1912.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 23 



The Bordeaux mixture was made up with 3 pounds of lime and 4 

 of copper sulfate to 50 gallons of water. One pound of the neutral 

 copper acetate was used to 50 gallons of water. Two pounds of 

 resin fish-oil soa}) were used with the Bordeaux mixture in all cases 

 and with the acetate. 



3. Weather Observations. 



The weather instruments were installed on May 15, from which 

 date until October 15 observations were taken every morning at the 

 station at East Wareham, and records of the following made: — 



Maximum thermometer in shelter. 



Maximum thermometer on bog. 



IMinimum thermometer in shelter. 



Minimum thermometer on bog. 



Precipitation. 



Wind direction. 



Continuous thermograph readings. 



Continuous barograph readings. 



The reading's of the maximum and minimum thermometers and the 

 amount of precipitation were telegraphed to the local office of the 

 AVeather Bureau at Boston every morning after May 15 during tlie 

 spring and fall periods of frost danger. 



4. Fertilization of the Cranberry Blossom. 



Numerous expei'iments were carried out and observations made on 

 the cross-fertilization of the cranberry blossom. Bees of all kinds 

 were shut out from half a square rod of vines, during the blossoming 

 period, by means of a mosquito-netting tent, with the result that only 

 al)out 2% quarts of berries developed, while on any equal area on the 

 surrounding bog as much as 20 quarts were picked, the a\erage crop 

 of the entire bog being about 70 barrels to the acre. From a check 

 plot of equal area laid off close to this tent 28 quarts were gathered. 

 Another larger tent was erected and the honey bee alone allowed to 

 enter it dui'ing the bloom, a hive being placed so as to ojjen into it. 

 Under this tent as good a croj) developed as on the surrounding bog. 

 These exiieriments seem to prove that bees are necessary to the satis- 

 factory cross-pollination of the cranberry blossom and that the honey 

 bee is efficient in this Avoi-k. 



As the vines approached full bloom under the tent from which the 

 bees were excluded the blossoms quite generally began to take on a 

 peculiar vivid pink color, and as the blossoming advanced this became 

 more and more striking. Only a small percentage of the blossoms on 

 the bog outside of the tent took on this color, while inside there Avere 

 few which did not show it strikingly. This tent was on Early Black 

 vines. The tent into which honey bees were admitted was placed on 



