'^c^e<tic^ ^^ l^eo^ieea 



VOL 5 XO. 1 



JAXIARV 1956 



A free semiannual periodical published as part 

 of the annual report of the Massachusetts Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station. 



All requests for Research in Revictv should be 

 addressed to the Mailing Room, Munson Hall 

 University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massa- 

 chusetts. 



Director — Dale H. Sieling 

 Editor — Portia A. Ierardi 

 Photographer — John H. Vondell 



Seed Laboratory 



— a service to tobacco 

 growers 

 Poultry Research 



— lifeline of the poultry 

 industry 

 Native Plant Collection 



— living tribute to Bay State 

 botanists 

 10 Today's Chickens Vaccinate 



Themselves 

 12 Don't Second-Guess with 

 Pesticides 



COVER This bright-eyed chick is about to 



be recorded as a progeny of hen 

 #512 and be assigned a numbered 

 band of his own to be worn on his 

 wing throughout his lifetime. In the 

 wire basket, yet to appear, are sev- 

 eral brothers and sisters. 



The pedigree process begins in 

 the laying pen where the mother hen 

 trips a door as she enters the nest, 

 locking herself in. Later, when the 

 attendant lets her out, he marks her 

 newly laid egg with the pen number, 

 her own number, and the date. Each 

 week her eggs are placed in an in- 

 cubator, and just before hatching 

 time (the 18th day of incubation) ail 

 her fertile eggs are placed in an in- 

 dividual wire basket to be sure that 

 her progeny will not be mixed with 

 others. 



This detailed, careful work is the 

 key to the great strides made in flock 

 improvement in Massachusetts and 

 the nation. 



^xaW' 



t^e ^c%ecta% 



Genetics, nutrition, medicine, manage- 

 ment, and marketing have contributed to 

 the remarkable growth of the poultry indus- 

 try. The application of basic information to 

 the practical improvement of poultry raising 

 has developed some outstanding records. 

 Since 1911, when this industry was given 

 recognition through the establishment of a 

 subject matter department at this University, 

 the average annual production of eggs per 

 hen has increased 50%; meat production 

 per pound of feed has increased 100%, 

 and mortality from various diseases has de- 

 creased significantly. The hen of 1911 and 

 the methods used in her husbandry would 

 hardly be recognized by the modern 

 poultryman. Could the application of new 

 knowledge, yet undiscovered, lead to com- 

 parable changes and improvements in the 

 future? I believe the progress may be just 

 as outstanding in the future as it has been 

 in the past. 



^al Ml^^ 



c^c^ 



Publication of This Document Approved by George J. Cronin, State Purchasing Agent 

 5M-1-56-717205 



