94 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 347 



WALTHAM FIELD STATION 

 (Waltham, Massachusetts) 



Ray M. Koon in Charge 



For reports on approved projects conducted at this Station, in addition to those 

 hsted under this caption, see reports of the Departments of Botany, Entomology, 

 Floriculture, Horticulture, and Olericulture. 



Consultation and Information Service. The strategic location of the Waltham 

 Field Station makes it possible for a majority of the intensive farmers of the 

 State to reach this Station within an hour by automobile. As most growers 

 realize that a personal call is much better than a letter or telephone call, they 

 come to the Field Station with their problems even during their busiest season. 

 This makes it necessary for the research men to give a considerable part of their 

 time for consultation. Professor Dempsey, appointed two years ago to relieve 

 the research men of this growing activity, has not even been able to take care of 

 the increase. Fortunately, the addition of Professor Graves to the staff as nuroery- 

 culturist has spread the work somewhat. It is hoped that the proposed addition 

 of a service in turf-culture will relieve the research men of a number of inquiries 

 concerning turf diseases and insects, and grass soil analyses. 



Groups meeting at the Field Station during the year include the Boston Market 

 Gardeners Association, the New England Greenkeepers Association, Rural 

 Electrification Agents of the New England Power Company, New England 

 Carnation Growers Association, the New England Plant Pathologists, the Boston 

 Gardeners and Florists Club, and the Boston Branch of the National Gardeners 

 Association. 



Commercial growers and others seeking horticultural information made over 

 4000 telephone calls. Visitors to the number of 4204 came to the Field Station 

 during 1937. The ornamental display and test gardens attracted 3156 visitors 

 during the growing season. 



Field Day. The Nineteenth Annual Field Day was held on August 4 with an 

 attendance of over 1200 The following vegetable contests, were held: Celery, 

 Bunched Carrot, Pepper, Trellis Tomato, Bunched Beet, and Summer Squash. 

 Although it seems impossible to increase the number of entries in these contests, 

 the quality of the vegetables entered is second to none. 



Soil Testing Service. (Paul W. Dempsey, Harold E. White, Robert E. Young.) 

 The total number of samples of soil submitted for testing was nearly double 

 that of last year. 



Summary of Soil Tests 

 Greenhouse: 



Flowers 65 7 



Vegetable 237 



Market Gardeners 785 



Miscellaneous* 2397 



4076 



♦Includes flower gardens, vegetable gardens, lawns, golf courses, landscape gardeners, Met- 

 ropolitan District Commission, and Highway Beautification. 



Seedsmen's Variety Trial Days. (Paul W. Dempsey.) The New York Experi- 

 ment Station and Cornell University have for a number of years held special 

 meetings for those interested in vegetable varieties. As these meetings are now 



