240 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



corn, the hens on this feed having given more eggs at a less 

 cost and gained more in weight than the others. 



The extent to which any variety of potatoes may be in- 

 fluenced by the place in which the seed was raised has been 

 tested. The difference in the yield under precisely similar 

 conditions was large. 



In the fertilizer experiment, the most striking points 

 brought out were : first, the injurious effects of muriate of 

 potash in depleting the soil of lime ; second, that sulphate 

 of potash has much less effect in this direction, and is there- 

 fore a safer fertilizer to use unless the soil is naturally rich 

 in lime. 



The usual fertilizer experiments have been made, and the 

 department of foods and feeding has conducted a series of 

 valuable experiments, to ascertain the value of the various 

 prepared cattle foods now upon the market that are by- 

 products from the cereal manufactories. 



Experiment Work. Horticultural Department. 



We shall again refer to this department. We here speak 

 only of experiment work and results. 



First. — Testing varieties of fruits, vegetables, orna- 

 mental trees, shrubs and flowers. Only such as are recom- 

 mended as having decided merit are given trial. As varied 

 a range of soil and exposure as possible is given each 

 kind, and its behavior in other localities is also studied. 

 The results are very carefully and accurately determined. 



Second. — Fertilizer experiments are carried on with many 

 kinds of fruits, i. e., the effect of special fertilizers in im- 

 proving the vigor of peach trees, and the best fertilizers for 

 fruit trees growing in grass land are the more important. 



TJiird. — Testing new fruit stocks. Several new stocks 

 for the pear are being tried ; also the effect of the peach and 

 plum stock in growing the Japanese and native varieties. 



Fourth. — Spraying crops for profit. Studying the best 

 methods ; the best pumps, the best and cheapest insecticides 

 and fungicides, and the time when best applied. 



The principal difficulty in this work is the lack of suffi- 

 cient time in which to give the student sufficient knowledge 

 and skill to fit him to practise successfully any line of horti- 



