Report of the Board of Trustees for the year 1889. Pp. 26-94. Wm. H. Bishop and Harry J. Patterson. The greater part of Mr. Bishop's report is upon tomatoes. Sixty sorts were grown. The causes which determine solidity in the tomato fruit were carefully studied, as were also the characteristics of the varieties. The instability of tomato varieties is noted, and it is thought that "reversion to ancestral types," whatever that may mean, is largely the cause. The conclusions in regard to general observations are as follows : " (1) The larger the fruit the greater the number of cells; this holds true not only with the fruits of different varieties, but with the fruits of a given variety compared with each other. (2) The larger the number of cells the greater the solidity of the fruit, as measured by the proportion of solid flesh to seed and pulp. (3) The larger the fruit the smaller the proportional number of seeds. (4) In general terms, the varieties producing the largest fruits are among the heaviest bearers. (5) The most promising varieties for general culture are Ignotum, Paragon, Favorite, Belle, Fulton Market and New Jersey. (6) The earliest varieties this season were Conqueror, Earliest of All and Alpha. To these may be added Bermuda and Advance." Experiments with fertilizers upon tomatoes were conducted, from which Mr. Bishop infers that nitrogen and potash are the regulating ingredients in tomato fertilizing.

It is noticeable that unfertilized ground gave poorest results, in accordance with results obtained by other experimenters last year.

Strawberries In Indiana.

Potato Varieties.

Peas In Indiana.

Tomatoes In Maryland.

Mr. Patterson made a series of exceedingly suggestive investigations upon the chemical composition of tomatoes at different times and under different treatments. The tomato is a poor food when judged by nutritive qualities. Over 90 per cent. is water, and sugar occupies about 3 per cent. The red tomatoes were found to have less dry substance than the yellow varieties, a conclusion diametrically opposed to the common notion, but their dry matter is richer in food elements than that of the yellow ones. Nitrogen in the albuminoid form is less in the yellow sorts.

The effect of fertilizers upon the composition of tomato fruits is indicated to be somewhat as follows: "(1) That potash has the effect of producing a fruit with more dry substance, accompanied by a slight decrease in the sugar and an increase in the acid. This, when considered in connection with increase of yield, is favorable to the use of potash. (2) That nitrates and phosphoric acid have a tendency to produce a fruit with more than the average proportion of water, but with more sugar and less acid than those grown with potash. (3) The sweetest tomatoes were produced on the plots receiving phosphoric acid".

The variations of the composition of tomato fruits in reference to weather are stated as follows: "(1) The variation in composition agrees closer with the variation in temperature than with the relative rainfall or sunshine. (2) That the highest water content of the tomato follows closely the periods of highest rainfall; but the range does not seem in any way proportional. (3) That the highest sugar content is either on or following the periods of greatest rainfall. (4) That the rate of yield or ripening depends more on the temperature and amount of rainfall than on the actual duration of sunshine; but the latter seems to exert a decided influence in some periods".

Mr. Bishop exchanged potatoes with the Vermont Experiment Station, and found that the northern seed, at both stations, gave the best results. Potatoes were also cut in different ways.

Observations upon various vegetables are recorded.