128 KEPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



The principal field work on the cranberiy project was conducted at 

 East Wareham on the 12-acre bog recently secured with State funds. 

 Considerable work was done during the year in improving the bog 

 and preparing it for various lines of experimental work. In addi- 

 tion to the field work, studies were carried on in closed plats of a new 

 and original type, assuring control of different factors in which it is 

 believed the chemical changes occurring in cranberr}^ bogs, and which 

 may be induced by different fertilizer applications, can be closolv 

 followed. The relation of injurious and beneficial insects to cran- 

 berries also received attention. 



Two publications were prepared on the results obtained in study- 

 ing the relations of climate to the development of plants and crops 

 in health and disease. This study included investigations on light 

 with reference to plant growth and to greenhouse construction and 

 to the development of tip-burn of lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers, 

 and of the mosaic disease of tobacco. 



A number of important lines of work were carried on under the 

 Hatch and State funds. The agriculturist continued observations on 

 the top-dressing of j^astures and permanent mowings, and gave fur- 

 ther attention to the subject of alfalfa culture. It was determined 

 that profitable hay crops may be produced in permanent mowings 

 by top-dressing with fertilizers only, and that a combination of slag 

 meal and potash salt produces hay made up chiefly of Kentucky blue 

 grass and white clovers. The use of slag meal and low-grade sul- 

 phate of potash as a top-dressing for pastures gave good results and 

 favorably modified the character of the herbage. The experiments 

 and observations with alfalfa led to the conclusion that the crop can 

 be successfully grown in Massachusetts. 



The horticulturist studied the effect of summer and winter prun- 

 ing on bud formation, gave attention to the renovation of different 

 types of apple trees, continued the experiments of varieties of dif- 

 ferent botanical species of plums and with 11 different stocks of 

 apples to determine the effects of stock on scion, made observations 

 with reference to season of ripening and color and quality of fruit, 

 and conducted variety work with different groups of peaches, plums, 

 and api^les, and fertilizer work in orchards. 



The botanical department followed work relating to soil biology, 

 studied methods of soil sterilization and their eli'ects, and continued 

 spraying work, including the devising of more efficient nozzles. 

 Attention was given to the abnormalities of stump growth, and an 

 article on this topic was published in the station report for 1911. 

 This department also conducted experiments relating to the preven- 

 tion of the clogging of drain tile by roots, and found that either 

 excelsior or sawdust first saturated with creosote and packed about 

 the joints of drain tiles keeps the roots from entering. 



