From the large number of sorts maturing in about forty-six days, one can make no mistake in selection, as they are at best only distinct strains, bearing distinguishing names given them by the different seedsmen by whom they are sent out. The Clipper, Hancock, Landreth, Lightning, First and Best and First in Market, extra early sorts, were perhaps the best kinds grown, although the other strains were practically as good.

The Advance, Blue Beauty, Nott Excelsior, Don, Chelsea, and Profusion are good second early kinds.

Admiral, followed by Marrowfat, Champion, Marvel and other sorts would complete the season.

Very few of the tall-growing English sorts succeed here. Of the new sorts the following are valuable.

Blue Beauty. A dwarf extra early pea ready for use within two days after the half dwarf kinds. Growth strong and even; height of vine twenty inches; pods of medium size and well filled; quite productive and very desirable.

Chelsea. About one-fourth larger than American Wonder in plant, and fully as early; pods a little longer than Blue Beauty and with a hook at the end. The pods average about one-eighth larger than those of other varieties of its class except Nott's Excelsior. One of the best of the dwarfs.

Clipper. In general appearance much like the other half dwarfs, extra early sorts; fully as early as any of them, and excelling in vigor and productiveness. As good as any, if not the best strain grown.

Don. A second early sort, ripe ten days after Clipper; vines from three and one-half to four feet high; pods long and large, well filled. Quite

productive. As it comes at a time when no other varieties are in their prime, it will be well received.

Kent (extra early). An old variety which is not commonly grown. Vines three feet high, very strong and vigorous, ripens with Landreth Early. Excellent for market.

Heroine. A very vigorous variety with vines three feet in height, ripening with Marrowfat; pods quite long but not very well filled The number of peas, not all perfectly developed, however, averaged over eight to the pod. An English pea which hardly seems adapted to our climate, as the past was a very unfavorable season for all varieties of peas.

Mayor. A late variety growing three feet high, pods somewhat shorter than the last but still quite long, peas quite large, averaging six to a pod. Not promising in productiveness this year, but in other localities and seasons it may do better.

Nott Excelsior. An early dwarf sort growing about fourteen inches high, in general appearance about like Chelsea, although it is taller and has larger and longer pods; hardly as productive as that variety.

Admiral. A medium sized variety coming in just before the late sorts. Pods of medium size, produced in large numbers, well filled. A promising sort.

TRANSPLANTING ONIONS.

In order to test the claims made for this method of growing .onions, seeds of seven varieties were sown in a hot-bed April 10 and on the 16th of May they were transplanted to the field, and seeds of the same sorts were on the same day sown in a parallel plat for comparison.

The transplanted onions were placed in rows fifteen inches apart and at intervals of four inches in the rows. The soil was a rich sandy loam and received the same care as was given the adjoining tract containing a field crop of onions.

The result in every case was in favor of the transplanted onions; the results from the three best kinds being as follows:

The four weeks following the sowing of the seed in the open ground were quite dry, and the plants made a slow start. The transplanted ones received a copious watering when set out and did not suffer. The results were certainly in favor of transplanting but although it will probably pay for home use and for truckers it is doubtful if it would for large crops. In the South the method would be more desirable.

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, MICH.,

January 1, 1892.

L. R. TAFT.

H. P. GLADDEN.

NO. 80.--HORTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT

FRUITS.

In 1889 the State Board of Agriculture authorized the establishment of a Fruit Testing Sub-station at South Haven. The work was placed in the hands of the well known horticulturist, T. T. Lyon. The enterprising fruit growers of Van Buren county purchased and deeded to the Board, a tract of five acres adjoining the land of President Lyon, for station

purposes.

The results for 1889 and 1890 have been published in Bulletins 55 and 67. For these years we made use of the large experimental plantations of President Lyon, as it was too early for any results from our own.

The notes and observations for 1891 will be found in the following report:

The sub-station grounds are located on the shore of Lake Michigan, in the village of South Haven, and any one interested in fruit growing will be well repaid by visiting them. The latch string is always out.

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, MICH.,

Jan. 15, 1892.

}

L. R. TAFT,

Horticulturist.

To Prof. L. R. Taft, Horticulturist, in charge of Experiment Station: SIR-I herewith submit a report of operations under your direction, at the Fruit Testing Sub-station, at South Haven:

The convenient access from the village streets to the rear of the fruit plantations, during the summer and autumn of 1890, resulted in the pilfering of nearly the entire crop of grapes from plants bearing their first crop of fruit. The prospect of a larger crop the present season, a careful observation and record of which, when at full maturity, is essential to the full realization of the objects sought, with the necessity of some kind of protection for this purpose, led to directions to construct an adequate barbed wire fence, to serve as a barrier.

Aside from this the lack of a sufficient building, and the consequent absence of those in charge, except during work hours, left the grounds clear for trespassers, at all other times. Under these circumstances, and with the approval of the Board, I have, during the season, constructed a building to serve as an office, and temporarily as a residence; so located as to afford ready surveillance of the entire premises.

The care and oversight of these additional undertakings have, unavoidably, to a greater or less extent, interfered with, embarrassed or delayed my operations in connection with the appropriate work of the station. Commencing with the earliest fruit to ripen.

STRAWBERRIES-Fragaria.

During the spring of 1890, one hundred and forty-nine varieties of strawberries, many of them new, or newly introduced, with a few not yet offered for sale, were planted at this sub-station, with the purpose, aside from merely testing the values of the varieties, to do something in the way of comparing the results of cultivating in matted rows, with what is known as hill culture.

With this purpose in view twenty-four plants of each variety were given a length of row of two rods, inclusive of three feet space between the first and second twelve plants, and an equal space between varieties; or, in other words, each twelve plants occupied a space of thirteen and a half feet; the space between rows being four feet.

With each variety, the first twelve plants were allowed to form and root runners freely, with care to keep them well upon the space assigned to the row and prevent intermingling with adjacent rows.

The vigor of the second dozen plants, of each variety, was reserved by the constant removal of runners as they appeared; thus strengthening the original plants, and turning their energies to the development of additional crowns.

On the approach of winter, the plat was mulched, as a safeguard against possible injury in winter. This mulch was removed in spring to admit of cultivation; and the ground was kept thoroughly free from weeds, till the fruit commenced to ripen.

The picking was done on alternate days, under careful supervision; the picker being required to pinch off the stems; leaving the calyx attached to the berry; and the product of each dozen plants was separately weighed and recorded; those from matted rows, and those from hills, separately.

The earlier part of the season having been more than usually favorable, the plants generally reached the fruiting season in vigorous condition, with promise of a bountiful crop. During the first half of the ripening season, these prospective indications were realized. About this time, however, the weather suddenly changed to hot and dry, occasioning a serious shrinkage of the remainder of the crop, by the withering or blasting of much that, under more favorable conditions, would probably have matured.

The healthy foliage grown under conditions already mentioned was apparently so far affected by the change that it failed and was replaced by the new growth, earlier than usual; in some cases with much apparent enfeeblement of the plant.

For this reason, apparently, there was little if any development of fungus upon the foliage, and no depredations of insects have been observed. Even the leaf roller, which has for years been at least occasionally present, has not been noticeably present this season.

Since so many new varieties come to the public, not from the originator, but rather from the introducer, with its real origin suppressed, in the tables herewith, under the head of origin, only an approximation to the date of origination or introduction is attempted.

Čertain varieties of strawberries have so few anthers as to be apparently nearly, but not quite, incapable of self fertilization. In such cases "n. p. indicates that they are nearly pistillate.

p."

The dates of first and last pickings of each variety give the length of time during which it is in fruit. An examination will betray the fact that