338 EXPEEIMENT STATION" EECORD. 



Several varieties of pears claimed to be bligbt-proof have been tested at tbe 

 station but eitber the winter or blight quickly killed them. In view of these 

 results work has been conducted to determine whether immunity to blight 

 existed in other members of the pear family and, if so, whether it could be 

 imparted to cultivated pears. Of the various kinds under trial are a form of 

 the Chinese sand pear {Pynis sinensis), grown from seed collected by the 

 author in Siberia, and the birch-leaved pear (P. dctulifolia), a native of north- 

 ern China. These two pears have proved perfectly hardy and quite resistant 

 to blight. They have been used freely in crossing with many of the best cul- 

 tivated pears. A list is given of the resulting varieties which have been sent 

 to several States for testing puriwses with reference to blight resistance and 

 general value. 



The author also briefly describes a field method of hybridizing alfalfa. 



Mushrooms, edible and poisonous. — Publications on culture of mushrooms, 

 D. C. Babcock {Ohio Sta. Circ. 153 {1915), pp. 89-92, figs. 3).— In this circular 

 the author gives a number of rules which should be adhered to in avoiding 

 poisonous mushrooms, calls attention to a few of the more common edible 

 fungi, and gives a list of publications on mushroom identification and culture. 



[Horticultural investigations at the Umatilla experiment farm, Oregon, 

 in 1914], R. W. Allen {U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus., Worlc UmatiUa 

 Expt. Farm, WlJf, pp. 12-18). — Directions are given for the management of 

 hairy vetch as an orchard green manure crop. It has been demonstrated both 

 at the experiment farm and by a number of orchardists that the reseeding 

 method is thoroughly practicable and much cheaper than the annual pui'chase 

 of expensive seed. 



For the purpose of determining the best size of trees to purchase and the 

 height at which they should be cut to give the best results, a number of 1-year- 

 old cherry and pear trees of three sizes were planted in 1912. The large trees 

 were oversize, being 1 in. in diameter and G to 8 ft. tall. The medium-sized lot 

 were 3.5 to 4.5 ft. tall, and the small ones 2 to 3 ft. tall. The large, small, and 

 part of the medium-sized trees were cut off at the usual height of 18 in. when 

 planted. One lot of medium-sized trees was cut at 6 in. above the union and 

 another lot left unpruned. Growth data secured from this experiment during 

 three subsequent seasons and also from general field planting show that as far 

 as the stone fruits are concerned large trees are undesirable for planting on 

 account of the heavy losses that result. It has also been definitely shown that 

 for trees planted on coarse soils better results will be obtained by cutting the 

 trees off close to the union in order to force the first year's growth into a small 

 number of vigorous branches. Trees left standing at full height after planting 

 I'arely survive. The trees topped at 18 in. from the ground quickly put out a 

 large number of small branches, advance slowly, and are difiicult to train. 



Experiments were conducted during the past three years to determine the 

 effect of summer pruning upon the growth and training of fruit trees. The re- 

 sults of this work indicate in general that removing about half the branches 

 from bushy, slow-growing trees and removing the terminal bud of all but 6 or 8 

 of the remaining branches has a tendency to increase the size of weak-growing 

 and bushy trees much faster than by winter pruning alone. This practice is be- 

 lieved to be important for trees on coarse soils whei'e slow growth and early 

 fruiting frequently occur. Heading back rapidly growing trees in summer fol- 

 lowed by a light winter pruning tends to develop the trees more rapidly than 

 the usual method of pruning heavily in winter at the expense of large quantities 

 of wood growth. 



A brief statement of progress is given on cultural and variety tests of fruits 

 and vegetables. The work of testing fruit varieties has been seriously handi- 



