Nov., 1910.] ANNUAL REPORTS. 27 



INVESTIGATIONS UNDER THE HATCH ACT. 

 Variety Test of Plums. 



The variety plum orchard was sot in the spring of 1908, this being its third 

 season of growth. A number of varieties blossomed this spring, but owing 

 to cold weather during blossoming time, insects could not pollinate the flowers, 

 and no crop was set. The trees in this orchard are making a remarkably 

 vigorous growth, the shoots for all varieties averaging thirty inches at least. 



Variety Test of Apples. 



The variety apple orchard is a young plantation that previous to 1908 

 received little care of any kind. It is located on a rocky ledge where cultiva- 

 tion is very difficult. The sod in this orchard was broken up in the fall of 

 190S and the land has gradually been brought into a state of tilth. The trees 

 are now making a satisfactory growth and several varieties including Mcin- 

 tosh, Wealthy and Hyslop crab came into bearing for the first time this year 



Variety Test of Lettuce. 



This project consisted in the preparation of a monograph on the varieties 

 of lettuce. All varieties cataloged in American seed catalogs and the standard 

 varieties cataloged in European catalogs were tested. Altogether four crops 

 have been grown. 



Lettuce Culture under Glass. 



The experiments on the cultivation of lettuce under glass included tests 

 of several standard fertilizers and a comparison of the value of romaine or 

 cos lettuce and head lettuce for greenhouse culture. The results of the 

 fertilizer tests resulted in new evidence favoring the use of stable manure 

 as a fertilizer for this crop. In the comparison of the two types little difference 

 was noticed. Romaine or cos lettuce proved rather the more profitable 

 crop but this was found to be due to market conditions as much as to advan- 

 tages in culture. 



Carnation Culture. 



These experiments were made to determine the relative values of several 

 fertilizers applied as top dressings, to carnation plants grown on raised benches 

 in the greenhouses, and to determine the difference in the keeping quality 

 of flowers from the various treated plots. 



Plants responded quickly to treatments with nitrate of soda, Clay's fertilizer 

 and poultry manure. The best results were obtained in the plots which were 

 fertilized with nitrate of soda and with Clay's fertilizer. In the plots fertilized 

 with poultry manure, the flowers appeared late and were inferior in keeping 

 quality. In keeping quality the flowers raised on the plot treated with bone 

 meal proved superior to all others. Second in rank as regards keeping quality 

 were the plots treated with Clay's fertilizer. 



In all cases the fertilized plots produced flowers superior in size and quality 

 to those produced where no fertilizers were used. 



Variety Test of Small Fruits. 



This experiment was planned in 1909 and was to have been commenced in 

 the spring of 1910. Owing to the lack of funds, however, no arrangements 



