70 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 327 



broken up, as in 1934, with a heavy harrow and this practice seems beneficial 

 to the trees. The answer to the question whether nitrogen alone is enough 

 to meet the fertilizer requirements of this orchard is a negative one; the addi- 

 tion of potash to nitrogen has resulted in increased crops. 



Study of Varieties of Fruits. (J. K. Shaw and O. C. Roberts.) Obser- 

 vations on new varieties continues to be an important part of the work. Vvhile 

 there is not room tor all of the many new varieties offered lor the consideration 

 of fruit growers, an effort is made to obtain all that promise to be valuable in 

 Massachusetts. 



Plum. Wright's Early Plum failed to crop for the first time since reaching 

 bearing age. I his is attributed to the severe cold of the past two winters. 

 There was, however, little killing of the branches. It is hardier than Red June 

 and Beauty, competing varieties of the same season. 



Peach. For a second year the newer varieties of peaches failed to produce 

 a crop. This is the first time in over twenty-five years that two successive 

 peach crops have failed. 



Strawberry. Dorsett and Fairfax are two new varieties of strawberries origi- 

 nated in the United States Department of Agriculture and regarded as possible 

 replacements for Howard 17 (Premier). Both are excellent plant makers. 

 Berries are large and of satisfactory quality. We are now inclined to prefer 

 Dorsett on account of its superior quality and more attractive appearance. 

 Both are worthy of extended trial. 



Clermont is a new variety from the New York, (Geneva) Station and the 

 most promising of any yet received, but like others from Geneva considerably 

 affected by leaf spot. 



Green Mountain is a new everbearing variety from the Aiken Nursery, 

 Putney, Vermont. The fruit is medium to small, not attractive in appearance, 

 and of only fair quality. The variety is subject to leaf spot. 



Raspberry. Several plants of the Newburgh raspberry developed mosaic, 

 from which this variety had previously been free. The affected plants have 

 been left to observe the spread of the disease. However this variety continues 

 to promise to be one of the best. 



Another seedling raspberry received from Geneva under the number 5555, 

 which has been named Taylor, fruited for the first time. The plants are very 

 vigorous with large attractive berries of good quality. It appears very promis- 

 ing but further experience is needed before an evaluation can be made. We 

 have a considerable number of new seedlings from Geneva under trial among 

 which one under the number 5220 seems most promising. 



Fruit Bud Formation in the Strawberry. (R. A. Van Meter. ) A 

 summary of the results of this project to date will be published in the Annual 

 Report of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 



This project has now been redirected in order to study the effect of time of 

 planting on fruit bud formation. Flots of 51 plants each were set on April 29, 

 May 15, and June 1. Each planting was replicated five times. To eliminate 

 complications arising from a varying stand of plants, each parent plant was 

 allowed to form two runner plants only. 



To study the effects on fruit bud formation of C0 2 in the soil, one-third of 

 the plants in each plot were fertilized with two ounces of dextrose per plant on 

 July 18, one-third were fertilized with one ounce dextrose and one-half ounce 

 of nitrate of soda per plant, and one-third were left untreated. Ihe materials 

 were applied in solution in a shallow trench about each plant under the leaves. 



