348 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



and skin have a pecnliar grayish appearance, wliic-h is easily distinguished when one 

 becomes accustomed to picking." 



In investigating the number of flowers 1)orne Ijy vines from June 27 until July 

 18, when the vines became so interlapped that the individual vines could not be dis- 

 tinguished, it was found that the average number of male flowers to each hill, for the 

 whole period, was 512, and the female flowers 42. It requires about 6 weeks from 

 the time of setting of the flowers for the fruit to ripen. Twenty ripe melons to each 

 vine is considered a heavy yield. 



Among the insect pests of the cantaloupe the flea-beetle, striped cucumber beetle, 

 geometer or measuring worm, and the melon louse are mentioned, and appropriate 

 remedies suggested in each instance. 



Tomato report, F. W. Rane {New Hampshire Stn. Bui. 79, pp. 16-22). — Tabular 

 data and desc-riptive notes are given on a test of 29 varieties of tomatoes. Two 

 methods of starting tomato plants have l)een tested at the station. In one the plants 

 were transplanted into small boxes, so arranged that the bottom could be easily 

 removed and the dirt allowed to slip out, and in the other they were transplanted 

 into 4-in. pots. The author states that the percentage of loss from transplanting was 

 very much less when the pots were used. The pots seemed to induce early maturity 

 and early fruitfulness. "The pot system takes more time and occupies more space, 

 but if this year is a criterion it surely pays." 



The kind of soil in which the tomatoes were planted seemed to have an effect on 

 the amount of rot produced. Where the soil was inclined to dry out, the rot was 

 much more prevalent, while on a loamy, moist soil there was very little rot. 

 "Where the soil was the most clayey the rot was the worst." 



The development of a tomato hybrid, W. M. Munson {Proc. Soc. Prom. Agr. 

 Set., 1900, pp. 41-4S). — The currant tomato was crossed on the Lorillard, using the 

 Lorillard as pistillate parent. The first cross produced a plant ahuost exactly inter- 

 mediate between the 2 parents. Subsequent selection resulted in enlarging the fruit 

 and improving the quality of the same. The fruit now produced is quite uniform in 

 size and form, a little smaller than Lorillard but superior in quality and earlier, 

 and especially well adapted to forcing. The net weight of the product is slightly 

 less than that of the more commonly forced varieties. 



Report of the professor of horticulture, H. L. Hutt {Ontario Agr. Col. and 

 E.ipt. Farm Rpt. 1900, pp. 61-68, figs. 4)- — This work covers briefly the results of 

 variety tests with raspberries, blackberries, currants, gooseberries, strawberries, 

 tomatoes, geraniums, coleuses, gladioli, and chrysanthemums. With the tomatoes 

 it is stated that such varieties as Earliest of All, Express, Plentiful, and Atlantic 

 Prize were practically free from rot, while some other varieties, such as Livingstone 

 Favorite, Ignotum, Paragon, and Volunteer, lost from one-third to nearly one-half 

 of the crop from this cause. It is thought that this loss might have been prevented 

 had the plants been sprayed wath Bordeaux mixture, but this was not done in order 

 to ascertain the susceptibility of the different varieties to the disease. The varieties 

 standing at the head of the list for total yield of sound ripe fruit were Earliest of All, 

 Plentiful, Express, Atlantic Prize, and Ignotum. The first three yielded about 11 

 lbs. of ripe fruit per ])lant. 



Out of 230 varieties of geraniums tested for 3 years in succession, the following 

 have been selected as a few of the most desirable for bedding purposes: ''^Scarlet — 

 Aceton, Director Marniy, Garden Director, General Grant, J. J. Harrison, Louis 

 Fages, Marvel, INI. A. Boleaus, Marquis de Garland, and "W. A. Chalfant; Crivh^on — 

 S. A. Nutt; Rose — Fanny Thorpe and La Conta])le; Pink — Eulalie, Madonna, and 

 Mary Hill; Salmon — Dr. VerneuU, John Good, and Mrs. E. G. Hill; White — Alpine 

 Beauty, C. de Harcourt, La Favorite, and Mad. Buchner; Silver-leaved — Mad. Saleroi 

 and Mrs. Parker; Golden-leaved — Crystal Palace Gem." 



