HORTICULTURE. 251 



Asparagus growing- in Arkansas, E. W'ai.ku: I Arkansas Sta. Bui. 86, pp. 81 

 $6). — Asparagus is very little grown in Arkansas, only 1 acre being credited to thai 

 state by the United states Census of L900, and the author believes it should be 

 Jjroughl more extensively into use. Detailed directions are given for cultivating 

 asparagus for the home and market, with suggestions for the control of insect pests 

 ami fungus diseases. 



Asparagus and salt, E. Walker [Arkansas Sta. Bui. 86, pp. 81 86). In order 

 to determine the value of salt in asparagus culture, one-half <>t' a bed of i varieties of 

 asparagus covering a total of one-seventh of an acre was fertilized with -alt at the 

 rate of 1,000 lbs. per acre. 



The asparagus field was in its second year at the time the experiment was Btarted. 

 No cutting was done during that season, hut as far a- could he seen there was no 

 appreciable effect of the salt upon the growth of the plants nor in preventing the 

 growth of weeds. The following spring the portion <>t' the plal which had receive! 

 salt the preceding summer was again salted and this time at the rate of 2 lhs. per 

 square yard applied in l* equal applications at interval- of 20 days. 



With each variety larger stalks ami an increased yield were secured w here the salt 

 was applied, the average increase being L3.5 per cent in favor of the salted area. 

 Not only was the growth increased in the Bpring, hut there was also an increased 

 vL'or manifested in the plants throughout the summer, and a ootably increased 

 glaucous appearance in the salted plants. The salt was entirely effective in prevent- 

 ing the growth of weeds. <>u the salted area without any hoeing hut feu weeds 

 Appeared, and those late in the season. On the unsalted area weeds appeared in 

 abundance as the season advanced. 



The author believes that while the beneficial action of the salt may he attributed 

 in part to its effect in preventing weeds, in the sandy soil, upon which the experiment 

 wa> conducted, there was an effect and beneficial action beyond this. While in 

 modern methods of Held culture salt may not be especially useful, it i- believed that 

 for the small garden patch where intensive culture is practiced it may answer a very 

 useful purpose, especially in keeping down weeds. 



The author has used asparagus along division and hack fences, where it serves the 

 iouble purpose of ornament and use. In such loeations he has also found salt 

 beneficial. 



Onions and bunch crops at Beeville, .1. K. Robertson and E. ( '. Greek 

 i T, tas Sta. />'"/. 77, pp. 28, ji<j-<. 1-}). — Experiments are reported on the culture of 

 onions with and without irrigation, and of beets, radishes, lettuce, carrots, and 

 turnip- for bunching for the early market. With each crop tests of varieties were 

 al.-o made. The growing of early garden crops for northern markets i- rapidly 

 developing in south Texas. 



Onions (pp. 4-14). — With this crop the seed was sown in beds and the onions 

 transplanted to the field when they had attained suitable size. Thrips, which seri- 

 ■QSly affected the onions in the sce<l bed, were kept under control by spraying with 

 whale-oil soap used at the rate of 2 lhs. dissolved in »i gal. of water. At Betting out 

 time the tops of the onions were trimmed to about 5 in. and the roots cut back to 



ahout u.7"> in. Eight cultivations were given. In addition the unirrigated plat 

 received one hoeing. 



Level cultivation was practiced and at no time was it deeper than 1.5 in. The 

 irrigated plat received 1 irrigations in addition to the preparatory one which was 

 given to both irrigated and unirrigated plat- alike. A mixed fertilizer containing 5 

 per cent nitrogen, 6 per cent phosphoric acid, and it per cent potash was applied at 

 the rate of 500 1!,-. per acre and worked in each side of the row in March. 



On one-twentieth of an acre the irrigated plat yielded 1,928 lhs., of which only L' 

 lhs. were unmarketable. The unirrigated plat of the same area yielded 987.4 lbs., of 

 which 12 lhs. was unmarketable. These yields are at the rate of 676.5 bu. and 350 



