HORTICULTURE. 35 



tiling the plants has had no beneficial effect. Better results have been secured from 

 freqnenl cultivation than from mulching. The most valuable sorts tor culture appear 

 to be Dwarf Erfurt and Snowball types, with Algiers for late in the season. 



Early varieties of eggplants can be successfully grown in Maine, the requisite foi 

 success being early sowing, \ igorous plants, late removal to the field, and warm, rich 

 soil. Several crosses have been made between white-fruited and black-fruited t\ pes, 

 hut nothing of permanent value has hern produced. The white-fruited types 

 appeared to be stronger than the purple in their power t«» transmit form and 

 productiveness. 



[n the case of radishes, 30 to 50 per cenl more first-class roots have been secured 

 from large seed than from small seed of the same lot. Subwatering increased the 

 yield of first-class radishes 12 to 15 percent in the greenhouse over surface watering. 

 The loss from damping off was also greater on the surface-watered beds than on the 

 Bubirrigated. The crop matured earlier and was of better quality when grown with 

 B night temperature of 60° than when gro\* n at a lower temperature. 



In greenhouse work it has been found that one good man with occasional help 

 should he able to do all the work in houses covering 4,000 sq. ft. of ground surface. 

 "In general, solid beds are advocated for plants requiring no bottom heat, Buch as 

 cauliflower, lettuce, and radishes, while for semitropical plants, lik«- melons, beans, 

 and tomatoes, benches are preferred." steam heat for targe houses and hot water 

 for small houses are recommended. 



Relative to fruit growing, it is believed that the opportunities in this line are greater 

 than in any other line of commercial horticulture in Maine. With apples it has 

 been found that in the case of the < Jravensteins the number of trees producing some 

 fruit was nearly 50 percent greater when cultivation was practiced than when the 

 land was mulched, while the average yield was as ~'2 and 59, respectively. The rise 

 of potash in different forms as a preventive of apple scab has given only negative 

 results. Cultivation has had a marked beneficial effect in the renovation of the 

 orchards. 



In spraying experiments the amount of wormy fruit has been decreased by the use 

 of arsenicals. Paris green has injured foliage less than London purple or white 

 arsenic. While a pound of Paris green to 250 gal. of water reduced the amount of 

 wormy fruit, a strength of a pound to 100 gal. of water was required to kill the tent 

 caterpillar. Spraying with Paris green greatly lessened the number of windfalls anil 

 the proportion of wormy fruit among the windfalls. 



With the laiger part of the wormy fruit from sprayed trees the wormholes were 

 at the side or base of the fruit, while in the case of fruit from unspraved trees more 

 worms entered at the calyx end. Three applications of ammoniacal solution of cop- 

 per carbonate proved sufficient to control the apple scab fungus and resulted in sav- 

 ing 52 per ient of the crop, though the foliage and fruit were slightly injured. The 

 most satisfactory and effective fungicide, however, is the Bordeaux mixture. 



The improvement of blueberries by crossing, selection, etc., is under way at the 

 station. 



In the plant-breeding work evidence has been obtained which indicates that "the 

 secondary results of crossing may be of fully as much importance as are directly 

 inherited qualities. Among these secondary effects are the possible immediate 



influence of pollen upon the mother plant; the stimulating effect of pollen upon 

 the ovary, and the influence of varying amounts of pollen." 



Report of the Upper Peninsula Substation for 1904 [Horticulture], L. M. 

 Geibmab (Michigan sin. Spec. Bui. SI, pp. V8S6). — A detailed accounl is given of 

 experiments at the station in the culture and tot- of a number of varieties i >f garden 

 peas, beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, muskmelons, watermelons, tomatoes, cabbage, 

 cauliflower, eelery, onions, leek-. Balsify, kale, collards, lettuce, spinach, radishes, 



