HOKTICULTURE. 143 



well rotted horse manure to 900 lbs. of 14 per cent dissolved phosphate rock and 

 200 lbs. of sulphate of potash. 



" Parallel beds, covered respectively with glass and muslin, were otherwise 

 treated alike. Under glass, the seed germinated one day the earlier, but after 

 six weeks the muslin covered plants were slightly the larger." 



A test of varieties of wheat, C. F, Noll {Pennsylvania Sta. Rpt. 19 IS, pp. 

 47~o5). — This article is essentially the same as Bulletin 12.5 already noted 

 (E. S. R., 30, p. 342). 



Report of seed examination, C. F. Noll {Pennsylvania Sta. Rpt. 1912, pp. 

 40-56). — This report deals with the analyses and germination tests made from 

 January, 1900. to June 1, 1912, particularly with red clover, alsike clover, 

 timothy, and alfalfa seed. The average purity and germination percentages for 

 the four years are given as 97.1 and 89.7, respectively, for red clover, 95 and 

 SG.G for alsike clover, 9S.3 and 92.5 for timothy, and 95.2 and 87.9 for alfalfa. 



State seed inspection and weed control, 1914, A. L. Stone {Wisconsin Sta. 

 Bui. 254 {1915), pp. 3-39, fiys. 2S).— This bulletin discusses the method of weed 

 control as carried out in Wisconsin and notes the great benefit derived from its 

 enforcement. Results of analyses of 370 samples of seed are given, with descrip- 

 tions and illustrations of 25 kinds of weed seeds. A synopsis of the state seed 

 law is included. 



HORTICTJLTUKE. 



[Report of horticultural investig-ations] , M. A. Blake and C. H. Connoes 

 (New Jersey Stas. Rpt. 1914, pp. 40-75, Sl-84, j)ls. i^).— The work was con- 

 tinued along much the same lines as reported for 1913 (E. S. R., 32. p. 534). 

 An article by C. H. Connors discusses some abnormal forms of plant growth, 

 including phyllody of the corolla in the dahlia, Lucretia dewberry, and the 

 ' spotted calla ; double flowers in the tomato ; petalody of the sepal in roses ; the 

 rate of growth of roses as indicated in the form of the leaves; malformed rose- 

 buds ; and malformation of buds due to cyanid fumigation. 



In June, 1909, an experiment with My Maryland roses was undertaken to 

 study the effect of different amounts of potash upon roses. The soil used was a 

 normally prepared greenhouse soil and each plat contained 15 sq. ft. of bench 

 surface and was set with 15 plants. The different potash treatments were as 

 follows: No i>otash, 1 gm. of high-grade sulphate of potash weekly, 2 gm. weekly, 

 {lud 5 gm. weekly. Each plat also received 272 gm. ground limestone, 204 gm. 

 acid phosphate, 54 gm. bone meal, and 50 gm. of dried blood mixed with the soil 

 before the plants were benched. Concentrated tankage at the rate of 27 gm. 

 per month was applied to each plat after the plants were established. Thirteen 

 crops of roses were cut from these plats from June, 1909, to November, 1912. 

 The plat receiving 2 gm. of potash weekly produced during this time 47 more 

 flowers than the plat receiving 5 gm. of potash weekly. Taking the grades of 

 flowers into consideration, the 5-gm. plat did as well as the 2-gm. plat. There 

 was very little difference between the check plat and the 1-gm. plat, the latter 

 excelling the check plat by 11 flowers in the fancy grade. The results as a whole 

 apparently indicate that for the first two years a good red shale loam with 20 

 per cent of composted cow manure contains sufficient potash to supply the needs 

 of My Maryland roses. The experiment also indicates that relatively large 

 amounts of iwtash in the form of high-grade sulphate may be applied to roses 

 without any danger of injury in the presence of sufficient quantity of lime. 

 Large quantities of potash did not appear to increase the color or the general 

 quality of the flowers. To make certain that sufficient amounts of potash are 

 present in soils used for more than one season for forcing roses, it is suggested 



