136 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The station experiment.s show that it is possible to grow thoroughly thrifty, 

 vigorous apple trees on the thin, droughty lands of the station if attention is given to 

 Ijroper cultivation and fertilizers. The station (jrchard is seeded to hairy vetch in 

 the fall. The following March a strip 3 or 4 ft. wide is i)lowed each side of the tree 

 rows, and kept cultivated after every rain, so as to form a dust nuilcli. The vetch 

 in the middle of the rows is left ufttil June, l)y which time it has ripened its seed 

 and is able to reseed the land when plowed under. Cultivation of the whole area is 

 then continued until the middle of July, when peas are broadcasted and cultivated 

 in. The peas in 1900 made a good grow'th during the late summer and fall, and 

 were allowed to rot on the ground. "As the peas began to die down the self-sown 

 vetch seed began coming up, and by spring the orchard Avill be a soliil vetch field." 

 Under this treatment the mechanical condition of tlie soil is being rapidly 

 ameliorated. 



A list is given of rust-free varieties of apples, and of those attacked by the rust and 

 the aphis. The green aphis has been controlled by the use of a commercial spray 

 known as "Rose Leaf." S{)raying the trees in winter with crude petroleum, for the 

 purpose of destroying the aphis eggs, had no ill effects on the trees. "The effect on 

 the lice, if any, was obscured by the general scarcity of them during the early part 

 of the season." The following is a revised list of apples for general planting in Ala- 

 bama, the varieties being given in the order of their ripening, and furnishing a succes- 

 sion of fruit from June until early winter: Yellow Transparent, Early Harvest, Red 

 June, Red Astrakhan, Horse, Hackworth, Carter Blue, Thornton Seedling, Kinnard's 

 Choice, York Imperial, Yates, Shockley, and Herschal Cox. Relative to apple 

 growing in Alabama, the author states that — 



"As a result of several years' (observation and study it seems i>rudent Uj strongly 

 urge the increased planting of apples in middle and northern Alabama. It must be 

 fully understood, however, that apjoles will succeed here only with the best and 

 most intelligent care and cultivation." 



Celeste is considered by all odds the best early tig, and Green Ischia the best and 

 most reliable late fig. Madeline is a good fig, ripening intermediate between these 

 two. Tables are given showing the blooming period of 33 varieties of peaches and 

 43 A'arieties of plums. Tlie various classes of plums are described and their value 

 for the State noted. Japanese plums are considered the most important type of 

 plums for the region. The following varieties of 2)lums, mentioned in the order 

 of their ripening, are given as the best varieties for general planting in Alabama: 

 Kerr, Red June, Alnmdance, Burbank, and Orient. The necessity for mixing 

 varieties in orchard planting, which bloom at about the same time, in order to secure 

 fertilization of the blossoms, is jwinted out. 



The San Jose scale has been kept in control by spraying \\ith a 20 per cent 

 mechanical mixture of kerosene and water. Crude petroleum applied undihiteil did 

 not harm either apple or peach trees. 



Oxcliard. experiments, S. T. Mayxakd and G. A. Dukw {Mas><iicliii>tctlii JIalchSta. 

 Bill. 73, })]). S-0). — Notes on the methods followed at the station in the culture, fer- 

 tilizing, and spraying of apples, peaches, pears, grapes, blackberries, raspberries, cur- 

 rants, and strawberries are given. The yields obtained in 1900 with the different 

 fruits are also given, together with a record of the cost of thinning, yield, and value of 

 the fruit from Red Astrakhan, Early Harvest, Hurllnit, Baldwin, and Rhode Island 

 Greening apple trees. In every instance the thinning was done at a financial profit. 

 With Red Astrakhan, Baldwin, and Rhode Island Greening the yields were slightly 

 better on the thinned than on the unthinned trees, while in the other 2 cases the 

 yields were the same. The greatest average profit ])er tree ($2.05) Avas obtained by 

 thinning Red Astrakhan. The profits for the other varieties ranged from 55 to 98 

 cts. i)er tree. The thinning was performed Ijy emi)loyees unaccustomed to the work. 



