62 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 315 



DEPARTMENT OF OLERICULTURE 

 Ralph A. Van Meter in Charge 



Packet Seed Studies. (G. B. Snyder.) One hundred and seventy-two lots of 

 packet seeds representing beans, beets, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, 

 cucumbers, lettuce, onions, parsnips, radish, turnips, spinach, and squash were 

 obtained by State inspectors and planted in the trial plots. Field germination 

 of the seed was recorded and the results obtained listed half of the lots as having 

 a germination of 70 percent or better and half as having a germination below 

 70 percent. Sixteen percent of the lots germinated less than 30 percent. 



In general the varieties ran fairly true to the name printed on the seed packet. 

 The carrots were very much off type, and in lettuce and spinach there was mix- 

 ture in some of the varieties. 



This project was carried in cooperation with the Seed Laboratory. 



Studies in Sweet Corn, Including Seed Germination, Seed-Borne Diseases, 

 Variety Characters, and Factors of Quality. (A. P. Tuttle and G. B. Snyder.) In 

 cooperation with Professor F. A. McLaughlin, Seed Analyst, and Dr. O. C. 

 Boyd, Plant Pathologist, the Department of Vegetable Gardening studied the 

 field performance of some 245 lots of sweet corn. While there was some variation 

 in plant characters and in the performance of strains within varieties, practically 

 all the strains fell within their respective variety range and were true to name. 



Some 70 so-called hybrid varieties were included in the trials and compared 

 with the standard varieties grown. In general the hybrids were slightly later in 

 maturity, had larger plants and ears, produced a slightly heavier yield, and the 

 kernels were sweet and oi good quality. Some of these hybrids are of outstanding 

 commercial value. 



Studies of kernel toughness of such varieties as Sunshine, Golden Gem, and 

 Spanish Gold indicated that, while kernel toughness tended to increase with age 

 of the kernel, other conditions not within the scope of these investigations were 

 perhaps more important than age in determining toughness. Harvesting of the 

 ear did not materially affect the rate of increase in toughness of the kernel. 



Systematic Studies of Turnips and Rutabagas. (G. B. Snyder.) This project 

 was carried in cooperation with the Federal Division of Fruit and Vegetable 

 Crops and Diseases. Thirty lots comprising fourteen varieties of rutabagas and 

 eighty-five lots comprising seventeen varieties of turnips were gown in the trial 

 plots. Detailed records were taken of the plants during the growing season and 

 of the roots at the time of their prime market stage of maturity. This is at least 

 a two-year project. 



Systematic Studies of Onions. (G. B. Snyder.) This project was carried co- 

 operatively with the Federal Division of Fruit and Vegetable Crops and Diseases. 

 Thirty-nine lots comprising twenty-three of the more important commercial 

 varieties of onions were grown in the trial plots. Detailed records were taken 

 of the plants during the growing season and of the matured bulbs. This material 

 will be used as a part of the Federal bulletin describing the types of American 

 varieties of onions. 



Asparagus Investigations. (Robert E. Young, Waltham.) 

 Fertilizers. It has been necessary to curtail part of the asparagus fertilizer 

 work because of lack of funds. The plots located at Concord were relinquished 

 early in the spring before the cutting season; the plots located at North Eastham 



