1076 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



tural tests were carried out on a rich, black, somewhat sandy loam, underlaid at 

 about 2 ft. with bowlder clay. The season was favorable. 



Of the earliest peas a number of sorts were equally valuable. Extra Early Alpha 

 appeared to be the best in quality. Of the second early recommended Thomas Lax- 

 1(in is mentioned first; of the midseason, Sherwood and British Wonder are men- 

 tioned first, and of the late sorts the variety Perhaps is first named. Good early 

 varieties of bush beans were the Long Yellow Six Weeks and the Round Yellow Six 

 Weeks, these 2 varieties being among the most prolific. Sutton Plentiful was of 

 better quality- One of the most prolific of the later green podded varieties was the 

 Canadian Wonder. Twelve varieties of Mexican beans were grown, but the season 

 proved too short for them. Of 27 varieties of pole beans grown only 7 reached 

 maturity. Most of the Limas tested required too long a season to mature at the sta- 

 tii in. Horticultural Lima was nearly a month earlier than any of the other varieties. 



Extra Early Adams sweet corn reached maturity in 84 days. Of 38 varieties of 

 sweet corn tested only 15 reached maturity. Special attention is called to the variety 

 of sweet corn Malakoff imported from Russia by this Department through Professor 

 Hansen in 1897. This is a small very early variety and promising on account of its 

 earliness and good quality. Details of the tests of cabbages are omitted. 



Onion culture, E. Garcia {New Mexico Sta. Bui. ■'>.', />/>. 32, figs. 10). — Investiga- 

 tions covering the results of different cultural methods, tests of the keeping qualities 

 of varieties, cost of onion production, and tests of varieties are reported. 



In the culture test the relative merits of field planting and transplanting were 

 compared. Practically all the onions now grown in the Territory are from seed 

 sown in the field. This method is not entirely satisfactory because of the tendency 

 of the soils to run together and pack when irrigated. This delays germination and 

 usually results in a poor stand. Somewhat better results are secured when the seed 

 is planted on the sides of ridges and furrow irrigation practiced. By this method 

 care must be taken that the water does not cover the seeds on the ridges, otherwise 

 the difficulty of germination and growth will be as great as when grown in plats. 

 In field culture from 4 to 6 lbs. of seed to the acre is required, and the seed is sown 

 about 1 in. deep and irrigated immediately afterwards to start germination. The 

 cost of thinning onions in the field was found to be about $41 per acre. 



When onions are grown in a seed lied and transplanted to the field it requires only 

 :'■ to 4.5 lbs. of seed per acre. The field is best prepared at transplanting time. It 

 was found better to transplant the latter part of February or fore part of March, 

 even if the onions were only half as large as a lead pencil, than to wait until later in 

 the season. A boy can drop the onions for about 3 planters. A good planter will 

 set 5,000 plants per day. With hand cultivation the rows should be about 15 in. 

 apart and the onions set 4 to 4.5 in. distant in the row, but with horse cultivation 

 the rows should be about 30 in. apart. The average estimated cost for transplanting 

 during 3 years has been $29.33 per acre, which is considerably less than the cost of 

 thinning onions in the field. 



As soon as the onions are set in the field they are irrigated, and this is followed by 

 a second irrigation 7 to 8 days later. From then on irrigation is given every 8 to 12 

 days with cultivation between each 2 irrigations. Light and frequent irrigations are 

 preferred to heavy irrigations at long intervals. Good results were secured when 

 very muddy water was used for irrigating purposes. Hand cultivation is considered 

 preferable to horse cultivation since twice as many onions can be grown in the same 

 area with practically the same cost. • 



The yield of different varieties in 1003 without fertilizers was at the rate of 32,000 

 lbs. per acre for Red Victoria and 29,000 lbs. for Prize Taker. In 1904 Gigantic 

 Gibraltar without fertilizer yielded at the rate of 31,250 11 is. per acre and with sodium 

 nitrate at the rate of 600 His. per acre 40,450 lbs. per acre. The cost of production 

 varied from $107 per acre in 1902 to $1 1 1.75 per acre in 1904 without fertilizers. 



