10 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



On the whole, the season can be characterized as showing 

 an unusual amount of winter-kilhng ; in fact, more than has 

 been seen for many years in this State. 



Testing of Seed. 

 This department has frequently been called upon to do 

 more or less of this work for farmers, and in man}- instances 

 for seedsmen. Practically all seedsmen test their own seed ; 

 when, however, there is some doubt as to the germinating 

 capacity, it occasiotially becomes necessary to submit the 

 seeds to a third party for results ; in such cases the station 

 is called upon to make tests. During the past year 120 

 samples have been tested for farmers and seedsmen. 



The Practice of Soil Sterilization. 



The application of steam under more or less high pressure 

 to gi"eenhouse soils contaminated with sterile fungi, and the 

 use of hot water for partial sterilization, have been practised 

 for a few years by greenhouse growers. We have had con- 

 siderable experience with growing crops in sterilized soil, 

 and some greenhouse growers have annually resorted to this 

 method of treatment. It is our purpose to give a resume of 

 the results obtained from this practice. 



Sterilization has been the means of lessening tlie amount 

 of infection in lettuce houses in plants affected with drop 

 and Rhizoctonia, and also of ridding houses of eel worms. 

 It has also been the means of greatly stimulating the growth 

 of crops ; and in this respect it is likely to do as much harm 

 as good, when intelligent supervision is not given to the 

 crop. Some greenhouse men have resorted to sterilization 

 for no other purpose than merely to try it, their houses 

 being free from any infection for which this method of treat- 

 ment could be recommended ; while others have followed 

 the practice of sterilizing for the purpose of modifying the 

 growth and texture of their plants. 



Besides the desired effect upon the eradication . of drop 

 and Rhizoctonia in lettuce houses, it has been the means 

 of modifying to a large extent the texture of lettuce, and 

 it has been employed as a stimulator. It has also been sue- 



