MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 21 
EXPERIMENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY FARM—-REPORTED BY W. T. SCOTT, 
SUPERINTENDENT. 
Messrs. P. W. Fuller, J. 8S. Harris and C. M. Loring: 
In accordance with a resolution passed at the last annual meeting 
of the Minnesota Horticultural Society, I present the following re- 
port from the Horticultural Department of the State University : 
Owing to the lateness of the season in beginning operations, and 
no suitable preparations having been made in seed or soil, the greater 
part of the year has been devoted in preparing for future operations 
in Horticulture. The soil used in experiments is a light sand, crop- 
ped for fourteen years, without manure of any kind being used in 
former cultivation. 
The seed used was mostly obtained from New Jersey; a part was 
obtained the present year, and a part in former years, and grown in 
Minnesota, three to five years. Having closely observed the growth 
and habits of most of the plants, both in the East and in our own 
State, it seems proper to make the following statement : 
Ist. The quality and quantity is materially improved. 
2nd. The time required to mature for market purposes is lessened each 
year, from five to ten days. 
8d. Isolated specimens not to be relied upon, in determining experi- 
ments. 
4th. Only one exception apparent, in quality. 
MARKET GARDEN. 
Experiment No.1. Potatoes—Best yield, Early Rose; 2nd best, White 
Peachblow; 3d, St. Helena; 4th, Jackson White; 5th, King of the Earlies 
and Early Goodrich. 
No. 2. Quality—Best, White Peachblow; 2nd; Fluke; 3d, Early Rose; 
4th, Jacksons; 5th- Early Goodrich and King of the Earlies. 
No. 3. Seed—Best yield per acre from seed cut to two eyes each, plant- 
ed in drills, worn out soil, no fertilizers, ten rods, six bushels, or ninety- 
eight bushels per acre, by weight. 
No. 4. Potatoes planted without cutting, in drill, same conditions as No. 
8, four bushels, or sixty-four bushels per acre. 
No.5. Deep vs. shallow covering—one-sixteenth part of an acre planted 
May 9th, in drills, four inches below surface, covered with two-horse plow, 
twelve inches deep, and leveled with drag twenty days after planting, 
ridged culture, yield, by measure, six bushels, or ninety-eight bushels 
per acre, old ground, no manure, 
No. 6. One-sixteenth part of acre in drills four inches deep covered with 
hoe four inches in dept. Same soil and conditions as No.5. Yield 44 
bushels or 76 bushels. Difference in yield in favor of deep covering 22 
bushels. Difference in time of maturing in favor of shallow covering eleven 
days. - Difference in favor of cost of cultivation in favor of deep planting 
one-seventh less. ; 
No. 7. Potatoes—Culture. In favor of well-ridged up, against level cul- 
ture, 50 per cent. in favor of first named. 
No. 8. Potatoes—Fertilizers. One-eighth of acre, 5 ton well rotted ma- 
nure, product 23 bushels or 184 bushels per acre. One-eighth of acre one 
bushel gypsum, 214 bushels or 172 bushels per acre. One-eighth acre with- 
out manure, 13 bushels or 104 bushels per acre. Conditions alike in each 
respect. Cost of gypsum and application of same $1.25; increase of yield 
68 bushels per acre. Cost of drawing manure and application $5.50; in- 
creased yield 80 bushels per acre. 
