538 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



had been used was considerably greater tlian where it was omitted. With both 

 the radishes and lettuce nitrate of potash aud nitrate of soda appear to be 

 much superior to muriate of potash and sulphate of ammonia as sources of 

 potash aud nitrogen. 



Carnations were grown in the same kind of subsoil as that used with 

 radishes aud lettuce. The bench was divided into two equal beds. One bed 

 received a complete fertilizer while the other received no nitrogen, the object 

 of the experiment being to ascertain what influence, if anj', would be exerted 

 by the nitrogen upon the tendency of the calyx to split open. The results 

 appear to show that when the house is maintained at the same temperature 

 generous manuring with nitrogen may increase the total number of perfect 

 blooms of one variety of carnations and lessen the number of another variety. 



The French garden, C. D. McKay {London, 1D08, pp. 62, pis. 9). — A brief 

 I)ractical treatise on the intensive cultural methods employed by French market 

 gardeners including data relative to crop rotations and working instructions 

 for each month in the year. The work is issued with a view of introducing 

 French methods among P^nglish gardeners. 



Orchard cover crops, W. S. Thornber (Washington Sta. Popular Bui. 8, 

 pp. .'/). — A popular discussion of the value of orchard cover crops with sugges- 

 tions for planting and plants to use. 



Fruit marketing' investig-ations in 1907, J. E. Higgins {Hawaii Sta. Press 

 Bui. 21. pp. 27. flfj. ]). — The practical results for 1907 of fruit marketing inves- 

 tigations which have been conducted by the station for the past 4 years (E. S. R., 

 19. p. 338) are given and subjects relating to transportation, markets, and ov- 

 ganization for market purposes are discussed. 



On August 14 a carload of pineapples and avocados was shipped from Hawaii 

 to Chicago. The pineapples were sorted and repacked in San Fi-ancisco, but 

 the avocados were not repacked. The fruits were placed in a refrigerated car, 

 arriving in Chicago, August 31. and were marketed September 3. The pine- 

 apples were in good condition, the loss being less than 1 per cent. The avocados 

 were in good condition for immediate consumption, but hardly firm enough for 

 the market. It is believed that if avocados are perfectly hard when taken 

 from the steamer, they will arrive in Chicago in the sameconditiou. It appears 

 thus far that papaias will not endure a long journey by rail, after reaching the 

 mainland. 



Hay and excelsior were again compared for packing pineapples in crates. 

 The fruit was preserved equally well in both materials, but the excelsior makes 

 a better appearance. The keeping quality of pineapples from . different fields 

 continues to show a wide variation and emphasizes the importance of soil 

 studies and fertilizer experiments in relation to the keeping qualities of the 

 fruit. 



The results from sliipping long and short stem fruits confirm those previously 

 reported. On fruits showing a great tendency to decay in transit the part savetl 

 by cutting long stems averaged 17 per cent of the whole. The difterence in 

 favor of long stems as compared with stems broken off at the natural joint was 

 over 46 per cent. 



The value of wrapping each fruit in paper was again brought out, the average 

 difference in favor of the wrapped fruit being about 6.6 per cent. Fruits that 

 were cut with long stems and also wrapped in paper showed an average saving 

 of 22.37 per cent of the whole as compared with short stem fruits packed with- 

 out paper. 



There appears to be no constant advantage in favor of carrying pineapples on 

 either the orlop deck or the after deck of the ship. The need of furnishing 

 transportation facilities equipped to handle fruit in all weather is pointed out. 



