October 8, 1920] 



SCIENCE 



343 



fore planned and working plans drawn up to 

 cover the following points. 



For the purpose of these projects the land 

 was classified into swamp, moist and dry. 



PROJECT I 



To study the sprouting of different species 

 of ribes eradicated in different months and 

 under different moisture conditions. 



In the land which was cleared in May 

 twenty-five bushes were located in dry ground 

 and twenty-five in moist. No swamp was 

 worked. These bushes were marked with 

 numbered stakes and exactly located on a 

 map. 



The following data was noted for each bush : 

 (a) whether plant was pulled or grubbed; 

 (6) whether part of crown was left or only 

 side roots; (c) whether sprouts came from the 

 crown, the cut ends of side roots, or as suckers 

 from the roots; (d) number of sprouts, date 

 of sprouting and species. 



This same schedule was duplicated on areas 

 cleared in June, July, August and September. 



Bushes were selected which were eradicated 

 about the middle of the month, so that the 

 intervals were about even. 



PROJECT II 



To study the cost and effectiveness of eradi- 

 cation of ribes in different months. 



Five quarter-acre plots were laid out in dry 

 land — either brush or forest land — not meadow 

 or tilled land — in the area eradicated in May. 

 The same was done on the moist land type. 



This schedule also was repeated in June, 

 July, August and September. 



These plots were permanently marked with 

 stakes, as they will probably be studied for 

 the next three or four years at least. 



After the eradication crew had gone over 

 this area, the plots were carefully examined to 

 see what was left. The plants found were 

 classified by species as sprouts, seedlings under 

 six inches, and old plants. 



PROJECT m 

 To determine the ntunber of years eradica- 

 tion will have to be practised. 



The plots established for Project II. will 



be studied for a series of years, and the devel- 

 opment of the ribes noted. 



PROJECT n^ 



To study the reproduction of different 

 species of ribes by seed and layering. 



A number of plants of each species were 

 located in both moist and drj' tyi)es in pine 

 woods, in hardwoods, in brush land, in sod 

 land and in swamps. 



Seed was collected from each species at 

 weekly intervals and in all stages of maturity. 

 Some of it was tested at once for germina- 

 tion, some was stratified and held for germi- 

 nation tests in the spring. 



Plots of seedlings were staked out and 

 counted from lime to time and survival noted. 

 They will be checked again in the spring to 

 see how many were winter killed. 



PROJECT V 



To determine the effect of pruning and cut- 

 ting off the roots at different depths and differ- 

 ent dates. 



A number of bushes of each species were 

 located both in the dry land and moist types. 



Some of these were cut off above the crown, 

 some just below the crown and some six 

 inches below the surface. 



This was done in June and duplicated in 

 August. 



PROJECT VI 



To determine growth habits of each species. 



A number of plants were located and put 

 under surveillance. Their future development 

 will be studied. 



The infected area around Rush Lake, Min- 

 nesota, was selected for the experiments. 

 Eradication of rihes had been carried on there 

 in the summer of 1918 and was in progress 

 during the summer of 1919. It is a rolling 

 country of hills, and swamjM. All stages of 

 cultivation are represented from wild wood- 

 land, through brushland and pasture, to cul- 

 tivated fields. Most of the woodlands are 

 made up of mixed hardwoods — butternut, red 

 oak, white birch, bitternut, hickory, basswood, 

 sugar maple and white ash, with a large mix- 

 ture of black ash in the lowlands. Here and 

 there is a small patch of pure white pine and 



