944 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECORD. 



HORTICULTURE. 



Horticultural division, F. W. Caim) and (i. E. Adams {RJkxI 

 [si a 1, 1 1 Sf((. Rj>t. WOO, pp. 2Jf.7-2e7,Jig)<. o). -The horticultural work 

 of the year ha.s ))een along- the lines of orchard culture, lettuce forcing, 

 rhubarl) growing, and experiments to test the frost resistance of 

 plants and in the crossing and plant selection of strawberries. Sonic 

 notes on the apple maggot and carnation-stem rot included in the 

 report are noted elsewhere. 



The second season's work in lightly fertilizing, cultivating and spray- 

 ing with Bordeaux mixture and Paris green a neglected orchard 

 (E. S. R., 12, p. 746) has given encouraging results and suggests the 

 feasibility of making profitable b}' this method many of the neglected 

 orchards of the State. 



The frost resistance of three varieties of bush beans has been studied. 

 The beans were grown in the hot bed. After they were well up the 

 sash was removed and the plants exposed to frost on a cold night. 

 Many of the plants were killed outright; others severel}" hurt, while a 

 few showed little injury. Seed from these was saved and the plants 

 subjected to similar treatment in the spring of 1900. The temperature 

 in the neigh) )orhood on the night of the exposure fell to 28^ F. 

 Again, a few plants remained uninjured. It is proposed to continue 

 the work from year to year. Some of the resistant seed sown in the 

 open field in comparison with ordinary seed showed more vigor in 

 resisting cold and untoward conditions and made a stronger growth. 



The pot experiments made in 1899 wdth lettuce to determine the 

 profitableness of substituting commercial fertilizers for stable manure 

 in the production of this crop (E. S. R. , 12, p. T46) were carried out on 

 benches in 1900. The soils used were garden loam and a mixture of 

 one-third garden loam and two-thirds hotbed compost with clay added. 

 Connnercial fertilizers were added to the garden soil l)ut nothing was 

 used to lighten and improve its physical condition. The result was a 

 conii)lete failure of the crop. On the stable manure plats the plants 

 av(>raged 115.8 gm. each. 



Before planting the second crop the sta])l(' manure })lat was divided 

 and boni^black and nuiriate and sid})liate of potash applied to one-half. 

 No additional fertilizers were applied to the garden soil l)utsome 2 bu. 

 of sphagnum moss was thoroughly incorporated with it. Again, the 

 crop on the garden soil plat with the connnercial fertilizers was prac- 

 tically a failure, while on the stable manure plat the crop averaged 

 151.2 gm. per plant when commercial fertilizers Avere added and 

 150.66 gm. without them. Before planting the third croj) an attempt 

 was made to improve the physical condition of the gai'den plats com- 

 posed of soil and sphagnum moss by the addition of sand and a 



