76 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Experiments at the Vermont Station upon the use of anesthetics 

 as an aid to the winter forcing of plants were first undertaken in 

 the winter of 1903-04. The object of the investigation was to de- 

 termine whether anesthetics would produce growth acceleration in 

 plants forced for their vegetative rather than their flowering parts. 

 The lack of any experimental data upon this phase of the subject 

 and the possession of a considerable number of strong rhubarb 

 clumps afforded the writer a good opportunity to determine whether 

 these ])lants would respond to anesthetics, and if so, in what degree. 

 The plants were dug before freezing weather set in and were stored 

 in a cold frame where they were subjected to the action of frost in 

 the same manner as if intended for ordinary forcing purposes. As 

 reciuired for treatment they were removed to a cool cellar and 

 allowed to thaw out slowly, after which if the soil surrounding the 

 clumps was somewhat moist tlrey were placed in a warm room and 

 allowed to dry out for a day or two. After removing all surplus soil, 

 especially that surrounding the crowns of the plants, they were 

 placed in the etherizing chamber and subjected to ether vapors at 

 the rate of 10 c. c. per cu. ft. of air space for a period of 48 hours. 

 The first treatment was made December 18-20, followed by subse- 

 quent ones January 9-11, January 30 to Feb. 1, and Feb. 2^26. 

 The two earlier treatments as might naturally be expected yielded 

 the best results. The treated clumps of the first lot showed gains 

 in weight from the first two pullings of 558 and 176 per cent respec- 

 tively. In the second lot treated the gains from the first two pullings 

 were 270 and 115 per cent. In total yield from all pullings the 

 treated plants showed a gain of 34 per cent from the first lot and 90 

 percent from lot II. 



The successful outcome of the first season's trial of etherization led 

 the writer to believe that possibly ether might also serve as a sub- 

 stitute for freezing. Owing to lack of suitable material for treat- 

 ment it was not possible to test this theory until the fall of 1905. 

 The plants were taken up early in the fall before any killing frosts 

 occurred and were stored in a well-protected cold frame. Treat- 

 ments were made October 30 to November 1, November 4-6, 

 December 4-6, January 4-6, January 20-22, and February 13-15. 



As no growth was apparent from the first two treatments of 

 either the etherized or control plants, it was decided to include in 



