1910.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 27 



No new lines of work have been undertaken. Our principal 

 investigations, it will be remembered, are of two general classes, 

 ■- — breeding experiments and fertilizer experiments. 



Breeding Experiments. — During the past year good prog- 

 ress bas been made in these experiments, which have for their 

 object the production of more rust-resistant types of asparagus, 

 which shall at the same time possess desirable market char- 

 acteristics. The number of varieties in the experimental plots 

 at the present time is 65. Mr. J. B. Norton, who began obser- 

 vations in Concord last year, has devoted practically all of his 

 time during the past season to the asparagus breeding experi- 

 ments. It will be remembered that in this work we enjoy the co- 

 operation of the United States Department of Agriculture, and 

 Dr. B. T. Galloway, Chief of the Bureau of Plant Industry, 

 under whose direct charge work of this description comes, 

 has definitely assigned Mr. Norton to take local charge of the 

 work in Concord. Mr. Norton succeeded during the past season 

 in making numerous promising selections and a large number 

 of artificial fertilizations. Some of the seed resulting from this 

 work will be planted in Washington, and a close preliminary 

 study of the plants produced will be made there during the 

 coming winter. It is hoped to shorten the time needed for 

 testing the value of different types by following this course. 

 Those which seem promising will be taken to Concord for fur- 

 ther testing and observation. It is a pleasure to testify to 

 the enthusiasm and faithful industry of Mr. Norton, who, be- 

 sides devoting himself to the breeding experiments, has proved 

 very helpful in taking observations and making records oif the 

 fertilizer experiments as well. An exhaustive chemical study 

 of the roots as affected by the varying fertilizer treatment is 

 now in progress and appears to promise results of importance 

 and great value. 



Fertilizer Experiments. — The conditions in the fertilizer 

 plots continue to be highly satisfactory. There was, it is true, 

 considerable rust, as was the case almost everywhere in Con- 

 cord last fall ; but it did not begin as early in the fertilizer plots 

 as in manv beds in the district, and it is believed that the iniurv 

 was not serious. No diiferences in the extent of rust injury 



