28 EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



at this time, for the amount cut was no doubt affected in con- 

 siderable measure by the violent spring winds, which affecte(i 

 some plots much more seriously than others. In order to 

 j)revent injury from winds in the future a wind break, made 

 by tacking cheese cloth to substantial posts standing about 8 

 feet above ground, has been put up. It is necessary, of course, 

 to keep the cloth in position only during that period in the 

 growth of the plants when they are j^eculiarly liable to injury 

 (when the shoots are first starting). 



Tent Shade Experiment. — This experiment was commenced 

 after the cutting season was begun. The purposes in view are 

 to note the effect of the tent ujDon 



(a) The amount of rust. 



{h) Time and rate of yield of commercial asparagus. 



(c) The quality of the asparagus. 



As the tent was in place only a portion of the cutting season 

 the results will not be reported in detail. It may be remarked 

 only in passing that tests of asparagus grown in the tent in 

 comparison with the product of another portion of the same 

 bed not shaded, which were carried out independently by a 

 number of different parties, led to the conclusion that the tent 

 asparagus was more tender and of better quality. 



Crak^bekry Substations. * 



It will be remembered that the work with cranberries is 

 along two lines and in two locations: (1) work with cranberry 

 insects in Wareham; (2) fertilizer experiments in Waquoit. 

 The work with insects has not made the progress hoped for dur- 

 ing the past year. There are two jDrincipal causes: (1) it has 

 been found impossible to acquire control of a cranberry bog 

 suitable for the practical experiments in view on terms which 

 the station can accept; (2) the resigiiation of Mr. Franklin, 

 and the necessity of starting some one on the work in his place, 

 has inevitably meant delay. There was practically no fruit on 

 any of the fertilizer plots this year. 



Substation for Orchard Experiments. 

 The work in the substation for orchard experiments, on the 

 farm of Myron C. Graves in South Amherst, has been well 

 begini. Six acres have been laid off in eight plots, containing 



