D. A., established uniform oat nurs- 

 ery trials on the University farm. 

 As each new disease resistant variety 

 became available, it was tried out in 

 the plots. Several new varieties have 

 shown high yielding capacities, but 

 have had to be abandoned for vari- 

 ous reasons. The outstanding ex- 

 ample was Vicland, which was a vic- 

 tim of Victoria blight. 



Such varieties as Clinton, Ajax, 

 and Mohawk have proved to be sat- 

 isfactory and the New Hampshire 

 farmers are using them. These dis- 

 ease resistant varieties not only in- 

 sure good grain yields each year, 

 but are also superior for annual hay, 

 nurse crops and grazing. 



Trials replicated at least three 

 times at Claremont, Durham, and 



Lancaster since 1948 show a differ- 

 ence in response for each variety in 

 the different localities. Generally, 

 oats yield better in the Lancaster area 

 than in southern New Hampshire. 

 Yields have averaged better than 5 

 tons of forage per acre and, in some 

 cases, grain yields have approached 

 100 bushels to the acre. 



The last two years have brought 

 to light some new varieties that yield 

 higher than the disease-resistant va- 

 rieties now used, but seed has not 

 been multiplied fast enough as yet 

 to make them available in sufficient 

 quantity for planting. Indications 

 are that oat variety changes will be 

 frequent in the near future. 



Following is a summary of the oat 

 variety trials: 



Variety Resistance 



Forage Yield per Acre 



Grain Yield per Acre 



No disease resistance 

 Resistant to smut only 

 Resistant to stem rust 



Resistant to crown and 

 stem rusts and smut 

 "Top" resistant varieties 



20-35 bu. 

 25-40 bu. 

 55-65 bu. 



60-70 bu. 

 80-90 bu. 



Hybrid Corn Yield Tests 



New Hampshire farmers continue 

 to change from the old open-polli- 

 nated varieties of grain and silage 

 corn to the hybrid varieties recom- 

 mended by the Experiment Station. 

 In the early 1930's, less than 1 per 

 cent hybrid corn was grown in the 



L. J. HiGGINS 



state, whereas now it is estimated 

 that 85 per cent of the corn is hy- 

 brid. A 10 per cent gain has taken 

 place during the last two years. 



Since 1936, when the Agronomy 

 Department started the variety trials, 

 the summary of yield average would 

 be as follows: 



Variety 



Silage Yield per Acre 



Grain Yield per Acre 



Flints-open-pollinated 

 Dent-flint hybrids 

 Dents-open-pollinated 

 Dent hybrids 

 Dent-sweet hybrids 



8-10 tons 

 10-12 tons 

 12-15 tons 

 15-20 tons 

 20 plus 



30-40 bu. 

 45-50 bu. 

 55-60 bu. 

 65-70 bu. 

 Not suitable for grain 



In spite of the drought experienced 

 during the 1949 and 1950 growing 

 seasons, hybrid corn varieties showed 

 significant differences in yields at 

 Durham, Claremont, and Lancaster. 



Furthermore, hybrids brought in 

 from outside of the state respond 

 differently in New Hampshire local- 

 ities than they do in their original 

 habitat. Due to seasonal variations. 



16 



