HORTICULTURE. 217 



Rotation experiments, R. L. Bennett and G. IJ. Ikby {Arkanms Sta. Bui. 27, 

 pp. 1)8-70). — A recortl of the crops of cotton, coin, cowpeas, oats, and. barley grown 

 on 3 plats during 4 years. 



Rotation of crops, D. N. Barkow (Lonisiava Stas. Bid. 28, 2d ser., pp. 960-970). — 

 Brief notes on rotation experiments for which results are not given. 



Crops in Ontario, C. C. James {Ontario Bureau of Industries Bui. 50, pp. 7). — A 

 report on meteorological conditions and on the condition of wheat, barley, oats, rye, 

 com, buckwheat, beans, timothy, clover, roots, jtotatoes, bees and honey, and labor 

 and wages. 



HORTICULTURE. 



Some recent Chinese vegetables, L. II. Bailey [New York Cor- 

 nell /Sta. Bui 67, pp. 175-:ji)l, ;>/,s. :J, Ji(is. 9). 



Synopsis. — Notes on the growing of L3 Chinese vegetables, most of which proved of 

 but little value. The Chinese cabbage, Pe-Tsai, and preserving melon, Zit-kwa, 

 were the most satisfactory. 



In order to determine the value of Chinese vegetables for American 

 gardens, the seeds of nearly every little-known variety grown by the 

 Chinese in the vicinity of New York and Boston were procured, and the 

 plants tested. With few exceptions they were found to be either cru- 

 cifers or cucurbits. 



Of the first the Chinese cabbage, Pe-Tsai (Brassica pe-tsai), gave the 

 best results. It is an annual resembling Giant Cos lettuce, and the 

 head is a long loose roll of soft leaves, the inner ones blanched and 

 very crisp. An average head weighed 3 or 4 lbs. Cooked as cabbage 

 it was milder and sweeter, and served raw, shredded with sugar and 

 vinegar, was excellent. It required to be grown on a w^ell-watered soil. 

 The Pak Choi [B. chiiiensis) is a closely allied species with celery-like 

 leafstalks, and the roots fre([uently enlarge like turnips. 



The "California pepper grass " {B.japoniea) has been grown in Amer- 

 ica some time. It is a low, pretty plant, halfway between a cress and 

 a mustard, and the leaves have a sharp taste. It was found to give a 

 fine flavor to salads or garnishes. The Chinese mustard, or Choi toi 

 [B. juncea), is more widely grown and was desirable for winter greens. 

 The Chinese tuberous-rooted nuistard {B. napiformis) has a conical root 

 3 or 4 in. in diameter, scarcely distinguishable from white turnips in 

 appearance or flavor. 



Of the cucurbits the Chinese preserving melon or Zit-^wn (Betiincasa 

 cerifera), which is also grown in India, and in San Francisco is known 

 as "Chinese watermelon," has a vine resembling that of a hairy musk- 

 melon, and an oblong solid fleshy fruit from 10 to 15 in. in length. It 

 was not relished raw, but much liked in preserves or sweet pickles, 

 and thought worthy of general <jultivation. The La-kwa {Momordica 

 charantica) is a vine bearing oblong tubercled fruit resembling a cucum- 

 ber, inclosing many rounded scarlet masses of pulp, in the centers of 

 which are the seeds. The fruit is gathered before it is ripe, and, either as 

 6210— No. 3 4 



