REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURIST AND HORTICULTURIST. To the Director of the Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station: DEAR SIR: The following Report of the Department of Agriculture and Horticulture for the year ending December 31, 1891, is herewith submitted: LOCATION. The Experiment Station grounds are located about a mile east of Reno, extending from the Truckee on the south to the S. P. R. R. on the north. The grounds have a general slope to the east and south. The soil is fairly uniform in character, made up of a large percentage of sand, considerable gravel and a small amount of clay. The total area is 29.4 acres. The greater part of this ground is under cultivation laid out in half-acre plats, quarter-acre plats and several fractional plats, made necessary by the general lay of the land and contour of the main irrigating ditch, alfalfa field, orchard, vineyard, buildings, yards Work on the Station grounds in the line of plowing and removing rock was still in progress on my arrival, March 22. The first work to receive attention was the distribution of sugar beet seed to about forty individuals. To most of these, letters were sent with about sixteen questions, covering the season's operations with sugar beets. To questions sent farmers with reference to sugar beets, potatoes or alfalfa, they have responded in a manner that is encouraging. In April Bulletin No. 12, Sugar Beet Culture, was issued. To Prof. Jackson, of the Department of Mining in the University, I am indebted for a survey for the location of the half and quarter-acre plats. PLATS. The plats occupy the central and east part of the grounds. The half acres, numbered from one to nine, are situated between center and north drive. The quarters lettered from A to H are situated between the main drive and the main ditch. The quarters were all well manured and broken in 1890. The half acres were located on land seeded to alfalfa, not manured and broken in March, 1891. The labor attending the operation was best appreciated by those who came in actual contact with it. After plowing the plats were well harrowed and then cross plowed. Following the second plowing, the harrow was again used and the finishing was done with a "smoother." After each plowing of the plats large quantities of rock and alfalfa were removed. Large numbers of rocks required blasting before moving was possible. Half-acre plats 1 and 2 were sown to White Australian wheat, to test thick and thin seeding. Plat 3 was sown to White Australian wheat (two divisions of one-eighth of an acre each were used), to test vitriol and no vitriol. Also, three varieties of wheat, Polish, Granite and Dallas. On plat 4 was sown Ontario, Ruby, Red Oregon Club, Gypsum, Northcote's Amber, Niagara, Improved Fife, Amethyst and Whittington wheats, Excelsior and Highbred Oats, and Winter six-rowed barley. Plats 5 and 6 were planted to potatoes that had given the best satisfaction in 1890, using the following varieties on plat 5: Fearnaught, Summit, Early Sunrise, Rough Diamond and Stray Beauty; on plat 6: St. Patrick, White Flower, Morning Star, White Star and Early Rose. Plat 7 was planted to three varieties of field corn, Pride of the North, Piasa King and Canada Yellow. Plat 8; one-eighth of an acre on the north side, was drilled with sweet corn at the rate of fifty-six pounds per acre for feed. South side was sown to five varieties of wheat and to the following kinds of barley, Winnipeg, Smooth Hulless, Purple, Guy Mayle. Plat 9 was sown to flax, buckwheat, broom corn and sorghum, one-eighth of an acre each. Fractional plats, east of and between the half acres, quarters and the wall, were used for ramie. Quarter acre A was used for a test of fifty-two varieties of potatoes. Plats B, C, D, E and F were drilled with several varieties of sugar beet seed. Plat G had one-eighth acre of sugar beets, south side, drilled July 1, to test late planting. Also, oats, Pringles' No. 6, White Dutch, South Carolina, Black, New Zealand, Golden Giant and Chinese Hulless, and barley, Trick's and Black, and canary seed. Golden millet, yellow flax, hemp, lentils, vetch and vegetable peaches. Plat H was sown to carrots and white turnips. DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF SEED WHEAT. Table I gives the results obtained from using seed at the rate of 45, 75, 90 and 105 pounds per acre. The variety used in this trial was the White Australian, obtained from Mr. H. H. Beck, of the Riverside Mill Company, who says that he finds no better variety of wheat for milling purposes. Column 1 gives the rate sown per acre in pounds, column 7 the amount of seed sown on each quarter acre, and column 8 the yield less the amount of seed sown. Where the rate per acre was forty-five pounds the heads were larger than with the usual amount of seed. 345-8 39 to 46 3 to 4 7-23 8-26 386 8-26 356 22-8 333-I 8-26 393-12 26-4 367-8 Length of straw Length of head in inches. ing acre-lbs Rate of seed The above were all quarter acre plats. The light seeding of forty-five pounds per acre, although giving very good results, also permits the growth of more weeds than is desirable. The seed used on the four quarters was all vitrioled.. These plats were drilled, also plats noted in table 2, May 7. The plats were irri gated June 1, 15 and 25; July 5, 11, 21 and 29; August 6 and 12. The grain was threshed October 8, yielding 1,481 pounds 8 ounces, or 24 bushels, 41 pounds 8 ounces to the acre. A slight change in our method of furrowing for irrigation would have increased the yield. VITRIOL. A trial of vitriol and no vitriol was made with White Australian wheat on plat 3, one-eighth of an acre being given to each. One pound of the vitriol was put in half a barrel of water and the seed was soaked for one hour. Table 2 gives the yield in pounds and bushe's per acre. No smut was found in either. It should be explained that the yield of the one-eighth of an acre on which vitriol was used was reduced by ants destroying a space about ten feet in diameter, and still further by an old wagon road across the corner of the plat. Mr. H. H. Beck says that the testimony of farmers is conflicting in regard to the use of vitriol. Some prefer to use it, while others claim that its use amounts to nothing. It is used in Colorado, and I am told that California farmers use vitriol. The following varieties of grain were received from the Colorado Agricultural College: Wheat-Granite, Dallas, Polish, Ontario, Ruby, Red Oregon, Club, Gypsum, Northcote's Amber, Niagara, Improved Fife, Whittington, Winnipeg, Russian, Amethyst and Australian Club. Oats-Excelsior, Highbred, White Dutch, Pringle's No. 6, S. C. Black, New Zealand, Golden Giant and Chinese Hulless. Barley-Black, Trick's, Guy Mayle, Purple, Winter Six-rowed, Winnipeg, Smooth Hulless. These were of necessity sown in small area, as the amount of seed was limited. They were selected on account of their record in a State using irrigation. Sowing at an earlier date, which is a good general rule, would have been my choice. This was prevented by a combination of circumstances. These varieties were sown on the half acre plats-alfalfa sod-broken in March, and, barring some injury to certain varieties by rust, they made a creditable showing. As these were sown in areas ranging from one-half to one one-hundredth of an acre, estimated yields per acre are not given. Amounts threshed are given below in pounds and ounces. These weights will necessarily be reduced by the screening required for sowing. The length of straw varied from 34 to 38 inches with the Whittington to 41 to 51 with the Niagara, and 43 to 48 with the Polish. The latter has heads from five to seven and one-half inches long. It has sometimes been called Mammoth rye, by others Wild Goose wheat. Dr. Geo. Vasey, Chief of Botanical Division, Department culture, pronounces it Polish wheat. of Agri Pringle's No. 6 is a side oat. 54-10 8-20 54- 4 8-24 8-24 17- O 9- 2 19- I 9- 2 14- I 8-29 18-9 9- 2 21-5 8-26 27-18 Excelsior, Highbred, White Dutch, Pringle's No. 6 and New Zealand are considered most desirable from a field standpoint. Mr. H. H. Beck says that the Chinese Hulless would do well for |