370 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



plum trees on this stock must not be high-stemmed, us they get top-heavy and lop 

 over when bearing a heavy crop of fruit. It used at all it must be as a bush with 

 several stems. The trees arc nut dwarfed in nursery. Evidently the trees should lie 

 headed hack annually, at least until in heavy bearing, to keep them properly 

 dwarfed. The fruit is fully up to standard in size and quality." 



The bulletin contains a complete account with many illustrations of the progress 

 made with this fruit at the station, and also presents a summary of the results of the 

 work done with the fruit at other stations and by nurserymen and growers in neigh- 

 boring States. It is predicted that "the western sand cherry will be found of great 

 value in the commercial propagation of some of the stone fruits" and that from it 

 "will be developed by selection a race of bush fruits with fruit equal to California 

 cherries in size and of a quality acceptable for table use." There will also be devel- 

 oped from it "a race of hybrid fruits of a new type by hybridizing with choicer fruits; 

 these 'new creations' will be hardy and fruitful on the most exposed prairies." 



The "Compass" cherry, a hybrid between the sand cherry and Miner plum orig- 

 inated by H. Knudson, of Springfield, Minn., is illustrated. The fruit is interme- 

 diate in season between the sand cherry and plum, very productive, and the flavor 

 sprightly and pleasant. It is considered well worthy of a place in the home garden. 



Breeding hardy fruits, X. E. Hansen (South Dakota Sta. Bui. 88, pp. 32, pfe. 

 j?p). — The author briefly summarizes the work in plant breeding now under way at 

 the station. Numerous cuts are given illustrating his method of work and some of 

 the results obtained with the different fruits. Up to June, 1891, the author had 

 grown seedling fruits as follows: Sand cherry, 8,400; plum, 4,000; grape, 5,000; wild 

 strawberry, crossed with tame, 5,000; native strawberry, 1,000; pin cherry, 25; choke 

 cherry, 360; golden currant, 200; black currant, 2,200; buffalo berry, 180; gooseberry, 

 42o; wild raspberry, crossed with tame, 200; pure native raspberry, 40, a total of 

 27,030 seedlings. 



The work has steadily increased since that date and at the time of writing the 

 number of seedlings had reached fully a quarter of a million. The work is being 

 conducted primarily along two lines, first, by selection from a large number of seed- 

 lings, and second, by crossing or hybridizing with cultivated varieties. In the fruit- 

 breeding work at the station perfect hardiness of plant is the first consideration. An 

 effort is being made to extend the cherry, peach, and apricot belt north to the Mani- 

 toba line. In the breeding work with vegetables earliness combined with satisfactc iry 

 yield is the end aimed at. 



How to prevent decay of our citrus fruits ( Florida Agr., 31 (1904), No. 39, p. 

 611). — This is a reprint of a paper read by T. J. Ash by before the Pasadena Lemon 

 Growers' Association. The author estimates that during the past 8 years the amount 

 of decay for all classes of citrus fruits which have been shipped was 8 per cent. In 

 figures, this represents a loss during this period of about four and a quarter million 

 dollars. 



As a means of prevention the author suggests top working with buds taken from 

 trees which produce firm, marketable fruit which will stand shipment. He believes 

 also that in the matter of orchard management the development of the fruit should 

 be retarded rather than forced, since quick growth and rapid decay are terms which 

 are closely correlated. 



The author points out the value of dry air in the shipment of fruits and suggests 

 the use of an electric fan with a shaft which would force air to the center of the 

 rooms or cars in which the fruit was kept. 



Propagation and marketing of oranges in Porto Rico, H. 0. Henkk k>kn 

 {Porto Rico Sta. Hal. 4, pp. 24, pis. 6, figs. 4)- — A popular discussion of this subject. 



Experiments in the aeration and green manuring of the soil in fruit cul- 

 ture, G. Biesenbach (Deut. Landa: Presse, 30 (1903), Xo. 87, p. 752).— Many 

 orchards in certain parts of Germany do not grow well and are unproductive. The 



