HORTICULTURE. 551 



"In the season of 1897-98 the largest number of blooms per plant was produced on 

 rich compost to which nitrate of soda, dissolved boneblack, and muriate of potash 

 had been applied at the rate of 620 gm., 154 gm., and 422 gm., respectively, per 100 

 sq. ft. of bench space, while the compost without fertilizers gave a slightly smaller 

 yield of blooms than the soils made of coal ashes with 3 per cent of peat, to which 

 were added 1,240 gm. of nitrate of soda, 462 gm. of dissolved boneblack, and 844 gm. 

 of muriate of potash per 100 sq. ft. of bench space." 



In 1899, 7 carnation plats were filled with a mixture of LS-t l])s. of 

 bituminous coal ashes and 5i lbs. of peat moss, 8 with compost,, and 2 

 with compost sterilized by heating for 60 minutes in steam. All the 

 plats filled with ashes and peat and one of the compost plats were fer- 

 tilized with various amounts of nitrogen in the form of nitrate of soda, 

 cotton-seed meal, or bone dust, phosphoric acid in the form of dissoh^ed 

 boneblack, and potash in the form of muriate. The varieties Day 

 Break, Thomas Cartledge, and Lizzie McGowan were used in the test. 



"The 4 plats which contained the mixture of coal ashes, peat, and commercial 

 fertilizers yielded a larger number of blooms, a greater weight of blooms, and 

 blooms of somewhat larger size, on the average, than the 2 plats which contained 

 rich unsterilized compost. 



"Plat 183, of sterilized compost, yielded more blooms than any other in the 

 experiment, though the average weight of blooms was not as great as of those grown 

 in the coal ashes and peat moss. The other plat of sterilized soil, No. 185, gave a 

 very small yield. We believe this is explained by the fact that, through an over- 

 sight of the attendant, it was omitted in the watering on a bright day and the plants 

 were badly wilted. This plat yielded less than any other. 



"The. comparison of the different forms of nitrogenous fertilizer indicates that 

 fairly good results may be obtained with either nitrate of soda, cotton-seed meal, or 

 bone. Plat 1 78, to which bone was added, yielded a larger number of blooms than 

 any other. The blooms on the average were not larger than those from plats where 

 nitrate or cotton-seed meal was used. The nitrate plats produced blossoms having a 

 greater average weight, diameter, and length of stem than those from plats where 

 other forms of nitrogen were used." 



Representative blooms from difi'erent plats were analyzed, and from 

 the results the amounts of fertilizing* materials removed were calculated. 



Tomatoes, F. S. Earle {Alalxinui College Sta. Bid. 108, jjj). 36, 

 Jigs. 2). — The author purposes to give in this bulletin an outline of the 

 methods employed by the best commercial tomato growers in the lati- 

 tude of the station. The topics discussed include soils and fertilizers, 

 plant growing, cultivation and training, pruning, diseases and insects, 

 varieties, and marketing Some results obtained in tomato growing 

 at the station are included under the difi'erent headings. The diseases 

 are noted elsewhere. 



An account is given of growing Irish potatoes, peppers, eggplants, 

 and tomatoes on plats fertilized alike as regards acid phosphate and 

 cotton-seed meal. Two of the plats received in addition kainit at the 

 rate of 1,500 lbs. per acre, 2 lime at the same rate, 2 were used as 

 checks, and 2 others had Bordeaux mixture poured along the furrows. 



