20 N. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION. [Bulletin 163 



REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 

 HORTICULTURE. 



J. H. GOURLEY. 



ORGANIZATION. 



The experimental work of the Department of Horticulture has been carried 

 on during the past two years under the supervision of the head of the depart- 

 ment, Prof. B. S. Pickett, assisted by men in the several branches of pomology, 

 olericulture and floriculture. No changes occurred in the staff of the depart- 

 ment during the past two years. 



On the first of August, 1912, Prof. B. S. Pickett accepted the position of 

 Professor of Pomology at the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station and was 

 succeeded in September, 1912, by J. H. Courier, B. S., Assistant Professor of 

 Horticulture, Ohio State University, as Horticulturist. 



In August, Mr. J. J. Gardner, Assistant in < Sericulture, resigned his position 

 to accept the position of Assistant Horticulturist at the Illinois Agricultural 

 Experiment Station. \Y. II. Wolff, Assistant in Pomology, and David Lums- 

 den, Assistant in Floriculture, remain in the department. 



INVESTIGATIONS CXDER HATCH ACT. 

 Variety Test of Apples. 



The variety test apple orchard, known as the Thompson Orchard, now con- 

 tains 375 trees. Thirty-five varieties, comprising nearly all the older New 

 England standard sorts and many of the more prominent newer kinds, are being 

 tested under similar conditions. The oldest of the trees of the hardiest and 

 more thrifty varieties have now completed their eleventh season of growth and 

 in some instances have a spread of ten feet with an average height of eight to 

 nine feet. This is not extraordinary but considering the partial neglect of the 

 trees during the first seven years it is to be considered fair. Additions and 

 replacements have been made from time to time and thus the orchard presents 

 a rather irregular appearance with trees ranging in ages from one to eleven 

 years. 



The general aim of the work during the past two years has been to get the 

 trees into a healthy condition, to stimulate growth, establish by corrective 

 and vigorous pruning, when necessary, a low open and spreading head, and 

 to develop fruit spurs. From now, especially on the older trees, there will be 

 less heading-in since the form has been established and beginning next year 

 largely increased crop production may be expected. 



The trees have been sprayed regularly for the common insects and fungus 

 diseases and so far no scab has developed on the three successive crops which 

 the Mcintosh trees have produced, although this variety is notably susceptible 

 to this fungus. The trees have also been systematically examined for borers. 

 The green apple aphis (Aphis mali) was abundant during the summer of 1912, 

 as they were in nearly all orchards in southern New Hampshire. Preliminary 



