14 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 369 



summer resorts and recreation. State agencies have initiated various experimental 

 measures to control the shifting of the sand dunes. It has been found that sod 

 plantation of hog cranberry, beach grass, poverty grass, sand pea, Scotch broom, 

 and blueberry are very effective in stabilizing active sand dunes. Various pine 

 trees, such as Pinus sylvestris, P. Mughus, P. austriaca and P. rigida, have also 

 been used very eflfectively in establishing permanent cover on the dunes. 



Podzols of Massachusetts. (Arthur B. Beaumont.) Most of the soils of 

 Massachusetts belong under the category of brown podzolic. However, there 

 are two areas in the State where well-developed podzols are found. These areas 

 are at opposite ends of the State and at extremes of elevation — on the Berkshire 

 Plateau at elevations above 2000 feet and on Cape Cod at elevations of 50 to 

 100 feet, above sea level. There is little difference in mean annual rainfall, which 

 is about 44 inches. Berkshire podzols have been developed from soils of medium 

 base status under a cover of conifers, mainlv spruce and northern hardwoods; 

 Cape Cod podzols under a cover of pines, which is now principally pitch pine 

 {Pinus rigida). Below is a brief description of profiles of podzols from the two 

 areas: 



Berkshire Podzol Cape Cod Podzol 



(Becket fine sandy loam) (Hinckley coarse sand) 



pH pH 



Ai — 3" black humus 3.3 0— 4" black humus 3 . 70 



A, 3 — 8" purplish gray 3.4 4 — 30" gray 4.30 



B. 8 — 12" dark, reddish brown, 30 — 32" black, hard ppt. humus 4.80 



friable (orterde) 4.1 



Bj 12 — 18" yellowish brown 4.4 32 — 36* coffee brown hardpan 4.65 



(ortstein) 

 C 18" — yellow till 4.5 36" — pale yellow sand and gravel. . . 4.95 



Sunflowers and Tlieir Possibilities. (Karol J. Kucinski and Walter S. Eisen- 

 menger.) There is a long-felt need among farmers in the Connecticut Valley 

 for a new crop which can be grown successfully on lands which are being taken 

 out of tobacco or onion production. Although it is known that the country's 

 demand for sunflower seed is greater than the present supply, no information 

 is available concerning the possibilities of sunflowers as an economic crop in 

 Massachusetts. The farmer growing sunflowers would readily find channels 

 for marketing his seed to poultrymen of this region, while the stalk has pos- 

 sibilities as ensilage material for cattle feed. 



This experiment was undertaken to determine the rate of seeding, fertilizer 

 requirements, date of seeding, and yields of seed and stalk obtainable when sun- 

 flowers are grown under conditions prevalent in Massachusetts. 



It is concluded that any land suitable for corn production will also be suited 

 for growing sunflowers. Since the sunflower plant can withstand more cold than 

 corn it can be planted somewhat earlier. Early seeding of sunflowers produced 

 nearly a ton of seed per acre. Seedings of one seed per hill every 18 inches in 

 36-inch rows proved to be better than 2 plants per hill in 36-inch check rows. 

 Plants seeded closer than 18 inches apart had a tendency to be thin and weak, 

 causing lodging after storms. When sunflower plants were used for silage it was 

 found that yields as high as 19 tons per acre were obtainable. Cattle that were 

 fed sunflower silage seemed to relish and thrive on it. 



The results obtained so far with growing of sunflowers have been very en- 

 couraging and further investigation of a more detailed nature should be made 

 to determine the feasibility of growing sunflowers economically in Massachusetts. 



Trials of Thirteen Different Hay Seeding Mixtures. (Ralph W. Donaldson, 

 W. G. Colby, and Karol J. Kucinski.) Data obtained at the conclusion of four 



