252 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



still 1h' used at a profit with nearly all vegetalile croiys; the yield is increaseil and the 

 (|uality improved l)y the use of 300 to 400 l])s. per acre. 



Fertilizers for special crops, A. F. Woods and K. K. B. McKennky ( V. S. Dept. 

 A(jr. Ycdrhool:, 1902, pp. r>'>-!-572). — A popnlar article dealing with the use of ferti- 

 lizers for roses, violets, carnations, chrysantlieninnis, tomatoes, and lettuce. 



Suitable fertilizers in the cultivation of lettuce, Be.vucaire {Sd. Amcr. Sup., 

 5.') (i:>n.!), No. 1428, p. 228SS; tram, from Le Fho-tplmte) . — An account of the culture 

 of lettuce in washed sterilized sands with (1) no fertilizers, (2) farm manure, (3) 

 complete fertilizer, (4) special complete fertilizer, (5) nitrogen and phosphate, (6) 

 nitrogen and potash, and (7) potassium phosphate. The lettuce in the jiot without 

 fertilizer had sickly yellow leaves and produced no branches, notwithstanding the 

 fact that it was sprinkled with a solution of ferric sulphate. The pots with farm 

 manure and the complete fertilizers ])roduced perfect crops of lettuce. Plants in pot 

 5, without potash, made a poor development of stalk, while in pot 6, without phos- 

 phoric acid, even a less development was made. 



In connnenting upon these results it is stated that lettuce, in order to produce 

 seeds in (juantity, requires a soil rich in nitrogen, and that phosi^horic acid is more 

 useful than potash. Ferric sulphate is also believed to prevent the plants from yel- 

 lowing and to facilitate fructification. A 5 per cent solution is recommended when 

 the fiowers l)egin to appear. 



Garden veg-etables, H. H. Chapman {Minnesota Sta. Bui. SI, p)p. 244-247). — In a 

 review of the work of the Northeast Experiment Farm since its organization in May, 

 1896, an account is given of the growth of certain vegetables, fruits, and shrubs. The 

 2 varieties of w^atermelons that have ripened at the station are Hungarian Honey and 

 Fordhf)ok. It has l)een found necessary to start tomatoes in the greenhouse in order 

 to ripen them before frost. Sweet corn has always matured sufficiently for table use, 

 even the later varieties. Strawberries ripen from July 4 to 20. It is recommended 

 that new beds be set out in the spring in 4-ft. rows and 18 in. apart in the row. 

 Matted rows give the best results. In the fall after the groimd is frozen they should 

 Ije covered 2 to 3 in. deep with straw\ The most satisfactory varieties are Brandy- 

 wine, Clyde, Splendid, Lovett, and Bederwood. 



Raspl)erries and blackberries can l)e successfully grown when trained to hills and 

 bent over and covered with dirt or straw in the fall for Avinter protection. Only the 

 hardiest varieties of apples like Hibernal, Patten Greening, and Duchess can be suc- 

 cessfully grown in the extreme northern counties of the State. Poor success has fol- 

 lowed the setting out of trees on sandy soil. A clay subsoil at not too great a depth 

 is advocated with a northeast slope, but a level or southern slope w'ith suitable soil 

 is better than a northern slope wdth sandy soil. Nearly all varieties of American 

 native plums are hardy. Cheney is the best variety tested. Aitkin is recommended 

 for planting at the same time for pollinating Cheney. 



Vegetable and busli fruits, L. R. Taft and M. L. Dean (Michigan Sta. Bui. 209, 

 pp. 103-122). — Notes are given on the better varieties of pole beans, bush beans, 

 cabbages, lettuce, garden peas, sweet corn, potatoes, tomatoes, raspberries, black- 

 berries, currants, and gooseberries grown at the station during 1902. This work is 

 a continuation of that carried on for a number of years at the station (E. S. R. vol. 

 14, pp. 143). 



New onion culture, T. Greiner {New York: Orange Jndd Co., 1903, rev. and cnl. 

 ed. , pp. 112, Jigs. 52). — This work has been rewritten and considerably enlarged. The 

 bibliograjihy given coptains a very full list of references to experimental work in 

 onion culture done by the agricultural experiment stations. 



A new preserving melon, the "Triamble" {Agr. Gaz. New South Wales, 14 

 {1903), No. 7, p. 5S7). — A description is given of a new preserving melon supposed to 

 be a hybrid betw^een the Rio pumpkin and the common preserving melon. It is 

 stated to be a very heavy cropper, exceedingly hardy, and able to stand dry weather 



