NEw YorK AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 319 
soms. In the case of the pear tree mentioned pollen was found 
on the stigmas and pollen taken from fresh anthers germinated 
in artificial solutions. In comparing the sprayed with the unsprayed 
portions of the tree it was evident that the continuous spraying 
retarded the development of the flowers very materially. The 
effect on the foliage was very disastrous. The total length of time 
which the pear tree was kept wet was nine days and three hours. 
The tree bore only one fruit. In the case of the grape the effect 
was similar to that of the pear. The same marked retarding of 
the development of the flowers was observed and the same in- 
jurious effect to the foliage, though in a lesser degree. A micro- 
scopic examination of the pollen after eleven days’ exposure to the 
spray disclosed no injury. Unfortunately the spray was not con- 
tinued during the whole blossoming period so the effect. on the 
resulting crop could only be inferred. It was noticed that the clus- 
ters borne by the sprayed vine had more abortive berries than those 
from the check vine alongside. 
Other work done on the crossing of plants was that of the cross- 
ing of grapes for which see page 307. 
FERTILIZERS FOR HORTICULTURAL CROPS. 
Some work had been done by the horticultural department at 
different times to determine how much and what sorts of fertilizers 
should be used on various horticultural crops. Years ago numerous 
analyses were made by the chemical department of fruit trees 
growing in the nursery, the object being to determine the quantity 
of each element taken up by the trees during the first few years of 
growth. The results are published in tabular form.*? Coincident 
with these a series of questions was sent out to a large number of 
nurserymen asking for observations as to the effect of following 
one nursery stock with another upon the same land; whether it is 
material as to what stock should follow another; and whether farm 
crops can be grown successfully upon land from which nursery 
stock has just been removed. The opinion was practically unani- 
mous that good nursery stock could not be raised upon land which 
had just been used for that purpose. Pear trees were mentioned 
as being particularly exhaustive to the soil. However, after an 
interval of some years the land apparently recovers and can be used 
Rpts. 10:162 (1891); 11:173 (1892). 
