150 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Ill one experiment with orcliid roots the roots were kept in a box 

 where the atmosphere had a nearl}" constant water-vapor-saturation 

 content of 95 per cent. "The cut ends of the roots were g'enerally 

 sealed. The roots were sometimes partiall}^ dried out before exposure 

 in the box, and sometimes taken from unwatcred plants and put 

 into the box directly. The trials lasted from 2 to 4 da3's, but in sev- 

 eral cases much longer." Roots from 24 species were used in the test. 

 The roots continuallv decreased in weight and finally shriveled and 

 died, thus showing that water vapor was not taken up, though present 

 in more copious amounts than usuall}' occur in nature. "Other roots 

 taken from the same plants at the same time and kept in the same box 

 but supplied with liquid water remained green, plump, and vigorous, 

 long after the first were quite dead. This shows that death came from 

 lack of water, not from being severed from the plant." 



Plants hung in the greenhouse, where the humidity' rarely if ever 

 went below 80 per cent, and not watered for 2 months, produced new 

 shoots and new roots but steadily decreased in weight. In another 

 test, where the water evaporated by the leaves and stem of an orchid 

 was absorbed by calcium chlorid wtile the roots were kept in a damp 

 box having a humidit}^ saturation of 95 per cent, the orchids constantly 

 lost in weight through the roots, and the plants drooped for want of 

 water. 



The results obtained in these experiments are believed to show that 

 if water absorption by aerial roots takes place at all the function is of 

 minor importance. 



Report of Beeville Station on cabbage and cauliflower, B. C. Pittuck and 

 S. A. McHexry {Tc.raaStd. Bui. 52, }>p. 42-52). — Notes on the germination, growth, 

 yield, character, and quality of 35 varieties of caljbage and 8 varieties of canliflower. 

 From the results of repeated tests the following varieties of cabbage are recom- 

 mended, in the decreasing order of their importance: 



Early varieties. — Early Jersey Wakefield, Early Winningstadt, Maule Winningstadt. 

 Medium early varieties. — Improved Early Summer, Chase Early, Stein Early Flat 

 Dutch, Fottler Short Stem, Danish Ball Head. Late varieties. — Lauderback All Year, 

 Autumn King, Burpee Sure Head, Frotscher Superior Large Late Flat Dutch, St. 

 Denis (small), French Market (medium size). Crescent City Large Flat Dutch. 



The following early varieties of cauliflower, suited to the southwest section of 

 Texas, are recommended: Le Normand Short Stem, and Henderson Early Snowljall; 

 for late planting. Late Italian Giant. 



Bermuda onions {Amer. Garcl, 21 {1900), No. 282, p. 343, fig. i).— Descriptive of 

 the growing and marketing of Bermuda onions. The land is enriched with well 

 rotted cow or pig manure. The seed is sown in September and the crop harvested 

 from January to May. A rigid system of inspection covers all shipments to the 

 United States. 



Nitrate of soda in vegetable culture, RoMnAi'T and Simon {Belg. Horl. e' 

 Ayr., 12 {WOO), Nos. 2, pp. 21, 22; 3, pp. 3S, .S'5).— Effect of nitrate of soda on the pro- 

 duction of potatocH, rhubarb, and tomatoes. 



Market gardening, H. R. Kinxev {Massachvsetis State Bd. Ayr. Rpt. 1899, pp. 

 86-112). — Suggestive and i)ractical paper on market gardening, dealing with hotl)eds, 

 vegetable-storage cellar, soils, manures, and the culture of different vegetables. 



