ANNUAL REPORT, 1939 103 



in cooking, depending on the amount of "cook water" used; in general 

 the larger the amount of water the greater the loss. The canning of 

 spinach causes loss of 60 to 65 percent of its vitamin C; freezing and 

 incidental operations cause losses approximating 45 percent; dehydration 

 results in total loss. 

 344 Equine encephalomyelitis virus (eastern type) isolated from ring-necked 



pheasant. By H. Van Roekel and Miriam K. Clarke. Amer. Vet. Med. 



Assoc. 94 (n. s. 47):466-468. 1939. 



Equine encephalomyelitis virus (eastern type) was identified in pheasants 

 submitted to this laboratory by the New Jersey Station. The English 

 sparrow was shown by experimental inoculation to be susceptible to this 

 virus and should be added to the list of hosts which may contract the 

 disease. 



346 Potatoes as carriers of vitamin C. By Mary E. Lyons and Carl R. Fellers. 

 Amer. Potato Jour. 16(7):169-179. 1939. 



Potatoes are a much cheaper source of vitamin C than either orange or 

 tomato juice, and an ordinary serving will supply about one third of the 

 daily requirement. The ascorbic acid content of potatoes was not sig- 

 nificantly affected by geographical source, time of harvest, or size; but 

 about half the original content was lost during ordinary home storage 

 from December to May. About 40 percent of the ascorbic acid was lost 

 in baking or boiling. 



347 Effect of several calcium salts on the utilization of lactose. By Helen S. 

 Mitchell, Gladys M. Cook, and Katherine L. O'Brien. Jour. Nutrition 

 18(4) -.319-327. 1939. 



The addition of calcium salts to an adequate ration containing 60 

 percent lactose had little effect on the digestion of the lactose by rats, 

 except in the case of calcium gluconate, which seemed to prevent most 

 of the lactose from leaving the intestinal tract. The effect of sodium 

 gluconate was even more pronounced. It would seem, therefore, that the 

 gluconate radical in some way inhibits lactase activity. 



348 Absence of linkage between genes for early se.xual maturity and genes for 

 high persistency in egg production in the domestic fowl. By F. A. Hays. 

 Proc. Seventh World's Poultry Congress and Exposition, Cleveland, 

 Ohio. 1939. 



A study of 911 Rhode Island Red females showed that the apparent 

 correlation between age at sexual maturity and length of biological laying 

 year was spurious. The data further indicated independent inheritance 

 of genes for early sexual maturity and genes for high persistency. No 

 evidence appeared, however, against the expediency of selecting breeding 

 stock on the basis of length of biological laying year. 

 355 Infectious avian encephalomyelitis. By H. Van Roekel, K. L. BuUis, and 

 M. K. Clarke. Jour. Amer. Vet. Med. Assoc. 34:754-755. 1939. 



This disease has made its appearance in many states, with the greatest 

 incidence apparently in the northeastern states. Several of the breeds, 

 both light and heavy, have been found susceptible. Under commercial 

 practices the disease is transmissible among chicks through direct contact. 

 The infective agent appears to be transmitted through the egg from the 

 hen to its progeny. No reliable method of control has yet been worked out. 



Unnumbered Contributions 



Twelve dependable shrubs. By William L. Doran. Flower Grower 26(4) :187, 

 200-201. 1939. 



Seed and seedling troubles. By C. J. Gilbut. Horticulture 17(6):144-145. 1939. 



Control calendar foi vegetable pests. By E. F. Guba and W D. Whitcomb. 

 Mass. Ext. Serv. Leaflet 116 (Revised). May 1939. 



Fungi of Nantucket II. By E. F. Guba. Rhodora 41 :508-52O. 1939. 



Dealing with storm damage in central Massachusetts. (Excerpts from Contribu- 

 tion 328.) By M. A. McKenzie. Jour. N. Y. Bot. Garden 40(470) :43-45. 1939. 



Twenty years in two hours. By M. A. McKenzie. Proc. of the 28th Ann. Meet- 

 ing of the Mass. Tree Wardens' and Foresters' Assoc, p. 20-22. 1939. 



