i3» 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



May, 191 1 



summer no provision neod be made for sup- 

 plying grit, but it should be constantly in 

 front of them when housed for winter. I 

 have found that the most convenient way 

 to feed them is by moans of a small feed- 

 ing hoppor, divided into two compart- 

 ments. In one keep oyster shells, and in 

 the other old mortar poiindfHl fine. 



Variety Strain in Cabbages 



From bulletin No. 96 of the Agricultural 

 Experiment Station, Statr. College, Pa., the 

 following extracts are taken : 



"Faithfulness to name and type, is per- 

 haps of greater importance- than any other 

 phase of the seed question. At the same 

 time it is a factor about which there ia 

 probably the least known. Unless seed, 

 purchased for a certain variety, produces 

 plants reasonably true to the general con- 

 ception of that variety, even though all 

 cultural conditions be perfect, a satisfac- 

 tory crop will be very uncertain. 



"The fact that varieties of plants vary 

 in character to a greater or less degree has 

 long been known, but comparatively little 

 experimental work has been done to deter- 

 mine the extent of these varieties or to show 

 their importance in the production of profit- 

 able crops. 



"In order that some definite information 

 may be secured on this question, a number 

 of experiments were instituted hy the De- 

 partment of Horticulture to determine the 

 influence of varietal variations as related 

 to the production of cabbage and other 

 vegetables. 



"The experiments with cabbage include 

 strain tests of four varieties, viz. : Jersey 

 Wakefield, Charleston Wakefield, Early 

 Spring and Early Summer. In the present 

 bulletin we shall consider only the results 



of strain tests of tlie variety Jersey Wake- 

 field. The work has been in progress two 

 years, and the present report is submitted 

 as a btiUetin of progress rather than a re- 

 port of comi)loted experiments, and while 

 the figures given should not be considered 

 as conclusive, yet they may be regarded as 

 a fair criterion of the variations as they 

 are found to exist within this variety and 

 of the relative importance which they bear 

 to profitable crop production." 



The results of the experiments are sum- 

 marized as follows : 



"1. The experiments with twenty-five 

 strains of Jersey Wakefield cabbage, cover- 

 ing a period of two years, indicate that 

 marked variations occur within the vari- 

 ety. 



"2. These variations have a direct bear- 

 ing upon profitable crop production. There 

 are great differences in earliness, yields, 

 form and solidity of heads, and each of 

 these factors is important in determining 

 profits for the season. 



"3. The degree of vigor of the young 

 plants in the seed bed is of no value in in- 

 dicating the size or character of the result- 

 ant crop. 



"i. The percentage of germination of 

 some strains was much too low, and it is im- 

 portant for seedsmen to give ty:s matter 

 closer attention, 



"5. The wide variations and lack of uni- 

 formity in this variety show the impor- 

 tance of exercising the utmost care and 

 skill in producing and selecting cabbage 

 seed. 



"6. While the results of the two years' 

 tests show wide variations in strains of 

 Jersey Wakefield cabbage, the investiga- 

 tions will be continued several years to de- 

 termine more definitely the full importance 

 and significance of such differences." 



Fertilizers for Asparagus 



The Maryland Experiment Station, i 

 ducted experiments with fertilizer.s on as- 

 paragus in order to test the following fer- 

 tilizers applied in different quantities and 

 times of application. 



1. Commercial fertilizer ver.sus barnyard 

 manure. 



2. Different sources of potash. 



3. Light and heavy applications of kainit. 



4. Heavy applications of nitrate cf sod»J 

 in .spring. i 



•5. Heavy applications of salt. 



6. Manure in different amounts with, 

 and without commercial fertilizer. ' 



7. Different times of applying manuiea 

 and fertilizers. 



During the six seasons of this experiment, 

 from 1905 to 1910 inclusive, the manure' 

 and fertilizer were applied broadcast ac- 

 cording to the outline above. As soon as 

 the spring applications were made, two 

 furrows were plowed from each side over the 

 rows and a harrow was run crosswise and 

 then lengthwise of the rows to level the 

 ground so as to produce green shoots insteau 

 of white ones. Once during the cutting 

 season this same treatment was given, and 

 then again when the fertilizer and manure 

 were applied after the cutting season. In 

 1909 and 1910 a double disc cultivator was 

 used instead of the plow and only one nar- 

 rowing was necessary to level the ground. 



- BtTMMARY OF EXPERIMENT 



Kainit at the rate of 2,000 pounds per 

 acre applied in mid-summer gave the high- 

 est net gain per acre of any of the plots. 



Dissolved rock 400 pounds, kainit 400 

 pounds and nitrate cf soda 200 pounds per 



^ 



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Cypress core which is 

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