46 a EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE. 



F. A. WAUGH. 



The work of the experiment station in horticultural lines has 

 continued during the year in accordance with policies already 

 well established. The research work, in charge of Dr. Shaw, 

 has emphasized increasingly the problems of pomology, and has 

 given somewhat less attention to problems of plant breeding. 

 The practical experiments in pomology conducted by Professor 

 Sears have been devoted chiefly to methods of orchard practice. 

 During the year there has been much emphasized the increased 

 demand for experimental work in market-gardening lines. 

 Definite plans for work in this field are being matured, espe- 

 cially under the direction of Prof. H. F. Tompson. Consider- 

 able demand exists also for experimental work in floriculture. 



The following outline gives a brief resume of the work of the 

 year: — 



1. Plant breeding work is still continued though in diminish- 

 ing measure. The principal problems recently touched are as 

 follows : — 



(a) Correlation between seed weight and vine length in peas. 

 (6) Selection within pure lines in peas. 



(c) Pigmentation in garden beans. A considerable amount of 

 material ready for publication. 



(d) Selection of summer squashes in the attempt to isolate 

 pure lines. Interesting practical results have been secured, but 

 nothing of sufficient scientific importance for publication. 



2. Co-operative observations of summer temperatures, espe- 

 cially in orchard lands, have been undertaken in Franklin 

 County under direction of Dr. Shaw. 



3. Experiments in apple storage, with special reference to the 

 effects on quality, have been conducted by Dr. Shaw with the 



