PROGRESS AT THE HORTICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER 



Renovation of Farm Buildings 



Since the Trustees of the University were given the property In Belchertown 

 for our Horticultural Research Center last June, a good deal of work has gone 

 into planting plans, land improvement and preparation. In addition, considerable 

 effort was spent this past winter renovating the existing farm buildings. 

 Although further work remains, we feel that a great daal has been accomplished. 



Our foreman, Loren Glazier, and his men plus several from the University 

 maintenance staff have accomplished the following things: 



1. Rewired the entire main barn complex. 



2. Installed heating units so that all major areas can be kept warm during 

 the winter. 



3. Reroofed many areas where it was needed. 



4. Laid concrete flooring under the entire main hay barn and cow stanchion 

 area so that we now have an acceptable place to house and service our 

 machinery and vehicles. 



5. Installed modern toilet, shower, and lunch room facilities suitable for 

 our personnel and visitors. 



6. Remodeled an area at the south end of the buildings to provide office 

 space for our foreman and storage space for small tools and supplies. 



A number of smaller jobs too numerous to mention have been taken care of, 

 also. Certainly, those of you who had a chance to visit the Center last summer 

 will now have no difficulty spotting the improvements that have been made in our 

 physical facilities. 



F. W. Southwick 



Tree Fruit Plantings 



Extensive planting of experimental blocks has not been made at the 

 Horticultural Research Center this spring because trees, which had to be custom 

 propagated last summer, will not be ready for planting until 1964. One small 

 planting was made to study the effects of rates, and placement of fertilizer and 

 lime on the growth of newly set apple trees. 



Several East Mailing and Mailing Merton rootstocks were planted to establish 

 a stool bed. 



The large field north of the barn will have some 3,000 feet of drainage tile 

 installed this summer. We plan to set most of this area to apple trees next 

 spring. 



W. D. Weeks 



