396 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



plied with Bordeaux mixture. The Paris 

 green, if applied in moderate quantity and 

 evenly distributed, is not injurious to foli- 

 age when used with lime water or Bordeaux 

 mixture. Rows treated with Bordeaux 

 alone out-yielded those treated with arsenite 

 of soda in Bordeaux by 34 bushels per acre. 

 This suggests that, perhaps, the soda arsen- 

 ite may do damage to the crop though not 

 showing any effect on the foliage. The 

 use of arsenite of soda and lime is attended 

 by considerable risk. The part which cop- 

 per sulphate and lime plays in spray mix- 

 tures is plainly given. Those interested in 

 spraying should write for this bulletin. 



QUALITY TESTS. 



" Quality in Potatoes " is discussed in 

 Bulletin 230, Cornell University. It is 

 pointed out that the quality depends on the 

 amount of water, the amount of starch, and 

 the richness of the potato in nitrogenous 

 matter. -After careful investigation it was 

 considered that the quality and mealiness of 

 a potato when boiled depended on the daily 



range of soil and atmospheric temperature 

 during the growing period, on the degree of 

 ripeness of the tuber when the plant uies, 

 and on the physical condition and type of 

 the soil. Since tubers grow at regular 

 nodes on the stem above the planted tuber 

 it is recommended that planting be five or 

 six inches deep in good soil so that enough 

 nodes may be formed to accommodate the 

 tubers which the plant is capable of bearing. 

 If planted deeper than six inches moisture 

 and temperature conditions are unsuitable 

 for tuber development at the lower nodes 

 and the result is small and scabby potatoes. 

 If planted shallower than three inches the 

 variation in temperature and moisture is too 

 great for proper development. The result 

 is small, compound and sunburnt potatoes. 

 Long tubers which grow sloping in the 

 ground show a difference in quality in the 

 different halves. The desirable conditions, 

 65 to 75 degrees temperature and uniform 

 moisture, are most nearly approached at a 

 depth of two to six inches, and it is there 

 that the best tubers are found. 



WINTERING THE CUCERBITS 



SPECIAL care in handling is necessary 

 if the gardener wishes to have suc- 

 cess when storing squashes, pumpkins, 

 melons and such crops. Little handling 

 should be given before the skin has become 

 thoroughly hardened. They are injured 

 by very slight frost, although the injury 

 may not be apparent for some time. Those 

 who have had experience in harvesting and 

 storing these crops recommend that they be 

 pulled before frost comes and put in piles 

 in the field. There they can be left ex- 

 posed to the sun by day, but should be cov- 

 ered at night to prevent injury from frost. 

 In case a stem is broken off rot soon de- 

 velops. For this reason it is recommended 

 that the stems be cut off to not more than 



one inch long when harvesting so that they 

 cannot be used as handles when loading 

 them on wagons. When hauling them to 

 the storehouse they should be placed on a 

 bed of hay or straw to prevent bruising. 



The best storage is dry atmosphere ar.d 

 cool temperature, although they keep for a 

 considerable time if the temperature is com- 

 paratively high. Authorities recommend 

 placing them on shelves one tier deep. 



" I always aim to have the squash har- 

 vested before frost comes," said Mr. T. W. 

 Stephens, of Aurora, to The Horticulturist 

 recently. " They should be off the vines 

 in early October to escape early frosts. 

 They must be kept dry and cool, but, never 

 frozen. I always put them in a dry shed 



