ANNUAL REPORT, 1935 73 



of the soil under field conditions. On July 30 parts of two rows of plants in a 

 blueberry nursery were treated with sulfur at the rate of 1,000 pounds per 

 acre; parts of two other rows, with aluminum sulfate at the rate of 5,000 

 pounds per acre; and parts of two other rows, with anhydrous aluminum 

 chloride at the rate of 2,000 pounds per acre. The pH of the soil in this nursery 

 ran from 5.8 to 6.0 before treatment. On October 23 the pH of the various plots 

 was as follows: 



North South Average 



Treatment plot plot 



Sulfur 5.50 5.60 5.55 



A1,(S0 4 ) 3 5.60 5.50 5.55 



AlCls 5.20 5.40 5.30 



Check (untreated) 5.80 



At present no differences can be observed in the growth of the plants. 



Some blueberry plants in the nursery, some in Plot D, and some in the pot 

 experiments exhibited a chlorotic condition of the leaves. Preliminary experi- 

 ments indicate that this may be due to a deficiency of iron. 



DEPARTMENT OF POULTRY HUSBANDRY 

 J. C. Graham in Charge 



Broodiness in Poultry. (F. A. Hays.) Efforts are being concentrated 

 on the development of a genetically non-broody line that will breed true. The 

 basic mode of attack is the use of aged parents that have been progeny-tested 

 over a long period of time. The problem of deferred broodiness is being more 

 fully investigated. Further attention is also being given to quantitative in- 

 heritance of the broody instinct as well as to the relation of broodiness to 

 mortality rate of pullets in the laying houses. 



Breeding Poultry for Egg Production. (F. A. Hays and Ruby Sanborn.) 

 A number of problems in breeding Rhode Island Reds for high egg production 

 are being given special study. Through cross-breeding, more specific informa- 

 tion has come to light on the inheritance of persistency or duration of the pullet 

 laying year. These studies confirm the previous report that high persistency 

 depends in inheritance upon one dominant autosomal gene. These new data 

 indicate that the dividing point between birds genetically high or low in per- 

 sistency lies at about 270 days after the first pullet egg. Similar studies on 

 sexual maturity point to a cumulative effect of genes E and E 1 giving pullets 

 that begin to lay at under 180 days of age, while either gene alone gives an 

 age range from about 180 to 215 days. Individuals lacking either dominant 

 gene do not begin to lay until about 216 days or older. 



Selection for low mortality in the laying houses is being made. Available 

 data indicate that the use of breeding males that are at least three years of age 

 is an important factor here. Range mortality up to September first is very low. 

 The total loss to that date on 3200 chicks hatched in 1935 was less than 5 

 percent. 



Characters affecting egg production are being studied further, together with 

 such physical characters as comb type, ear-lobe color, stubs, and body size 

 throughout the laying year. Egg production and egg size are constantly im- 

 proving along with external quality of eggs. 



