EXPERIMENT STATIONS. . 299 



The pea trees were unatfecttHl by the drought and bloomed as fully 

 as ever this spriu^^. 



The season of the Philadelphus is just passiujjf. They are all 

 capital shrubs and have been very showy for the last few days. We 

 especially like 144 Vor. 



Some of the leaves ou the Manchurian maple (Acer g'innala) are 

 affected by bli<j;^ht at the present writing. These shrubs are fruiting, 

 and the seed wings are very beautiful. 



All of the Tartarian honeysuckles have been very satisfactory this 

 spring. Lonicera splendens, from Professor Budd, is a great 

 acquisition. Lonicera Alberti is a narrow leaved honej'suckle that 

 ought to be generally planted. It needs sotne support. The ilowers 

 are very fragrant. 



The Ostheim and Suda cherries show some fruit, but it promises 

 to be quite small. The rabbits keep the sand cherry so closely 

 pruned that it produces no fruit. 



The spiraeas this spring have been verj' beautiful, Van Houttii 

 was very satisfactor3\ and so was spiraea hypericifolia. Spirae 

 Douglassii is now in bloom. 



The Russian, or Polish, privet is nearlj' all dead this spring; 

 whether it died from drought or from cold weather, it is impossible 

 to say. 



Rosa VVichuriana is also dead. Rosa rugosa is doing well, and so 

 is the old Scotch rose. The old fashioned blush rose is blighting 

 badly this summer. The yellow roses are all very hardy and satis- 

 factory. Seven Sisters is one of our best roses for the prairies. The 

 red moss rose does well. 



A Siberian almond, sent out by Prof. Budd, blooms early in the 

 spring and is quite interesting. It is very hardj*. 



Herbaceous peonias are entirely hard}' on the prairies and ought 

 to be generally planted. 



Tulips do well with us but need some protection from the wind 

 while in bloom. 



Hyacinths are a failure with us. 



Among the new shrubs sent out this spring are pyrus tortingo, 

 viburnum lantana, syringa villosa, double white Siberian lilac and 

 elaeagnus angustifolia. 



The only Russian apple tree that is showing any fruit is No. 22 M. 

 The Wyant is showing a few plums, but otherwise the plum crop is 

 a failure. |White spruce, Scotch pine, red cedar, Mugho pine and 

 picea pungens are doing well. Balsam fir has suffered much 

 damage from the drought. The Norway spruce, with one exception, 

 are all dead. Black spruce has failed too, along with white pine. 



June 25, 189G. 



IRKIGATIOX AS APF'LIED TO HORTICULTURE was discussed at great 

 length before the late meeting of the Kansas state horticultural 

 society. Delegates from the western part of the state as well as 

 others dwelt at length upon the possibilities of garden and orchard 

 irrigation from wells. The underllow is very strong and almost in- 

 e.xhaustible. Orchards of 10 to KM) acres are cjuite common, and the 

 owners are prosperous and contented. Young men are urged to 

 ac<|uire such homes. This season more farms are being equipped 

 with irrigation outfits than ever before. 



