852 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



of soda and acid phos^phate, 70 per cent; and nitrate of soda, mnriate ftf potash, and 

 acid phosphate, 325 per cent. When raw Ijone meal was substituted for acid 

 phosphate, the increase over the controls for 2 seasons averaged 345 per cent. When 

 sulphate was substituted for muriate of potash, the yields were slightly decreased. 

 The addition of raw bone meal alone increased the yield over the checks 32 per cent, 

 or was nearly as effective as a combination of nitrate of soda and muriate of potash. 



In these experiments the average yield per square foot of bench space with com- 

 plete fertilizers was 3. 4, 3.1, and 3 lbs. for the first, second, and third crops respectively, 

 and 2.6, 2.9, and 3.2 lbs. for the first, second, and third years' crops, respectively, in 

 pots. 



In a study of the relation of tlie percentages of small fruits to the chemical ferti- 

 lizers applied, it was found that in all instances save one the greatest jiercentage of 

 small fruits occurred on the control plats, and in general it is stated that the propor- 

 tion of small fruits decreased according to the completeness of plant food supplied. 



The Stone variety proved more desirable in ('loudy weather than the Lorillard, 

 owing to its maturing more pollen than the Lorillard. It was used in later experi- 

 ments in preference to that variety. In a comparison of Stone with Sutton Best of 

 All, the yield on a certain area was 178 fruits, averaging 4 oz. in weight each for the 

 Stone variety, as compared with 238 fruits of but 3 oz. each of Sutton Best of All. 

 The total weight of the product, however, was al)out the same in l)oth cases. The 

 Stone is a rougher fruit than the Sutton Best of All, and for ]»)t experiments the 

 latter is believed to l)e the more satisfactory of the two. 



In a test of surface vs. sul)watering tiiere W'as 6.5 per cent increase in yield of fruit 

 in favor of sub watering. 



Forcing' dwarf tomatoes under glass, F. W. Rank {Xein Hampshire Sta. BiiJ. 

 84, pp. 59-68, figs. 2). — The purpose of this bulletin is to emphasize the value of 

 dwarf varieties of tomatoes for forcing. The methods of growing dwarf tomatoes 

 under glass and the yields obtaine<l with 3 varieties are recorded. Seed was sown 

 in the greenhouse September 27 and the plants transplanted and kept in pots until 

 December 27, when they were set 18 in. apart each way in beds in the forcing house. 

 They were pruned to single steins and trained to stakes. Althougli dwarf varieties, 

 under this treatment they grew to the height of the house — 7 ft. or more. Dwarf 

 tomatoes are shorter jointed and produce fruit clusters much closer together on the 

 stem than the taller growing or standard sorts. They also grow slower and there- 

 fore do not reach the glass as quickly, thus i)rolonging the period of fruit production. 

 Hand pollination was practiced by taking the corolla from the flower as soon as it 

 began to lose its bright j'ellow color, cutting it along one side, and turning it inside 

 out, thus exposing the pollen, which was readily dusted on the stamens. This 

 method of pollination does away with the necessity of a receptacle to catch the 

 pollen. One blossom was sufficient to pollinate a number of iiowers. The size and 

 yield of the fruits ol)tained witli tlie 3 dwarf varieties used in this test are shown in 

 the table below. 



Yield of (hnirf lonidlorx wider (/lan.^. 



Varietj'. 



Average 



number 



fruits per 



plant. 



AveraRe i Average 

 weight weight of 



fruit per indivirl 

 plant, ual fruits. 



Weight 

 of fruit 

 toMavl. 



Vi^eight 

 of fruit 



from 

 May 1 to 

 June 15. 



Total 

 weight 



to 

 July 15. 



Dwarf Champion 



Golden Dwarf Champion 

 Lacross Seedling 



28| 

 195 

 26^ 



Pounds. 

 5. I 

 4.3 

 h.6 



O an res. 

 3.0 

 3.5 

 3.4 



X&.S. oz. 

 34 9 

 11 7 

 31 4 



Lhs. oz. 

 .50 7 

 34 6 

 45 12 



Lhs. oz. 

 98 

 80 

 124 6 



The results secured in this test are compared with results secured in tests with tall- 

 growing or standard tomatoes at the Maine station (E. S. R., 7, p. 863), and the 



