Feb., 1926] PROCxRESS OF AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENTS 29 



Each hill was allowed 54 square feet. The average size of the squash 

 was decidedly larger where there was only one plant per hill. This is a 

 disadvantage because the smaller size squash are preferred on the market. 



Permanent Soil Fertility in the Garden {Hatch Fmid) 



In April, 1925, the garden soil fertility plots were planted by Mr. 

 Hepler to spinach. Half of each one-eighth acre plot is limed every 

 second year with 2,000 pounds ground limestone. The yields of spinach 

 on the limed and unlimed portion of each plot, and the total yields are 

 given in Table XV. 



That spinach needs heavy fertilization is evident from these results, 

 there being practically no yield in the plots which receive little fertilizer. 

 The results in Plots 3 and 6 indicate that commercial fertilizer may be 

 substituted for stable manure to a considerable extent. The spinach on 

 the limed portion of the plots was much better than on the unlimed por- 

 tion, the increase being 75.5 per cent as an average for the entire experi- 

 ment. The increase was greatest in those plots which did not receive 

 manure. 



After the spinach was harvested, the plots were planted to Danish Ball 

 Head cabbage without further applications of fertilizer. The yields are 

 given in Table XVI. 



While the differences in yield were not so pronounced as with spinach, 

 the value of high fertilization is again apparent. Eight to sixteen tons of 

 manure plus commercial fertilizer is probably the most profitable treat- 

 ment. 



The limed half yielded 16.6 per cent more cabbage than the unlimed. 

 The increase occurred largely in Plots 5 and 7 where neither manure nor 

 commercial fertilizer is used. 



Tomato Maturity Project {Hatch Fund) 



In connection with the experiment on effect of acid phosphate on 

 maturity in tomatoes, it was determined that the larger early yield which 

 results from application of this fertilizer is due to an earlier growth and 

 earlier production of blossom clusters rather than to any hastening of the 

 rate of ripening of individual fruits after the blossoms have set. As a 

 continuation of this work fourteen dift'erent varieties and strains of 

 tomatoes were placed under observation by J. R. Hepler to determine 

 whether the differences between the standard early and late sorts are due 

 to earlier growth or more rapid rii^ening of the fruits. Three strains of 

 Earliana were averaged as early types; John Baer, Stokes' Bonny Best, 

 Chalk's Jewel and the local strain of Bonny Best for the medium early 

 tj^pe; two strains of Greater Baltimore, Stone and Burpee's Self-Pruning, 

 for the late type; Dwarf Stone and Dwarf Champion for the dwarf types. 



The results in Table XVII show that the earlier varieties grow more 

 rapidly early in the season. The growth on the late varieties occurs so 

 late in the summer that in this climate much of the fruit produced never 

 ripens. 



Growth and blossom production are closely correlated in plants of 

 the same variety; the early types produce their flower clusters earlier 

 than the late types. 



