HORTICULTUEE. 945 



thorough working- over. The ci'op was improved con.siderabl}' but 

 still fell far behind the stable manure plat. 



"It should not be inferred from these experiments that good lettuce can not be 

 grown with chemical fertilizers but the experiments do indicate that it is more dif- 

 ficult to secure the requisite conditions and satisfactory results with chemicals than 

 with stable manure, since the stable manure not only furnished apparently all the 

 fill id needed for the production of three successful crops but what is probably more 

 important it affords the requisite physical condition of the soil." 



A further test of the value of commercial fertilizers was made 

 under practical conditions on good lettuce soil in a commercial lettuce 

 house at Auburn, R. I. A top-dressing of complete commercial fer- 

 tilizers was compared with a top-dressing of manure. It is reported 

 that "plants grown with top-dressings of chemicals did not start off 

 so well as those receiving a top-dressing of manure but at harvest time 

 the}" were superior, being decided]}^ heavier than those grown entirely 

 with manure," 



Some notes are given on the relative advantages of heating lettuce 

 houses bj^ means of stable manure and with coal. The hitter is 

 believed to be the cheaper method and more fully under the control 

 of the grower. 



In experiments in forcing rhubarb in cellars entirely devoid of arti- 

 ficial heat, the conclusion was reached that a warm cellar or one in 

 wiiich a little artificial heat is supplied is needed to produce rhubarb 

 suiiiciently early to make the practice desirable". 



A record was kept during the season of the character and behavior 

 of the plants in the strawberry field. A portion of the data are 

 recorded. A remarkaljle variation in the yield of individual plants of 

 the same variety occurred. With Beverh" the highest yield per plant 

 in grams was 285.8 and the lowest 3-1.5. Similar variations occurred 

 with many other varieties. Usually plants giving the highest yields 

 produced fruit ecjual to and in many cases al)ove the average. The 

 detailed jaelds of plants of 8 varieties chosen to be used in future 

 plant selection experiments are shown in tabular form and the more 

 successful crosses seciu'od are noted. 



Report on the substations, C. H. Shinn {CaHfoimia Sta. Rpt. 

 1898, 2^P- '262-327 , jigs. 19). — This report includes data on meteorology 

 and the farm and orchard crops grown at the Foothill, Southern Coast 

 Range, San Joaquin Valley, and Southern California culture substa- 

 tions. The fruits tested include apples, pears, almonds, apricots, 

 nectarines, peaches, cherries, plums and prunes, figs, olives, walnuts, 

 oranges and lemons, persimmons, quinces, mulberries, date palms, 

 drawf and ornamental apples, and grapes. The farm crops grown 

 were barley, wheat, saltbushes, grasses, clovers, and other forage 

 jjlants, cotton, soy beans, canaigre, etc. 



