10 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 398 



Although the amount of seed produced by the several lots of bulbs differed, 

 it is not certain that the storage temperatures were entirely responsible for these 

 differences. Further investigation of this phase of the problem is needed. 



There was no significant difference in time of maturity between commercialK- 

 grown onions in the Valley and onions grown from sets selected for early and late 

 maturity. On account of weather conditions this year, commercially grown onions 

 matured from 2 to 3 weeks earlier than usual, which may explain the failure to 

 obtain any advantage from using specially selected sets. 



Sets were produced this year from second generation selfed lines for the study 

 of inheritance of number of seed stalks per plant; from crosses for double and 

 single bulb characters; and from crosses between white Persian and Ebenezer 

 variety. F2 seed was secured from the white Persian X Ebenezer cross. 



Sterile-species crosses between Allium fistulo sum and A. cepa L. were treated 

 with calchicine to induce polyploidy. Calchicine in a 2 percent aqueous solution 

 was lethal to all the early stages of inflorescence when immersed for one hour, and 

 few of the flowers that were about ready to open on well-developed inflorescence 

 survived the treatment. Their stigmas were stunted and swollen and no pollen 

 ripened. One of the hybrids which was not treated with calchicine matured 5 

 seeds. These seeds were planted as soon as mature, in the greenhouse. Although 

 all of the seeds germinated, only two seedlings survived. Cytological examina- 

 tion of the meristematic tissues will be made to determine the chromosome 

 number of these plants. 



The hybrids of the A. fistulas tim X A. cepa cross show the characteristics of 

 multiplier onion. One of the year-old bulbs separated into 16 parts, each bulblet 

 having a flower-stalk. 



Hybrid Field Corn. (Hrant M. Yegian.) Further trials with early-maturing 

 hybrid field corn for the higher plateau regions of Worcester County and the 

 western counties of Massachusetts were conducted at the College Farm. A few 

 of the promising hybrids will be tested next season in the northern part of the 

 State. 



Nine early-maturing hybrids — Maine A, Wis. 240, Wis. 255, Minn. 402, Minn. 

 700, Minn. 800, Cornell 34-53, Ohio M15, and Quebec flint— from last year's 

 trial plots at the College were tested this year for maturity and yield in the 

 northern part of the State where the growing season is shorter and cooler than it 

 is here. Maine A was the only one that matured under those conditions. 



In order to become familiar with the performance of recently developed out- 

 of-state hybrids offered for sale in Massachusetts for late grain and silage pur- 

 poses, yield tests with 27 hybrids were conducted at the College Farm. The 

 year 1942 was very favorable for corn production. The long ripening season 

 permitted relatively large, late-maturing hybrids to ripen satisfactorily; but in a 

 year with a shorter ripening season, the results may be very disappointing. 



Available Phosphorus. (A. B. Beaumont.) The distribution of "available" 

 phosphorus in the soil profile as affected by soil type and management is being 

 studied. Determinations of soluble phosphorus made to date indicate that past 

 treatment is a more important factor in determining the amount of phosphorus 

 extracted by this method than is soil type. Long use of phosphatic fertilizers 

 has caused an accumulation of acid-soluble phosphorus in the topsoil, the amount 

 varying with the degree of fertilization. Topsoils which have been heavily ferti- 

 lized for years, as in truck growing and tobacco culture, have been found to be 

 relatively heavily charged with phosphorus considered available by the method 

 of extraction used. Corresponding subsoils have been found to contain little 

 available phosphorus. 



