In order to make a trial of green manuring compared with other methods a piece of rye was turned under May 23d,when about eight inches high. The ground was nice mellow and clean and in perfect condition for planting. It was harrowed twice and planted with Capital corn on May 24th.

Adjoining it on one side was clover sod plowed the same day, harrowed and disced, planted the same day as the rye piece, with the same variety of corn. Adjoining the rye ground on the other side was a piece of fall plowed wheat stubble, unmanured. .Lying next to the latter was a piece of unmanured spring plowed ground that grew corn the year previous. Next to that was manured oat stubble, spring plowed. The aggregate area of the six plats was 5.96 acres. The two last named plats were manured during winter with barn-yard manure—twenty loads to 2.85 acres—and plowed early in the spring. The four last named plats were planted on May 18th and 20th, with the same variety of corn as the others mentioned. Capital corn is an improved Learning. The cultivation was the same for all the pieces throughout the season.

In 1891 the writer read a paper before one of the Horticultural Societies of Iowa,¹ in which the statement was made that melons and cucumbers do not “mix,” nor do pumpkins and melons. He was vigorously assailed by horticulturists for teaching such doctrines. I quote from several horticulturists. 3 Hon. Geo. Van Houten remarked: “I must correct the statement in regard to the crossing of melons and pumpkins and squashes. They will mix.,) Mr. Elmer Reeves related his experience when a boy “in having his melons spoiled by sowing seed from those planted near squashes.” In discussing this question with many horticulturists in the State and out, the opinion seems to be almost universal that “mixing” does occur. My brother, .who grows many cucurbits in Western Wisconsin, believes that pumpkins and squashes will “mix,” and that melons and cucumbers will “mix.” While I have not endeavored to get the opinion of seedsmen on this question, I believe, as a general thing they caution those who grow cucurbit seeds for them, not to plant the different species too closely. In a discussion of this subject before the American Association of Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations, Dr. Neale stated that watermelons were affected by the Calabash (Lagenaria vulgaris) in such a way that the melons had an extremely bitter taste, so much so, that it served as a warning to keep away such as desired to take melons. I am inclined to discredit these general statements and the experiments made elsewhere and here at Ames confirm the position I have taken on this question.

The cut on the opposite page represents an apparatus, devised by the writer, that is being used in the college creamery to the great satisfaction of those who fortnightly test the composite samples. It is for measuring out the charges of acid for the Babcock test.

It may be described in a general way as consisting of two parts: First, a leaden receptacle connected with the acid carboy by a leaden siphon, and second, two glass burettes or measuring cylinders connected with each other and with a glass siphon which draws the acid from the leaden receptacle.

This station has experimented during the past season with several root crops, among which were the Long Red Mangel, Medium Red, Golden Tankard, Yellow Swedish Turnip, Rutabagas, and Carrots.

These were planted on one acre of August plowed meadow sod ground, disced twice November 1st in order to kill insects. In the spring it was plowed twelve inches deep and thoroughly pulverized by the disc and harrow. The seed was planted in the last days of May and first day of June, in small ridges, two feet apart, with a Planet Jr. seeder. Cultivation the first time was done with a hand cultivator. The few weeds in the rows were pulled by hand. After that, cultivation was done four times with a one horse Planet Jr. cultivator; at the last cultivation the earth was turned toward the rows. At this, time the ground between the rows was entirely shaded with the tops. The few remaining weeds, after the last cultivation, were removed with hand and hoe; comparatively little hand work was done. A good stand was obtained of all roots, except the carrots, which are most difficult to start, being slow of growth when young, and requiring more hand work than most roots.

The numerous failures in getting good stands of the cultivated grasses, and the serious losses resulting, has induced us to make trials during the past two years to ascertain what influence time of sowing and depth of sowing has, on securing good crops.

Bulletin No. 15, issued one year ago, treats of the time of sowing and experiments made during 1892, give us indications relative to the depth of covering grass seed.

The spring was rainy and the ground wet; seeding could not be done until April 9th, when operations begun. Red clover, Timothy, Bromus Inermus and Tall Meadow Oat grass, were sown at that date, as follows: A plat of each one rod square was covered one-half inch deep, by raking the seed in. A plat of each was sown in furrows, made one inch deep, and covered with the hoe. A plat of each was sown in furrows two inches deep, and covered in the same manner, and a plat of each was put in furrows three inches deep.