ANNUAL REPORT, 1936 73 



Effect of Variety and Stage of Growth on Vitamin A, C, and D Content 

 of Maize. (Wm. B. Esselen, Jr., Benj. Isgur, and C. R. Fellers.) In the 

 growing maize plant, white dent varieties contained as much vitamin A as 

 yellow dent. In the mature grain of the white dent, no vitamin A was found. 

 Vitamin C was practically constant for all varieties but decreased with in- 

 creasing maturity of the plant. Vitamin A increased as the maturity increased. 



Green maize plants contain approximately 2 international units of vitamin 

 D per gram, but this is rapidly lost on drying or storage. 



DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE 

 R. A. Van Meter in Charge 



Tin Pots for Finishing and Shipping Hardy Plants. (George Graves, 

 Waltham.) Behind this investigation lies the desire for a plant product of 

 nominal production cost which will be not only more merchantable but also 

 capable of giving greater cultural satisfaction. Because ample literature and 

 precedent of west coast nurseries establish the feasibility of tin plant containers, 

 study is being directed chiefly towards the mechanical and economic phases 

 involved. For the moment, consideration is being limited to a tin container 

 of suitable size (approximately one gallon ) for the merchandising of roses and 

 small shrubs in full growth. 



Salvaged Cans. A gallon oyster pail, or a 3.6 quart food can may be converted 

 into a suitable collapsible growing and shipping pot. This pot, which has all 

 cuts necessary for drainage and final easy removal of the plant, can be made 

 and coated with asphalt paint for a maximum average figure of 9 cents. This 

 price is based on tests which started with dirty cans and carried out all opera- 

 tions with the crudest of tools, unskilled labor, and the most laborious of 

 methods which gave no thought to straight-line production technique. Labor 

 was figured at 50 cents per hour and 10 percent was added for overhead. Sub- 

 sequent study has revealed that by simplification of design, elimination of 

 hand brush painting or of painting altogether, and some semblance of produc- 

 tion layout, this type of container could be produced at home for less than 5 

 cents. The limiting factor for large production will be found to be the doubtful 

 source of supply of raw material. 



New containers of special design manufactured expressly for the purpose 

 have not yet received thorough study. At the present it does not appear that 

 any adequate product at all suitable for the purpose can be manufactured by 

 local companies for less than 8 cents, although there are reports of such a con- 

 tainer of west coast manufacture which is priced much lower. 



Study of Hardy Ornamental Material. (George Graves, Waltham.) 

 This project took over all hardy species, chiefly of herbaceous plants, already 

 growing on the Waltham Field Station grounds. This older material has been 

 evaluated, relabeled, and given cultural attention. After having lost 18 sorts 

 through death, discarded 112 others as obsolete or redundant, and made 634 

 accessions, the collection at the year's end numbered 1340 items. 



All material is now catalogued. Every plant is cross-indexed on the basis 

 of (1) Accession number, (2) Name, in accordance with the international code 

 nomenclature, (3) Source and date of receipt, (4) Location. Other data carried 

 have to do with (1) Final disposal, (2) Relative garden value, (3) Cultural 

 history and requirements, and (4) Accuracy of Nomenclature. 



