P.D. 31 5a 



Organization of the Market Garden Field Station. 



Since my last report the research staff at the Market Garden Field Station has 

 been completed. Tliis now consists of a plant physiologist, a plant pathologist 

 and an entomologist. The last two also give service to the orchard industry, 

 and for this reason are assigned to the Field Station from the home offices, rather 

 than having direct membership in the Field Station staff. To all intents and 

 purposes, however, they represent a part of the scientific manpower mobilized in 

 the eastern part of the State, to assist in solving those problems which handicap 

 our market gardening and vegetable growing industry. 



The advance made in the research study of many vital problems since the transfer 

 of the plant from Lexington to Waltham abundantly justifies the wisdom of the 

 Trustees in making this transfer, and in securing from the Legislature appropriation 

 for the purpose. 



Rebuilding the Cranberry Station. 



The building at the Cranberry Station was destroyed by fire on the night of 

 May 30, 1926. All equipment was lost. Fortunately all records and reports 

 were in a fire-proof safe, which went through the fire without damage to the interior. 

 In addition to the loss to the Station was the loss of personal equipment used in 

 the Station service and owned by the superintendent of the Station, Dr. H. J. 

 Franklin, by Mr. Lacroix, bj^ Dr. N. E. Stevens, detailed by the United States- 

 Department of Agriculture, and by the Cape Cod Cranberry Association. 



In rebuilding, the Station profited by the experience of the past dozen years,- 

 and now has a laboratory better suited to the needs of the Station. The new 

 buildings are of cement, with garage separate from the main building. There is 

 more laboratory space, and better toilet facilities than in the building which was 

 destroyed. 

 Service of the Cranberry Station. 



The service of the Cranberry Station continues to be appreciated. The frost 

 warnings, developed by Dr. FrankUn as a result of intensive study of meteorological 

 phenomena, have come to be widely utilized, with the distribution of the warnings 

 at the expense of the growers. The fact that most of the insect enemies attacking 

 the cranberry bog are now under control in one way or another goes back to the 

 many successful entomological studies conducted in the past twelve years by Dr. 

 Franklin. It is expected that the results of these studies will be shortly brought 

 together in a comprehensive bulletin. 



Development of Station Land. 



I am glad to be able to report continued progress in the development of the 

 Brooks Farm, purchased through funds appropriated by the Legislature in 1922, 

 for experimental purposes. The first objectives of this purchase, namely the study 

 of certain problems connected with tobacco and with onion culture, are in a fair 

 way of being attained. 



In tobacco, by agreement with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station 

 which also carries on research with this crop, the Massachusetts Station is taking 

 as its special field the problem of soil inhabiting diseases as influenced by manage- 

 ment practices followed. The whole promises to give a contribution, not alone to 

 a local industry of considerable importance, but to a better understanding of certain 

 fundamental principles of soil fertility. 



Owing to lack of funds the special work wdth onions was not started until the 

 spring of 1925. The main item in the research program for this industry has to do 

 with finding and improving that source of seed which will give to Massachusetts 

 producers the best possibility of competing with other regions. In addition a 

 considerable area is laid out to comparative experiments with lime and with ferti- 

 lizers. These investigations will become more valuable with every passing year. 



In both phases of the work the Experiment Station has the benefit of cooperation 

 and advice from committees of growers, respectively Advisory Committee on 

 Tobacco and Advisory Committee on Onions. The thanks of the Station are due 

 to the members of these committees, for the care and thought which they give to 

 the problems relating to their particular industries, and the oversight which they 

 give to the development of a sound research program. 



The equipment at the Tillson Farm has been greatly improved by the addition 



