NEW MEXICO. 197" 



year brought out the necessity of establishing a standard for com- 

 parison of moisture other than the dry-basis percentage. The in- 

 vestigation of the differences in performance and the sources and 

 reasons for energy loss in different types of pumps for irrigation 

 j)urp()ses was brought to a close, and the resultvS were prepared for 

 jiublication. 



With Hatch funds, the horticulturist, in cooperation with this 

 department, recorded phenological data on peaches and grapes, 

 studied sun scald as related to methods of pruning, whitewashing, 

 and other treatments, and tested sj^ring and fall or winter pruning of 

 grapes. A 2-acre apple orchard of 48 varieties has been started on 

 land with 4 to 5 feet of sandy soil and a good subsoil, for the purpose of 

 studying the effect of woolly aphis on trees grown on this soil where 

 the roots are relatively long. A test was made of apple grafts on 

 pear stock. The resistance of peach buds to frost was observed, and 

 the use of smudge pots to prevent frost injury was tried. The peach 

 was apparently more susceptible to frost injury when it had dropped 

 the petals and the fruit was about the size of a pea. Data were also 

 collected on the cost of production, yield, and returns in peach cul- 

 ture. With onions, culture and variety tests were continued, and 

 the results published in a bulletin indicate that good onion seed can 

 be grown in that section. Observations were also made on sweet 

 potatoes, celery, and cabbage. 



The work in agronomy included variety and culture tests, breeding 

 experiments, and fertilizer trials with wdieat, barley, rye, oats, corn, 

 sorghum, alfalfa, clover, and miscellaneous forage crops. Rotation 

 experiments were continued, and tests Avere made with plows for 

 working adobe soils and with haying machinery. Fall seeding of 

 sirring wheat did not seem to affect the maturing of the crop, and in 

 general there was no decided difference due to time of seeding from 

 October 15 to February 15. A test of 17 varieties resulted in yields 

 ranging from 29 to 67^ bushels per acre. A short-staple and a long- 

 staple Upland variety of cotton under test fruited very heavily, and 

 although late in opening indicated good yields. Giant and Dwarf 

 broom corn produced good brush and Texas-Seeded Ribbon cane 

 made a fair growth. In the fertilizer work, attention was given to 

 the use of excessively heavy fertilizer applications to study the effects 

 of commercial and natural manures on the growth of crops and the 

 production of alkali. Red clover made a good growth, but was not 

 as satisfactory as alfalfa. 



The chemist completed the study of the wax from the candelilla 

 plant, and determined its relation to beeswax, carnauba, and other 

 waxes. Time was further devoted to the study of a method for the 

 separation of iron, alumina, and phosphoric acid in inorganic plant 

 constituents, and to the compilation of water analyses made from 



