CHAPTER X. 



Extracts from Bulletin No. 55, 1899. 

 Rhode Island Experiment Station. 



In the Rural New Yorker for 1898, page 736, ap- 

 peared a brief note calling attention to the fact that 

 rhubarb may be forced in the dark in any ordinary frost- 

 proof cellar or out-building. Not knowing of the ex- 

 cellent articles which were to follow, the subject was 

 thought to offer an interesting field for further inquiry. 

 Some simple experiments were therefore begun, to test 

 the feasibility of thus growing it. 



Plants from the college garden were thrown out of 

 the earth December 6th, before the ground had frozen. 

 Six of these were transferred to the greenhouse at once. 

 Three were placed on a bench next the eaves, which, 

 though not the lightest part of the house, gave them 

 practically full sunlight. The other three were placed 

 underneath a bench with sides and ends closely boarded, 

 to keep them in darkness. December 17th, after the 

 plants in the field had been thoroughly frozen, additional 

 ones were brought in and placed beside the first in the 

 two positions above mentioned. 



On January 6th, it was noted that the plants brought 

 in at first, without freezing, although having been in 

 the house longer than the others, were far behind them 

 in activity. Those on the benches, exposed to full light, 

 had barely begun growth, one being almost dormant. 

 Of those brought in after freezing, the ones on the bench 

 were making considerable growth, there being many 



