Division of Agriculture. 



William P. Bkooks. 



GENERAL RESULTS OF A TRIAL OF A FEW JAPAN- 

 ESE CROPS. 



At the time of leaving Japan in October of last year 1 was una- 

 ware that I should be placed in charge of a department of the Hatch 

 Expei-iment Station, and did not, therefore, make arrangements for 

 the forwarding of any considerable amount of seed of any kind. 1 

 had been located in a section of that country, however, with a cli- 

 mate having essentially the same range of temperature as that of 

 Massachusetts ; and had become convinced by observation that 

 some of the crops there cultivated were of peculiar value. 'I, there- 

 fore, on my own account liad the seeds of a few varieties colle'cted, 

 and left them to be forwarded with shrubs and trees which were to 

 be taken up after the fall of their leaves. 



I have thought it best to make these statements in explanation 

 of the fact that the quantities of some of the seeds were so small, 

 and I must add further that, since the living plants could not safely 

 be sent across our continent in winter, an arrangement was made 

 to have them started so that they would reach San Francisco in early 

 Spring. It was not anticipated that the package would be so long 

 on the road between that city and here as proved to be the case. 

 By " fast freight" it required thirty days ! This explains the late- 

 ness of planting which was about two weeks after the proper season. 

 Our results were possibly unfavorably influenced bv this ; but since 

 frosts held off late, the effect was probably not great. 



All these crops were planted .June 3d on a light loam which had 

 been some years in grass, the soil before planting receiving a light 

 dressing of a complete fertilizer partly broadcast and partly in the 

 furrow. 



