ANNUAL REPORT, 1937 19 



indicated by the height and total dry matter of the plants. In the case of buck- 

 wheat, the lower concentrations of copper and zinc indicated slight stimulation. 



The tomatoes which weie treated with molybdenum in concentrations of 0, 1.0, 

 5.0, 10.0, 20, 40, and 80 p. p.m., indicated that any concentration above 1 p. p.m. 

 was toxic to the plants. One part per million gave a little better growth than the 

 control, while the plants receiving the higher concentrations were badly stunted. 

 The plants which received amounts of molybdenum greater than 1 p. p.m. in all 

 cases had petioles which were devoid of leaflets for several weeks. Concentra- 

 tions of 1 p. p.m. and 5.0 p. p.m. of molybdenum had a decided stimulating effect 

 on buckwheat, while concentrations greater than 5 p. p.m. showed toxicity. 

 When barley was thus treated with molybdenum in the same concentrations as 

 tomatoes, it was definitely indicated that 20 p.p.m. and 40 p. p.m. gave the 

 better growth as judged from the height and general vigor of the plants, as well 

 as the total dry weight. 



From preliminary results with chromium in concentrations of 0, .50, 1.0, 

 10, 20, 40, and 80 p.p.m., all of the tomato plants receiving the element showed 

 signs of toxicity. 



The chemical analyses of the leaves, roots, and stalks or stems of the various 

 plants are now in process. 



Borax Trials on a Market Garden Soil. (Ralph VV. Donaldson and Robert E. 

 Young.) A 30-pound rate of borax, applied broadcast prior to planting on 

 Gloucester soil of pH 6.4, eliminated stem crack of celery, resulting in excellent 

 yield and grade, compared with severe cracking and poor growth on no-borax 

 plots. Side applications of borax at the same rate, applied September 2 on un- 

 treated rows where crack symptoms first appeared August 20, effected recovery 

 and subsequently produced celery of similar \ield and grade. 



Crops grown in these trials, conducted by John Handy, County Agent, Con- 

 cord, Massachusetts, included Golden Plume and Pascal celery, spinach, beans, 

 beets, cauliflower, and rutabagas. Aside from celery, the only crop showing re- 

 sponse to borax was rutabagas in which dark center, present on the check plots, 

 was absent on the borax plots initially treated. 



Borax Trials. (Ralph W. Donaldson, W. G. Colby, and Walter S. Eisenmenger.) 

 Effects of borax applications, made May 20, at 15-, 30-, 60-, and 120-pound rates 

 per acre broadcast on Plymouth Sand soil type of pH 4.6, were observed on the 

 following crops seeded June 7: beans, beets, corn, carrots, radish, and rutabagas. 

 In addition to a uniform treatment of fertilizer, portions of all plots received 

 limestone at 1000- and 3000-pound rates. 



Germination was not noticeably injured on any crops on the 15- and 30-pound 

 rates. Beans were entirely killed on higher rates, but the other crops showed 

 but little injury on the 60-pound rate, and some plants of each crop survived on 

 the 120- pound rate, radishes being most severely injured and rutabagas the least. 



Owing to development of weeds, final yield data were abandoned, but late 

 observation showed that best growth of all crops except beans occurred on the 

 60-pound rate, with boron-deficient turnips appearing only on the check plots. 



Field trials in the Connecticut Valley, with borax alone and in a mixture 

 comprising other minor elements applied to onion crops, indicated no control 

 for onion blast. 



Weedtcidal Properties of Calcium Cyanamide. (Hrant M. Yegian and Law- 

 rence S. Dickinson.) Studies are being made of the weedicidal properties of 

 calcium cyanamide when used in soils previous to sowing seeds of turf grasses 

 and its effect on surface weed seeds in established lawns. 



