342 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol. 41 



Some profitable and unprofitable eotfee lands, T. B. McClelland (J'orto 

 Rico Sta. Bui. 21 (1919), ISijaniiih Ed., pi). 15, pis. 2, figs. 5). — A Spanish edition 

 of the bulletin previously noted (E. S. K., 37, p. 43). 



Effect of different methods of transplanting coffee, T. B. McClelland 

 {Porto Rico Sta. Bui. 22 {1919), Spanish Ed., pp. 12, pi. 1). — A Spanish edition 

 of the bulletin previously noted (E. S. R., 37, p. 649). 



[Report on date investigations], II. H. Forces {Arizona Sta. Rpt. 1917, pp. 

 44^-451). — A review of crop conditions in the date orchards in 1915 and 1916, 

 including information on present methods of ripening, packing, and marl^eting 

 the crop. A statement of sales for the graded crop of a few leading varieties 

 is given, together with a summary, by varieties, prepared by F. H. Simmons, of 

 date crops borne at the Tempe orchard in 1915 and 1916. The summary is 

 accompanied by brief notes on the quality and behavior of the different varie- 

 ties for the two seasons. 



Acting on the observations of San Francisco dealers, who found that the 

 dates kept well in dry, cold storage, crates of different varieties of dates were 

 packed for shipment and then placed in dry, cold storage in Phoenix at a tem- 

 perature of 36 to 38° F. The date of storage was September 20, 1916, and the 

 samples were examined at various times during a period of 14 months. The 

 results as here tabulated show that all of the 10 varieties tested except 1, 

 Hayany, kept well until February, and 1 variety, Iteem Joher, rich in sugar, 

 kept perfectly for 14 months. The llhars variety kept fairly well for this time 

 also. These observations indicated that many varieties of dates may be har- 

 vested and held in storage for sale as fresh fruit, thereby avoiding overstocked 

 markets. 



A further experiment with the Hayany crop iu 1917 was conducted by evap- 

 orating several samples of fresh fruit to 90, 80, 70, and 60 per cent of the fresh 

 weight, and then putting them in dry, cold storage at about 34 to 36°. The 

 results of examinations indicate that the fruit of this variety would have kept 

 well at about 85 per cent of its fresh weight; while at 70 to 80 per cent it 

 kept perfectly and was of superior quality after three months of storage. 



In view of the very high percentage of mortality among date palm suckers 

 distributed to individuals, distribution of suckers has been discontinued for 

 the present, and suckers are now being rooted by the new method developed 

 by the U. S. Department of Agriculture in the Coachella Valley (E. S. R., 

 36, p. 142.) 



[Report of date breeding experiments], G. F. Freeman and W. E. Bryan 

 {Arizona Sta. Rpt. 1917, p. J^55). — Breeding work was started several years ago 

 by the senior author, with si^ecial reference to securing Deglet Noor seedlings 

 true to type. The orchard of seedling Deglet Noor dates planted at the 

 Tempe Date Garden in 1912, bloomed and bore fruit for the first time in 1917. 

 Forty-nine out of 235 trees bloomed, 22 of which were females and 27 males. 

 Twenty-one females bore fruit ; of these 10 bore fruit as light in color as the 

 female parent, whereas the other 11 had fruits which were deep red when 

 matured and black when ripe. 



This indicates that the Deglet Noor variety is homozygous for the light 

 colored fruit, whereas the Deglet Noor male seedlings used as a parent iu 

 this cross had for a male parent some dark colored date. It would also 

 appear that the dark color of certain dates is a unit character. 



As to quality of fruit, date of ripening, and response to the stimulus of 

 heat in artificial ripening these seedlings varied widely. The quality was for 

 the most part poor, although thex-e wore one or two rather promising trees, 

 indicating that an amply sufficient number may be found among the 235 trees 

 well worthy of selection as stocks for further breeding studies. 



