60 



HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. 



[Jan. 



as the Schcenbrun, which is not especially noted as a flower 

 producer. 



The following table shows the results of the experi- 

 ment : — 



Table showing the Monthly Production of Violets in Sterilized and 

 Unsterilized Soil. 



DATE. 



November, . 

 December, . 

 January, 

 February, . 

 March, . 

 April, . 



Total, . 



Average, 



Number op Blossoms picked. 



Unsterilized 

 Soil. 



19 

 62 

 65 

 39 

 144 

 482 



801 

 133 



Sterilized 

 Soil. 



38 

 101 

 125 



72 

 250 

 510 



1,096 



182 



Percentage 



of 



Gain. 



100 

 63 



127 



84 



73 



5 



The results in the preceding table show a considerable 

 increase in the production of blossoms as a result of sterili- 

 zing the soil. The percentage of gain of the sterilized plat 

 over that in the unsterilized was 36. It will be observed 

 also that the gain in flower production in general was most 

 marked during the first half of the experiment, and the 

 flower production falls ofl" in the sterilized earths in the 

 succeeding months, until in April, when the experiment 

 was discontinued, the gain was only 5 per cent, over that 

 of the unsterilized. The maximum occurred during the 

 third month (January), although this might not occur in 

 every instance, as a large number of experiments would 

 probably modify these results. 



Observations were made in regard to the number of leaf 

 spots in the two plats, with the result that the sterilized 

 plats gave the smallest number, hence showing that vigor- 

 ous plants are less susceptible to fungi. 



The methods employed in sterilizing the soil were the 

 same as those described on page 54 in Bulletin 55, from 

 this station. 



In regard to the practice of sterilizing soil for the purpose 



