1046 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



growth of leaves. The results are stated as follows: The inulin, which is the prin- 

 cipal reserve material of chicory roots, decreases notably in the production of second- 

 growth leaves. The nitrogenous material, both albuminoid and nonalbuminoid, 

 undergoes no appreciable modification during the growth of the secondary leaves. 

 These are transported from the mother root to the growing product, but there is no 

 transformation of amid bodies into albuminoids. In the production of the foliage 

 only a small portion of the phosphoric-acid content in the mother root is used, but a 

 considerable portion of the potash. 



Pollination of cucumbers, O. S^chmeiss [MolUr'a Devi. Gart. Zfg., 16 {1901), No. 

 SO, p. £4'£).- — Contrary to the author's usual practice, the hand pollination of cucum- 

 ber blossoms in the forcing house was not found necessary, good fruits being secured 

 without it. 



A guide to the cultivation, harvesting, and marketing of the ginseng 

 plant {Neir York: Crovell d' Kirkjxitrick Co., 190.?, pp. 5£,figs. 9). — This is largely a 

 compilation of different works on ginseng i-ultivation. Besides the cultivation, har- 

 vesting, and marketing of ginseng, it contains some notes on the history, botany, and 

 uses of the plant. A list of buyers and growers of ginseng is appended. 



Stable manure and nitrogenous chemical fertilizers for forcing lettuce, 

 S. A. Be.\ch and H. Hasselbrixg (AVw York State Sta. Bid. '208, pp. 307-342, ph. 10).— 

 The results of earlier work by the station in forcing lettuce with different combina- 

 tions of fertilizers and on different soils have been previously noted (E. S. R., 10, 

 p. 957). In the present account the results of work in forcing lettuce from 1898 to 

 1901 are recorded. The experiments were carried out in the forcing house, using 

 boxes 15 by 15 by 8 in. inside. Four lettuce plants were grown in each box. Both 

 a medium clay loam and a rather light sandy loam were used, and the experi- 

 ments with the different fertilizers were made in duplicate with these 2 soils. An 

 excess of phosphoric acid and potash over the requirements of the plants was used 

 m the soi. of each box. The problems studied were the comparative values for 

 lettuce forcing of the nitrogenous fertilizers — dried blood, nitrate of soda, dried blood 

 and nitrate of soda combined, and sulphate of ammonia. These fertilizers were 

 used alone in the different boxes and combined with well-rotted horse manure. The 

 first year the stable manure in the different boxes constituted 5, 10, 15, and 20 per 

 cent by weight of the soil used, and the following years these same percentages in 

 bulk were used. In other boxes without commercial fertilizers, stable manure con- 

 stituted 33^ per cent of the soil. Grand Rapids and Rawson Hothouse varieties of 

 lettuce were used. The' results secured are reported in a series of taV)les and discus- 

 sions, showing the weight of the crop secured with each fertilizer on the different 

 soils and with th different amounts of stable manure. 



When the commercial fertilizers were used alone considerably better results were 

 secured than when no fertilizers were used, but they did not force the crop rapidly 

 enough to maturity to be profitable. The nitrate of soda generally gave better 

 results on the clay loam than the other commercial fertilizers, but on the sandy loam 

 it was not as beneficial as dried blood. The addition of lime to the nitrate of soda 

 increased the yield on the sandy loam, but decreased the crop on the clay loam. 

 The results with the other fertilizers when used without manure were variable in the 

 different years, but drie blood generally gave the best results on the sandy soil. 



When manure was added to the conunercial fertilizers much better yields were 

 secured than without it, and these yields were proportionately much l)etter with the 

 5 and 10 per cent applications than with the 15 and 20 per cent applications. Of the 

 various commercial fertilizers used with the 5 and 10 per cent applications of stable 

 manure, the yields with dried blood in 16 out of 20 tests were better than the yields 

 with nitrate of soda, and better in 7 out of 10 tests than with sulphate of ammonia. 

 In 11 tests tlie yields were better than with a combination of dried blood and nitrate 

 of soda, while in 9 tests the reverse was true. The general conclusions are drawn 



