HORTICULTURE, 145 



carrots on the ground occupied by early cabbage and by turnips and cabbage on 

 the ground first occupied by potatoes. A detailed account is given of the work 

 together with the results secured. Taking the crops as a whole, the yields 

 from chemicals supi)lemented by cover crops were equal to those obtained from 

 stable manure. The potatoes were the only crop which gave a slightly larger 

 yield from stable manure. Similar work was continued with onions, spinach, 

 and lettuce in 11XI7. The season was cold and backward, however, and only 

 the spinach germinated promptly. The spinach grew decidedly quicker on the 

 chemical plats, as may be expected in a cool season unfavorable for the action 

 of the soil organisms in the stable manure. 



A test was made of different methods of planting muskmelons with the par- 

 ticular object of seeing whether it was possible to grow a crop in spite of the 

 melon blight. The ground was plowed early in May and lime applied and har- 

 rowed in at the rate of 1 ton per acre. The experimental plat was divided into 

 3 sections. In the first 2 sections stable manure was placed in the partly filled 

 furrows, which were then ridged up, and in section 3 the manure was placed 

 in the bottom of the furrow, after which the soil was leveled oft". Seeds were 

 sown on parts of each section and the remainder was planted with potted plants. 

 The tabular results show that the largest melons were obtained from the trans- 

 l^lanted plants, and that a larger proportion were obtained somewhat earlier. 

 A better yield was also obtained from the section in which the manure was 

 placed in the bottom of the furrow and covered, leaving the ground level, than 

 from the sections in which the melons were grown on ridges. The number and 

 average diameter of mature and green melons found on each section at .the end 

 of the season are given. Taking equal length of row, the yield showed 637 

 melons from transplanted plants and 799 from seed plants. The transplanted 

 plants, however, were set 2 ft. apart in the row, while the seedling plants were 

 nuich closer. Blight aijpeared upon the melons about the end of August and the 

 vines were given 4 successive sprayings a week apart with Bordeaux mixture. 

 Compared with the behavior of melon plants elsewhere the same season, 

 spraying appeared to hold the blight somewhat in check. 



Detiiiled notes were made on the strawberries in fruit during the season. 

 Descriptions and scales of points are given for a few of the most promising 

 seedlings. Very few of the named varieties gave satisfactory yields. The 

 Gowen Seedling and Latest were the best. 



An attempt has been made for several years to improve the production of 

 strawberries by selecting and breeding from the most productive parents. A 

 summary is given of the results since 1899. The results have not been satis- 

 factory, however. " The difficulties which have appeared have seemed to more 

 than offset the possible advantage which might accrue by always selecting the 

 most productive parents." 



To determine if possible the influence of using scions procured from bearing 

 trees of known quality and productiveness, a number of Northern Spy trees 

 were i)lanted in the spring of 1898 and top grafted in the following year with 

 selected scions of Rhode Island Greening. Comparisons will be made when 

 the trees come into fruiting with ordinary nursery grown trees. Other tests 

 with apples are also being conducted to determine the influence of stock upon 

 scion, and a summary is given of the work to date. 



Records are given of the blooming periods of several varieties of apples, 

 pears, peaches, and plums in the station orchard for the years 1904, 1905, and 

 1907, together with brief notes upon a few varieties of peaches which have 

 fruited on the college grounds. Notes are also given on several miscellaneous 

 breeding experiments with fruits. 



