HORTICULTURE. 951 



in some shoots as late as tlie foUowino; Dec-ember, though no increase in length of 

 the shoots took place after November 1. In these observations the terminal shoots 

 (ir outermost branches made their principal growth in length early in the season, 

 while the shoots lower down the branches and clo.«er to the trunk grew through a 

 longer period. In the case of 2 York Imperial trees, one of which was cut back in 

 the winter from h to | of the new wood and the other left unjiruned, 50 j)er cent of 

 all the shoots on the uni)runed tree completed their growth in length by August 30, 

 while on the winter-pruned tree all the shoots continued to grow freely after that 

 date, most of them increasing 10 in. or more. Summer pruning (July 8) in the case 

 of the smgle Jonathan tree under observation gave somewhat conflicting results as 

 to the growth of the outer and inner branches. As a general law it is stated "that 

 the apple shoot makes its princijial growth in length V)efore July 1, and that the 

 outermost shoots finish their growth in length sooner than the lower shoots." 



An exainination of the growth of buds on the various trees showed that 59 per cent 

 of all the buds found on Jonathan in 1900 above the lowest limb had started into 

 growth by June 30, 1901, and 15 i)er cent had made shoots | in. long or more. With 

 York Imperial 60 per cent had started into growth and 28 per cent made shoots. It 

 was observed that pinching and other checks to growth also had a considerable 

 influence on the growth of the remaining buds. 



Some illustrations, with critical notes, are given of the methods of pruning young 

 apple trees. 



Orchard notes, C. F. Austin [Alahami College Sta. Bui. 117, j)p. 292-320). — Here- 

 with is included a list of the apple trees in the station orchard affected with rust and 

 those free from this disease, the varieties on which the green aphis is troublesome, 

 and miscellaneous notes on the growth of the young trees. Notes are also given on 

 the growth of cherries at the station, Japan walnuts, peaches, and plums, with notes 

 on varieties and the blooming period in some instances. 



Orchard cover crops, ,1. Craig [New York Cornell Sta. Bui. 198, pp. 97-133, 

 fi(js. 23). — In this bulletin the purpose and value of orchard cover crops are dis- 

 cussed. Some data are given on the influence of these crops on the physical qualities 

 of tlie soil and its fertility. A number of plants used as cover crops, alone and in 

 mixtures, are briefly described, methods of using being noted, and some reports of 

 orchardists conducting cooperative experiments are also included in the bulletin. 



Some data obtained from the Iowa Station show that bare cultivated ground con- 

 tained 31.43 per cent of moisture at a depth of 6 in. in winter; ground covered with 

 a cro]) of hairy vetch contained 31.87 per cent of moisture at the same depth; soy 

 beans, 28.67 per cent; crimson clover, 21.48 per cent; and with blue grass sod, 21.75 

 per cent. The bare cultivated ground froze to a depth of 21 in., while under blue- 

 grass sod it froze but 12 in. deep, under hairy vetch 16 in., under crimson clover 

 15 in., and under soy beans 21 in. deep, the latter crop affording no protection to 

 the soil whatever. At the Cornell Station an examination of the soil at the close of 

 an extended drought showed the following percentages of moisture in the first 6 in. 

 ■of soil: Bare gnnind, 6.48 per cent; ground covered with a crop of hairy vetch. 12.15 

 per cent; groimd covered with a crop of cowpeas, 9.30 per cent. 



Mention is made of the influence of earthworms in burrowing in the soil, and some 

 illustrations are given showing how roots of cover crops follow these worm holes 

 down deep into the soil. 



Some figures have been taken from the Canada Experimental Farms Report (E. S. 

 R., 9, p. 825) which show the amount of nitrogen returned to the soil by 3-month- 

 old leguminous crops to be as follows: Alfalfa (stems, leaves, and roots), 136 lbs.; 

 mammoth red clover, 130 lbs.; crimson clover, 104 lbs.; common red I'lover, 87 lbs. 

 At the Cornell Station the amount of nitrogen yielded by a crop of vetch, including 

 vines, leaves, and roots, was 25(>.l lbs. and with cf)Wpeas 52.6 lbs. These figures 

 show the great fertilizing value of these crops in tiie orchard in addition to their use 

 as cover crops. 



