ANNUAL REPORT, 1936 79 



Further attempts were made to grow a nursery of cherry varieties for closer 

 study than is possible in a single short visit to commercial nurseries. Success 

 with the buds set last year was again poor. The stocks were rebudded in a 

 final attempt to get a stand of trees. Over forty varieties are included. 



The Genetic Composition of Peaches. (J. S. Bailey and A. P. French.) 

 In the spring of 1936 Elberta was selfed to obtain a larger population of selfed 

 Elberta seedlings which are to be used in studying the linkage between flesh 

 toughness and stone adhesion. To study the further inheritance of gland type, 

 Elberta was crossed with a seedling, M-I 18, having eglandular leaves and with 

 a seedling, M-J 15, having wavy leaves with serrate margins and globose glands. 

 The varieties Marigold and Oriole were selfed to see if, by a recombination of 

 characters, seedlings could be obtained which would be more hardy and 

 possess better quality than the parents. 



An unsuccessful attempt was made to start the seeds of Marigold and Oriole 

 on an agar medium. Additional pits of Oriole are being held in storage and 

 an attempt will be made to germinate them by the usual method of stratification. 



A minimum temperature of -15.5° F. in Block N and -20° F. in Block M 

 on February 20, 1936, killed the fruit buds on a good many of the seedlings 

 but a few seedlings had some fruit. 



A selfed seedling of Belle, T-C 18, which was melting and free, when selfed 

 gave the following: 13 tough cling and 46 melting free seedlings. 



From T-B 15, a tough cling seedling, selfed, seven seedlings fruited and all 

 were tough cling. From the cross T-B 15 x T-C 19, both tough cling, 11 

 seedlings fruited and all were tough cling. 



Two selfed Early Crawford seedlings, S-K 29 and S-K 31, were crossed to 

 see if size and quality could be improved. In 1936 twenty-eight seedlings from 

 this cross fruited but neither character was improved. 



Comparison of Cultivation and Sod in a Bearing Orchard. (J. K. 



Shaw.) No change has been made in this project, but it becomes necessary to 

 remove the Baldwin trees leaving only the Mcintosh 40 feet apart. The Baldwin 

 trees have continued to give reduced yields on most of the plots, this being 

 attributed to winter injury though no trees have died either wholly or in part. 

 The two plots having a complete fertilizer continued to show improved yields 

 in the case of Mcintosh as does the plot receiving nitrogen and potash. Baldwin 

 does not show consistent benefits from potash. Observation of the yields for 

 the past 15 years emphasizes the fact that other factors than fertilizers have 

 potent influence on yields. 



Comparison of Clover Sod and Grass in a Sod Mulch Orchard. (J. 



K. Shaw.) This project, considered closed, has been revived in a different form. 

 With the cooperation of the Forestry Department this orchard of about 55 

 trees is now being used to observe the value of sawdust as a mulching material. 

 Five rows of five trees each were mulched with sawdust during the past fall 

 and early winter. The remaining trees are in sod which is torn up in the spring 

 to check the growth of the grass. Enough sawdust to check the growth of grass 

 will be used and the soil conditions and growth and behavior of the trees will 

 be studied. 



Tests of Different Amounts of Nitrate of Soda. (J. K. Shaw.) In 

 1922 a block of 20 Baldwin trees then 24 years old growing in sod were assigned 

 for a test of different amounts of nitrate of soda to see the effect on growth and 



