244 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



did not hold the blooms so well. Good results were obtained in the 

 open-air forcing- of several varieties of lilacs, Pninus triloba^ and 

 Viburnum. "'"No practical results have been reached in the etheriza- 

 tion of bulbs before the formation of the roots. It seems to be 

 dependent upon the fact that these structures, if etherized before the 

 roots are formed, are retarded." The beech was considerably retarded 

 in its development bv etherization. After the resting period, etheriza- 

 tion seems to have no influence upon the development except perhaps 

 to slightly hinder the growth of the shoots. As to the effect of ether- 

 ization on the color of the flowers, the author states that with lilacs 

 the color was weaker than in untreated specimens. With an exposure 

 of only 24 hours to the ether, the growth was not so rapid and the 

 color deeper. 



"To develop strong colors, the plants [lilacs] should be placed in temperatures of 

 50 to 54° F. Very beautifully colored flowers have been produced at higher temper- 

 atures on Andenken and Louis Spiith. . . . Splendidly developed flowers, pure 

 white, on Marly Rouge have been obtained by growing etherized specimens of the 

 plant at 62 to 72° F. in full light. Specimens of the same developed later without 

 etherization but under the same conditions otherwise produced sparing bunches of 

 reddish-gray flowers." 



Details are given for constructing apparatus in which plants may be 

 etherized and specific directions given for etherizing lilacs, azaleas, 

 Viburnum opulus^ Amygdalacere, Spirsea, Pyrmforihunda.f Stapkylea 

 colchica^ Deutzia gracilis, lily of the valley, and tulips. The sum- 

 marized directions of the author regarding etherization of plants are 

 as follows: Use only sulphuric ether. The etherizing apparatus should 

 consist of a chamber lined with tinfoil or made vapor-proof in some 

 other manner, with a vessel in the upper part from which ether may 

 be evaporated. The room temperature should be 62 to 66^ F. in the 

 daytime, and ma}^ be allowed to drop to 58° F. at night. Plants 

 should be exposed to ether vapor 48 hours altogether; or, exposure 48 

 hours, ventilation 48 hours, and exposure again for 48 hours. For 

 shrubs the amount used should be li oz. of ether for each 40 gal. of 

 air in the chamber. At the close of the exposure to ether, the plants 

 should be brought into a warm room. Etherized plants require less 

 heat for their development than plants not so treated. 



Report of tlie section of botany and horticulture, C. S. Crandall [Colorado 

 Sla. lljA. 1899, pp. 32-34). — A l)rief report is given of the effect of the severe freeze of 

 the winter of 1898-99 on the plum and apple orchards. Of 152 varieties of plums 

 in the station orchard none escaped injury entirely and 30 were killed, as follows: 

 Chickasaw, 5; Beach plum, 1 ; Wild Goose, 6; Domestica, 6; Japanese, 7; Americana, 

 4; Hybrid, 1. Individual trees of 44 varieties produced some l)loom, of which 37 

 were Americanas; 5 belonged to the Miner group; 2 were unclassified hybrids; and 

 1 was Pninus hesseyi. The young apple orchard suffered even greater loss than did 

 the plum orchard. 



Report of the horticulturist, A. B. ]\IcKay {Mississippi Sla. Rpt. 1899, pp. 

 16-21). — The station irrigation i)]ant i.< l)riefly described and an account given of the 

 small and ort-hard fruits recently planted at the station, with notes on their care. 



