 

 but that the subsequent influence is more beneficial than the heaviest aiiplication of 

 staljle manure. This is due to the nitrogen stored in the root nodules. 



P^xperiments were also made to learn how the leguminous shade tree should be 

 treated to minimize the injurious effects of the shade and at the same time to retain 

 the advantages of the nitrogen-gathering properties of the tree. The best practice 

 ai)pears to be to prune the tree heavily, S(^ as to reduce the shading and also to 

 encourage the tree to renewed growth aud thus extend the root system. 



Observations were also made on the influenc-e of leguminous shade trees on planta- 

 tions of cinchona and Ledgeriana trees, aud it was noted tliat when the plantations 

 were shaded with Albizzia they remained in good health for a longer time than when 

 not so shaded. The stems, though more slender, were longer and yielded more bark 

 under shade than without it. — n. m. pieters. 



Fruit storage experiments {lUinols Stu. Circ.G7,pp.3-10, 21-23, fig. 1). — A report 

 of progress is given on the cold-storage Avork with apples which is being carried on in 

 Illinois under the direction of the station. An account of the construction of a cold- 

 storage house, capable of holding 2,500 bbls. of fruit and of storing apples in cellars 

 insulated for the purpose, has been previously noted (E. S. R., 14, p. 356). During 

 the season of 1901-2, 2,000 bbls. of fruit were placed in the cold-storage house October 

 5 and 70 tons of ice put in the refrigerator. The temperature of the storage room fell 

 rapidly after the ice was put in to about 33° F., and this temperature, or a little 

 lower, was maintained throughout the experiment. The cost of storage per barrel of 

 fruit up to April 23 (about 7 months) was 19.1 cts., or 30.9 cts. less than the usual 

 charge for apple storage. Based u[)on these results it is estimated that the Ijuilding 

 if stored to its full capacity each j-ear would pay for it>'elf in 5 yeai's. 



The fruit in the building was examined from time to time during storage. Without 

 exception the fruit kept well. "There was no scald, no withering. The fruit 

 remained plump and in perfect condition, and the percentage of rotten fruits was very 

 small." The results are believed to jilainly show the utility of buildings of this charac- 

 ter cooled by ice. "Commercial growers of apples can well afford to invest in similar 

 houses and thus add greatly to their profits." The experiences in cellar storage in 

 southern Illinois show pretty clearly that horticulturists can not afford to insulate a 

 cellar for storing fruit. The earth is too good a conductor of both heat and cold. 

 Fruit stored in these cellars was more or less wilted and the percentage of rot was 

 quite high. 



Experiments were made with Ben Davis anfl Winesap apples in storing at tempera- 

 tures of 31, 33, 35, and 37° F. The Ben Davis variety kept better and scalded less 

 at 31° than at any other temperature. The difference was not so striking with the 

 Winesap variety, but was in favor of the lower temperatures. 



Another problem investigated was the degree of maturity most suitable for picking 

 apples to be held in cold storage. The results obtained indicate a great superiority 

 in the keeping qualities of mature over immature fruit. The mature fruit in storage 

 showed a much smaller percentage of r.ot, was less subject to scald, did not shrink as 

 much, liad better color, and better selling qualities wdien removed from storage. 



Notes are given on an experiment in orchard drainage and fertilization underway, 

 and of the growing of a number of different cover crops in the orchard. 



Cold storage, H. T. Galpin {Jour. Soc. Chem. Ind., 22 {1903), No. 6, pp. 346- 

 348). — A technical account of the use of different brines for producing cold and of 



