146 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Observations weiv made in the uutuuiu of JliOG uu tlie college vineyard posts, 

 which were variously treated in 1903 with a view of adding to their durability 

 (E. S. II., 10, p. nO). The posts treated with carbolineum were making the 

 best showing. In some cases the outside surface was still quite firm. Charred 

 posts and those treated with coal tar ranked next in their condition and were 

 equally well preserved. Very little difference could be detected in the treat- 

 ments with pine tar, lime, or copperas and lime. The outer wood ring was 

 more or less decayed in all cases and in the untreated posts was entirely gone. 

 No difference was noted between the posts set with the top end down and those 

 with the bottom end down. 



Northern Spy trees were planted in 1898 with a view of testing the influence 

 of methods of pruning at planting time upon the subsequent growth. The trees 

 planted included 2-year whips, 2-year branched trees trimmed to a whip when 

 set, 2-year trees with branches cut back one-half and the leader untouched, 

 2-year trees untrimmed, and trees with the roots untrimmed, cut back half, and 

 cut back by the Stringfellow method, leaving only a mere stump. In the 3 

 latter lots the branches were cut back about one-half, leaving the leader 

 untouched. Trees were also planted by the Stringfellow method with the roots 

 cut back to a mere stump 1 or 2 in. long, and the tops cut back to a stub about 

 1 ft. long. Very little difference has resulted from the different methods of 

 treatment, except in the case of the untrimmed trees cut back to whips when 

 set, in which the tendency has been to develop a tall, leggy growth with small 

 tops. The trees which were not trimmed at all when planted are in good 

 shape, and the results seem to indicate that in the moist Rhode Island climate 

 no more trinuning is desirable for apple trees at planting time than is necessary 

 to enable the tree to start into growth well. 



The cultivation and handling of goldenseal, Alice Henkel and G. F. 

 Klugh (U. »S'. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Circ. 6, pp. 19, figs. 7). — ^A revision 

 of Bureau of Plant Industry Bulletin 51, pt. 6 (E. S. R., 16, p. 747), dealing with 

 the identification and geographical distribution of goldenseal, the conditions 

 under which it grows, the collection and preparation of the root, the cultural 

 requirements, and the yield of roots. The question of supply and demand and 

 the ]K)ssil)i]ities of goldenseal as a cultivated crop are also discussed. 



An analysis of roots grown for 6 successive seasons by the Department showed 

 a hydrastin content of 2.98 per cent, whereas the Pharmacopoeia calls for only 

 2.50 per cent. Cultivation appears to influence the hydrastin content princi- 

 pally in the development of a normal high percentage of healthy well-nourished 

 roots. 



Marketing the muskmelon, J. W. Lloyd {Illinois Sta. Bui. 12-'i, pp. 295-322, 

 figs. i.J). — The results are here given of studies conducted by the station for 

 several years relative to the marketing of muskmelons. Consideration is briefly 

 given to the market demands with reference to types of melons and packages, 

 together with a detailed account of the most approved method of handling the 

 crop, including i)icking, grading, packing, construction of packing sheds, and 

 the organization of the working force. The various methods of selling the crop 

 are also discussed. 



Notes on Brassica crosses, A. W. Sutton (Ganl. Chron., 3. ser., J/S (1908), 

 No. 1100, pp. 58, 59, figs. 9). — Extracts fi'om a paper on this subject read before 

 the Linnean Society. January, 190S, with illustrations and descriptions of 

 various ci'osses made. 



The author conuuenced a series of experiments in 1900 to detei'mine to what 

 extent different members of the Brassica family could be seeded close to one 

 another without danger of crossing. Various forms of B. oleracea were grown 

 side by side and many nondescript hybrids were secured, the majority of which 



