NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS FIELD STATION IN 1923 11 
all the apple seedlings that have fruited seem to be somewhat lacking 
in size. Seedlings of plums, sand cherries, gooseberries, Prunus 
iomentosa, currants, and grapes were marked for selection purposes 
and notes taken on them. One seedling of the Sioux sand cherry 
seemed to be a natural cross between Sioux and some plum, it 
resembles the Compass cherry, but is earlier, larger, sweeter, and 
appears to be a promising new fruit. Some of the selections from the 
native flowering currant were very promising, and a number were 
propagated. Juneberries bore little or no fruit, and no selections were 
made. 
HORTICULTURAL COOPERATORS 
The first fruit trees were sent out to horticultural cooperators in 
the spring of 1923. Apples, crabs, and plums were the only fruits 
distributed, but it is planned to include small fruits in the future. 
These cooperators were chosen from shelter-belt cooperators who 
had properly taken care of their plantings and who were interested 
in fruit growing. As more people applied for trees than could be 
supplied from the stock on hand, it was decided to limit distribution 
to one cooperator in each county. Trees were sent to 16 cooperators 
in Montana, 5 in North Dakota, 7 in South Dakota, and 3 in Wyoming. 
The varieties sent out were those that had done best at the station. 
Two varieties of apples, 3 varieties of crabs, 20 varieties of plums, 
4 varieties of plum-sand-cherry hybrids, 1 variety of sand cherry, 
and a number of wild-plum seedlings were distributed in 1923. In all, 
80 apples, 122 crabs, 635 named plums, 180 plum-sand-cherry 
hybrids, 12 sand cherries, and 431 wild-plum seedlings were sent out. 
About 80 per cent of the apples and crabs and 95 per cent of the 
plums were alive at the time of the summer inspection, 
OLERICULTURAL INVESTIGATIONS 
No new olericultural work was started in 1923. As in 1922, the 
work was carried on along three lines: Varietal tests of asparagus and 
potatoes, the 1-acre garden- vegetable test, and vegetable breeding. 
VARIETAL TESTS 
Asparagus. — The year 1923 was the most successful one since the 
asparagus bed was planted in 1914. The plants came through the 
winter without injury. Cutting began May 3 and continued until 
June 11. The heaviest yielding variety was Reading Giant, with 
a total of 55 pounds from 400 feet of row. No winter mulching is 
practiced. No rust or other disease has been observed. 
Potatoes.- — In the varietal tests of potatoes the source of seed 
continued to have a marked eft'ect on yields. Potatoes from seed 
grown at the station for a number of years yielded decidedly less 
than those grown from seed of the same varieties obtained from 
outside sources in 1922. This is probably owing to the presence of 
degeneration diseases in the station seed stock. .Irish Cobbler 
ranked first in 1923, with a yield of 238 bushels to the acre; Pinkeye 
was second, with a yield of 184 bushels; and Early Ohio was third, 
with a yield of 175 bushels. 
Spacing tests and selection work were carried on with potatoes in 
1923. The varieties employed in both of these experiments were 
