1914.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 23 a 



variety tests of garden and field crops and of fruits; tests of 

 different spray materials ; comparison of methods of priming ; 

 comparison of cover crops in orchard management; tests of 

 southern ver'sus northern nursery stock; of one and two year 

 old apple trees ; tests of trees pruned and not pruned at setting 

 time ; trials of new crops ; determinations of the digestibility 

 of feedstuffs; methods of feeding for milk; systems of feeding 

 and management of poultry for eggs; tests of the efficacy of 

 anti-hog cholera serum; studies upon the diagnosis and trans- 

 mission of avian tuberculosis; co-operation with selected farm- 

 ers in the trial of crops and systems of fertilizing them. 



We have two substations, one for investigations connected 

 with asparagus at Concord, the other for cranberry investiga- 

 tions in Wareham. Brief references to the work at these sta- 

 tions will be found later in this report. 



Research. 

 The research problems under investigation are for the most 

 part supported by the Adams fund, and have received the ap- 

 jDroval of the Office of Experiment Stations. The principal 

 problems at present under investigation are the following : — 



1. To determine the principles which should underlie prac- 

 tice in the use of fertilizers for the cranberry crop. 



2. To determine the principles which should underlie prac- 

 tice in the use of fertilizers for asparagus. 



3. Work in plant breeding in the endeavor to produce more 

 rust-resistant types of asparagus. (In co-operation with the 

 Bureau of Plant Industry, United States Department of Agri- 

 culture. ) 



4. Investigation of the solubility effect of ammonium sul- 

 fate on the soil of one of our experimental fields (Field A). 



5. The effect of food on the composition of milk and butter 

 fat and on the consistency or body of butter. 



6. The cause of the digestion depression produced by mo- 

 lasses. 



7. Why insecticides burn foliage. 



8. Effects of meteorological conditions on the development of 

 plants and crops, both in health and disease. 



