AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 83 



have been conducted during the year to determine the effective- 

 ness of certain insecticides and fungicides. The results obtained 

 are very encouraging and the work will be continued and extended 

 during the ensuing j-ear. 



Attention is being given to the amelioration of our native fruits, 

 and to developing the possibilities of fruit culture in the more 

 trying localities of the State. 



Following is given somewhat in detail a part of the work of 

 the year. Some of the work being incomplete, the report will be 

 made later. 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



Owing to the fact that the soil intended for vegetable gardening 

 was badly infested with "witch grass," it was thought best to sub- 

 due the land before undertaking much work with vegetables. 

 Our attention during the past season has been given chiefly to 

 certain points in the culture of cabbages, tomatoes and egg plants. 



I. Notes of Cabbages. 

 Some twenty varieties of early cabbages were grown ; the 

 special design being to study the effect of different methods of 

 culture, and to compare the relative merits of seed from the east, 

 and from the extreme northwest, as well as to try some of the 

 newer varieties not yet placed on the market. 



1. Culture: In general, cabbages for early use should be 

 started in hot beds or forcing houses from the first to the middle 

 of April. To prevent crowding, transplant once or twice before 

 setting in the open ground in May. If the plants are "hardened 

 off," i. e. gradually exposed to lower temperatures, before being 

 placed out of doors, they will stand a light frost without injury. 

 Frequent cultivation is advisable. 



2. Influence 'of Transplanting : It is a common practice among 

 gardeners to handle certain vegetables from one to three or four 

 times before setting in the open field ; the object being to render 

 the plants "stocky," and, it is thought, better able to withstand 

 the shock of final removal to the field. The operation is also 

 thought to hasten the maturity of the plants, and to increase the 

 production of fruit. How far these impressions are correct, we 

 are not as yet prepared to state. Some contend that this manipu- 

 lation of the plants tends to dwarf them, thereby reducing the 

 amount of fruit, or in case of cabbages, the size of the head. 



