HOETICULTUEE. 149 



consistent with cheapness of cultivation since the space left between 

 the 2-i in. rows is too narrow for cultivation with the ordinary im- 

 plements. 



The effects of doubling and in some instances quadrupling- the essen- 

 tial fertilizer elements in a normal formula, anah'zing 8 per cent of 

 phosphoric acid, 8 per cent of potash, and 4 per cent of nitrogen, and 

 in substituting cotton-seed meal for nitrate of soda, and kainit for 

 muriate of potash in the normal formula were studied. The results 

 are given in tabular form. Substitution of kainit for muriate of pot- 

 ash resulted in an increased yield of oDJ: qts. per acre. Doubling or 

 quadrupling the amount of kainit used in the normal formula de- 

 creased the jnelds. Doubling the amount of nitrate of soda in the 

 normal fornmla was not tinancialh^ profitable. When the normal 

 formula was supplemented in the spring by a dressing of nitrate of 

 soda, the yield was increased l^y about 200 qts. per acre. The substi- 

 tution of cotton-seed meal for nitrate of soda resulted in considerably 

 decreased j^ields. 



Cultural directions reprinted from Bulletin 32 of the Station (E. S. 

 R., 8, p. 785) are appended. 



The absorption of -water by orchids, R. G. Leavitt and R. M. 

 Gray {Amer. Gard., 21 {1900), Nos. 271, jyp. US, U9; 272, ;pp. 168, 

 1G9; 273, jK 186; 27J^,p]}- ^06, 207, fig. i).— The authors made inves- 

 tigations to determine which of the vegetative parts of orchids — leaves, 

 bulbs, stems, bulb scales and roots — are capable of absorbing water, 

 and whether in liquid or gaseous form. 



Leaves of 20 species of orchids were plunged under both warm and 

 cold water and also sprayed in imitation of rain. The experiments 

 were performed in light and in darkness and the submergence lasted 

 from 2 to 6 da3^s. Change in weight was determined by weighing on 

 delicate scales. With thick -leaved species, absolutely no absorption 

 of water took place, however long the submergence. With 6 of the 

 more herbaceous sorts, a slight increase took place after 2 days' sub- 

 mergence, but this was thought to be due to imperfections, such as 

 fungus spots, since when these perforations were sealed with vaseline 

 no further increase in weight took place. Pseudo-bulbs and bulb 

 scales surrounded by wet wrappings of filter paper or cotton or 

 plunged under water failed to absorb appreciable amounts of water. 

 In a similar manner when leaves, pseudo-bulbs, and bulbous stems 

 were exposed in a closed receptacle having an atmosphere nearly sat- 

 urated with water vapor, no increase whatever but instead a decrease 

 in weight followed in every instance. From these results the authors 

 conclude that "leaves and stems do not function as organs for the 

 absorption of water in an}^ form." 



Theories of well-known botanists regarding the absorption of water 

 by orchids are noted in some detail. 



