338 EXPERIMENT STATION KECORD. 



the average results of examinations of clovers, trefoil, and grasses since 1876. 

 Of the grasses, timothy possessed the highest record of purity and germination, 

 98 and 93 per cent, respectively. The germinating tests ran as low as 0, with 

 the lowest purity record at 5.5 per cent. One hundred, and forty-nine varieties 

 of seeds have been tested since the establishment of the station, and 171 firms 

 are under special contract with the station for the examination of their seeds. 



HORTICTJLTURE. 



[Fruit and vegetable tests at the Yuma Experiment Farm in 1912], 

 W. A. Peterson (U. 8. Dept. Affr., Bur. Plant Indus. Circ. 126, pp. 21-2Jf, figs. 

 2). — Both figs and dates are being tested in considerable numbers on the farm. 

 Three thousand date seedlings of desirable varieties have been planted, together 

 with offshoots from 15 varieties of imported date palms. The difliculty which 

 was experienced in getting transplanted offshoots to grow has been largely over- 

 come by planting the offshoots in soil having good drainage and then irrigating 

 every other day during the summer months. In the work with figs more than 

 1,000 seedling crosses between the Smyrna and common varieties of figs have 

 been planted in orchard form with the object of securing some new varieties 

 possessing the excellent qualities of the Smyrna but not reiiuiring pollination 

 through the agency of the Blastophaga. The minimum temperature of 16° F. 

 killed nearly all the seedling figs to the ground during the winter of 1911-12. 

 The seedlings were carried through the winter of 1912 successfully, however, 

 by withholding irrigation water from the fig orchard from about the first of 

 August, thus preventing late growth. 



Most of the varieties of vegetables recommended for planting in the South- 

 west have been successfully grown when planted during the proper season. A 

 test of 3 species of eucalypts in the overflow land between the levees of the 

 Colorado River is resulting successfully. All 3 species have done well notwith- 

 standing a 3-ft. overflow and extremes in temperature, varying from 16 to 

 120° F. The general planting in this region of small acreages of eucalypts for 

 fence posts and fuel, as weU as for ornamental purposes, appears to be war- 

 ranted. 



The horticultural industry at Ghent, R. Delmotte (Rev. Boon. Internat., 

 10 (1913), II, No. 1, pp. 7-28). — An ac-count of the history and evolution of 

 horticulture in the vicinity of Ghent, Belgium. 



[Vegetables at Wisley] (Jour. Roy. Hort. 8oc. [London], 38 (1913), No. 3, 

 pp. 561-581, pi. 1). — Brief descriptive notes are given of various kinds of 

 melons, potatoes, vegetable marrows, and miscellaneous vegetables tested at the 

 Wisley Gardens in 1912. 



Cauliflower and cabbage cultivation, A. J. Pinn (Dept. Affr. N. 8. Wales, 

 Farmers' Bui. 68, 1913, pp. 20, figs. 9). — A popular treatise on cultural methods, 

 with special reference to conditions in New South Wales. A separate discus- 

 sion of the insect pests of these crops, by W. W. Froggatt, is included. 



Preliminary report on winter cauliflower, G. L. Tiebout (Louisiana 8tas. 

 Bui. HO, pp. 19, figs. 2). — ^A report on the culture and marketing of winter 

 cauliflower, based upon cultural experiments conducted by the station. The 

 following phases are discussed. : Climate and soils, seed, varieties, preparing the 

 soil, sowing the seed in seed beds and in the field, transplanting and planting 

 operations, fertilizing, cultivating, blanching, harvesting, trimming, grading, 

 packing, shipping, yields, profits, markets, and insects. 



Cliicory, V. Grafe (Monatsh. Landw., 6 (1913), No. 5, pp. 133-143).— Ati 

 account of the chicory plant with reference to its botany, culture, composition, 



