838 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



introduces the liquid into the soil to the depth of from 2 to 3 in. by the employ- 

 ment of a pointed rod. The killing of anise and morning glory is mentioned. 



Polyg-onum (Fagopyrum) tataricum as a weed in buckwheat fields in 

 Volhynia, K. Kamensky {Trudy Bmro Pnkl. Bot. (Bui. Angew. Bot.), 6 

 (1913), Xo. 7, pp. 406, 407). — The appearance of this weed, probably coming 

 from Sibera, is noted. 



Apparatus for taking soil samples, I. Sciiewelew (Trudy Biliro Prlld. Bot. 

 6 (1013), Xo. 7, pp. 441-US, pi, 1). — This describes an apparatus for taking 

 from definite strata of soil samples of a given depth and volume, in which the 

 quantity of weed seeds may be determined. 



HORTICULTURE. 



Report of the horticulturist, J. E. Higgins (Hawaii Sta. Rpt. 1913, pp. 

 22-26, pis. 2). — The horticultural investigations during 1913 were continued 

 along the lines previously noted (E. S. R., 29, p. 234). 



The results of the papaya investigations up to June, 1913, are presented 

 in the bulletin noted on page 841. Among the recent developments in the work 

 with papayas is a disease which is quite new to the station. It appears to be 

 characterized by a wilting of the leaves and a decay of the stem, causing the 

 sudden and entire destruction of the tree. The disease is now being studied by 

 Lyon and Larsen at the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Station and every precau- 

 tion is being taken to prevent its spread. In connection with the change in 

 sex of a papaya tree, brought about at times apparently by cuting back the top 

 of the tree as discussed in the bulletin mentioned, a number of young male 

 trees of a lot in which the females had matured no fruit were subjected to the 

 removal of the growing portion at the end of the stem. In several instances 

 there appears to be a large increase in the number of hermaphrodite flowers in 

 the inflorescence just below the wound, although many of the trees showed no 

 change whatsoever. None became pistillate trees, and it can not be observed 

 that the new branches bear any more hermaphrodite flowers than the original 

 stem. A similar experiment was conducted with 15 male trees which were 

 several years old. Seven of these were cut off about 18 in. above the soil and 

 8 were cut leaving a stem about 41 ft. high. None of these have yet shown 

 any pistillate or hermaphrodite^ flowers. The indications are that old trees 

 should not be cut lower than 4 or 5 ft., since 4 of those cut low have failed to 

 put out any shoots, whereas shoots have grown on all but one of the trees cut 

 high. 



Observations on 2 lots of pineapple seedlings, secured from a single fruit 

 in each case, show a very wide variation, a range in vigor from very weak to 

 very robust, in color of foliage from dark green to bronze, in habit from upright 

 to procumbent, and from very spiny to those which are practically spineless. 

 In order to determine whether differences in the shape of fruit among plants 

 supposedly of the same variety are purely incidental to environmental condi- 

 tions or whether they represent characters which may be transmitted by 

 asexual propagation, plants bearing both square and tapering fruits were se- 

 lected for preliminary experiments in 1910. Measurements of the fruits of 

 the progeny of these plants gathered in 1912 indicate a probable transmission 

 of form characters by asexual propagation. In continuation of this experiment 

 individual plants of marked character are being selected as they are found and 

 the fruit of the progeny from these plants is to be compared with the fruit 

 from the parent plants. 



Experiments to determine the best seasons and methods for the pruning of 

 peach trees in the tropical climate of the lowlands in Hawaii have been con- 



