ANNUAL REPORT, 1936 85 



The pollination experiments with blueberries were continued in 1936. The 

 work was done under tents of aster cloth and pollination was by hand. Results 

 for 1936 were as follows: 



Selfing 

 Variety Percent Set Variety Percent Set 



Dunfee 1.5 Wareham 2.5 



Sam 2.3 Concord 71.2 



Harding 0.8 Rancocas 29.0 



Adams 22.7 Scammell 39.5 



Katherine 4.5 Jersey 60.9 



Pioneer 2.2 Cabot 40 2 



Stanley 21.0 Grover 0.5 



FI-66 26.0 Rubel 40.8 



Crosses 

 Variety Percent Set 



Rubel x Pioneer 11.8 



Rubel x Cabot 16.0 



Pioneer x Rubel 6.8 



Pioneer x Cabot 9.2 



Cabot x Pioneer 63 . 5 



Cabot x Rubel 29.0 



Premature Dropping of the Mcintosh Apple. (Lawrence Southwick.) 

 Work on this project was started in late August 1936, when six individual trees 

 located in two blocks were chosen for detailed study. In Block E two trees in 

 each of two plots were selected as representing extremes in dropping percent- 

 ages. The average percentage of drop during the period 1928-1935 was taken 

 as a basis of comparison and this varied from 11 to 34 percent. From 300 to 

 400 apples on each tree were numbered with India ink and calipered. In each 

 case, detailed spur and leaf data were taken. From September 8 to October 

 14 the "drops" were gathered at least once a day and placed in cold storage for 

 later study. In Block P, 1,000 apples, representing the greater part of the crop 

 of one tree, were numbered as above and tags bearing identical numbers in each 

 case were attached to the respective spurs. Spur and leaf data were taken as 

 before and the drops handled in the same way. 



The data are now being classified for detailed correlation studies in an 

 attempt to ascertain just what individual causal factors initiate the abscission 

 process. No conclusions have been reached at the time of this writing. 



DEPARTMENT OF POULTRY HUSBANDRY 

 J. G. Graham in Charge 



Broodiness in Poultry. (F. A. Hays.) Attempts are still being made to 

 establish a genetically non-broody strain of Rhode Island Reds. The generation 

 of birds hatched in 1935 and now having a complete first-year record was pro- 

 duced by two untested males mated for the most part to aged females that 

 had not exhibited broodiness during their first laying year and some of these 

 females had three complete years without broodiness. Out of five families of 

 daughters sired by one male there were two families showing broodiness. From 

 this male there was a total of 34 daughters, two of which became broody. The 



