1917] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 67a 



the importance of cooling the crop and handling it as one would 

 handle delicate fruit. It appears possible to retain the crop for 

 a week or more in cool storage by observing precautions, and 

 thus aiding in a better distribution of the crop in the market. 



Soil Investigations. — Mr. Ruprecht was absent during the 

 first half of the year, studying at Cornell University. While 

 away and since his return, until his resignation at the close of 

 the year, he was engaged in comparing samples of soils from 

 Pennsylvania, Ohio and Rhode Island, which had been treated 

 for long periods of time with sulfate of ammonia. The results 

 were corroborative of those obtained on the soils of Field A at 

 this station. 



The residual effects of the long-time application of sulfate 

 versus muriate of potash on Field B have been studied, using 

 for this purpose the soils from six of the plots in this field. Mr. 

 Beals made numerous analyses, and the results obtained showed 

 practically no differences in the effects of the two salts on the 

 residual calcium, magnesium or potash. 



The fact that our fertilizer plots have been maintained con- 

 tinuously for many years suggested the possibility of valuable 

 results from a study of the hydrogen ion concentration in the 

 soil solution and the effect of the common fertilizer chemicals on 

 this concentration where used over long periods of time. A 

 considerable amount of preliminary work has been done to 

 develop the best mode of procedure in the investigation. 



Cranberry Investigations. — The comparatively small amount 

 of work done in this line during the past year has been a con- 

 tinuation of that mentioned in the last report. 



2. Fertilizer Section. 

 The work of the fertilizer section, in charge of Mr. Haskins, 

 with Messrs. Walker, Jones and Allen as assistants, may be 

 summarized as follows: — 



(a) Fertilizers registered. 

 During the season of 1916, 108 manufacturers, importers and 

 dealers have secured certificates for the sale of 515 brands of 

 fertilizer, fertilizing materials and agricultural limes, classed as 

 follows: — 



