HORTICULTURE. 777 



they were cut off, in December, and from time to time during the winter until the 

 following April. 



During the winter season of 1902-3 the amount of water lost was from 15 to 20 per 

 cent of the total weight of the trees. The following winter, however, was more 

 moist, and there was a larger number of cloudy days, as a result of which there was 

 a loss of only about 2 per cent of the total weight of the trees. The author is of the 

 opinion that low temperature is not the chief cause of the winterkilling of fruit trees 

 in Wisconsin. "Low temperature is not necessarily fatal to fruit trees, providing 

 the rainfall and the humidity are sufficiently great. Then, too, the condition of the 

 trees and the amount of moisture in the soil in the fall have much to do with the 

 question." 



Nomenclature of the apple; a catalogue of the known varieties referred to 

 in American publications from 1804 to 1904, W. H. Ragan ( U. S. Bept. Agr., 

 Bureau of Plant Industry Bui. 56, pp. S8o). — The main purpose of this bulletin is to 

 bring together in one comprehensive volume all known names that have appeared 

 in American literature of the apple. The revised rules of the American Pomological 

 Society have been followed in compiling the list.. 



The list is alphabetically arranged, and includes both the leading names of the 

 different varieties and the various synonyms under which they are known. The 

 leading names are in each instance followed by citations of the authors first using 

 them. The data given in addition to the name and synonyms of each variety relates 

 to the origin, form, size, color, flavor, quality, use, and season of the fruit, the tex- 

 ture and color of the flesh, etc. A bibliography of the literature consulted, compris- 

 ing 233 papers, is appended. 



"It is believed that this publication will be especially useful in correcting and 

 simplifying the nomenclature of the apple now well known to be in more or less 

 confusion, and that it will become a standard guide in the naming of varieties in the 

 future. To nurserymen who should desire correct names for their varieties, and 

 especially to originators, who would avoid the serious mistake of duplicating names 

 in bestowing them on their new products, this list must corneas a valuable aid and 

 helper." 



Grass mulch for apple orchards, F. P. Yergon (Rural New-Yorker, 64 (1905), 

 No. 2874, pp- 137, 138, Jig. 1). — The author describes his system of growing apples in 

 sod and of mulching the trees with the grass cut in the orchard or hauled in from 

 other sources. He believes that this system of apple growing is cheaper than culti- 

 vation each season; the soil in the orchard grows richer, and the color and keeping 

 quality of the fruit is improved. The average production of the author's 16-year-old 

 orchard is stated to be from 10 to 20 bu. of sorted fruit per tree annually. 



Cover crops, E. P. Sandsten ( Wisconsin Sta. Rpt. 1904, pp- 252-257, figs. 2). — 

 The severe climate of Wisconsin with long, cold, and dry winters is very trying on 

 fruit trees. During the winter the ground freezes deeply, which prevents the roots 

 from absorbing moisture to supply that evaporated by the trunk and branches above 

 the ground. As a result of this evaporation the bark of many varieties often becomes 

 shriveled and dry. 



In order to determine the relative protective value to the soil from freezing a test 

 was made of a number of different cover crops. The depth to which the ground 

 froze under these various crops was as follows: In orchard under clean culture and 

 the soil left unprotected during the winter, 16 in.; under cover crop of oats, 8 in.; 

 under cover crop of hairy vetch, 7.5 in.; under cover crop of rape, 15 in., and under 

 cover crop of blue grass sod, 18 in. 



The ground froze deepest under a cover of blue grass sod, while hairy vetch proved 

 the most efficient of the different cover crops tested in protecting the ground from 

 frost. The author recommends hairy vetch as the best all around plant for cover 

 crops. Oats have given good satisfaction and are recommended in preference to 



