ANNUAL REPORT, 1931 196 



Competitive Factors Influencing the Supply of Market Milk and 

 Cream. (A. H. Lindsey). Lack of time prevented additional work on this proj- 

 ect, except for a survey of the Springfield milk market. 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING 

 G. I. Gunness in Charge 



Investigation of Apple Storages. (C. I. Gunness). The study of apple 

 storage carried on in cooperation with the Department of Pomology indicates 

 that Mcintosh apples can be stored at a temperature somewhat higher than 

 32° for a short time after harvest, if they are subsequently cooled to 32° for the 

 balance of the storage season. A system of management whereby apples are 

 kept at a temperature ranging from 40° to 45° during the first week after picking, 

 with the temperature gradually reduced to 32° by the middle of October, results 

 in no appreciable shortening of the safe storage season. This management per- 

 mits a considerable saving in the cooling equipment required. 



A study of the use of blowers as compared with wall coils indicated no ten- 

 dency for the air blast to dry out the fruit during the 1930-31 season. This 

 study is being continued during the present storage season. 



In order to study the effect of humidity on the storage of apples, three cab- 

 inets were installed this season in three storage rooms maintained at different 

 temperatures. Each of the cabinets has three chambers in which apples are 

 stored. One chamber in each cabinet is maintained at a relative humidity of 

 65 per cent, one at 75 per cent, and one at 90 per cent. It is too early to comment 

 on the outcome of this study. 



Fertilizer Distributors. (C. I. Gunness). A device has been perfected for 

 applj'ing liquid fertilizers to golf greens or lawns where water under pressure is 

 available. By this arrangement a relatively heavy application of fertilizer can 

 be made without danger of burning, as the fertilizer solution is diluted by the 

 water spray and evenly distributed. 



Test of Low-lift Pumps. (C. I. Gunness). Two pumps were tested at the 

 Cranberry Station at East Wareham during the summer. The tests indicate 

 that where electric power is used, the self-contained pumping unit has a higher 

 efficiency than can be obtained through the use of the large low-speed pumps 

 which are commonly used on cranberry bogs. 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRONOMY 

 A. B. Beaumont in Charge 



Pasture Experiments. (A. B. Beaumont and E. F. Gasldll). The top- 

 dressing of certain areas on the Tillson and Hobart farms and on ten farms in 

 Worcester County was continued in 1931 with results quite similar to those of 

 preceding years. Considerable evidence has now been accumulated which shows 

 that run-out upland pastures of Massachusetts are deficient in calcium, phos- 

 phorus, potassium, and nitrogen. 



Further evidence was obtained of the toxicity of nitrate of soda for a moss 

 {Polytrichum commune), common to run-out, upland pastures of New England. 

 Both the Chilean and the synthetic nitrate of soda exerted this toxicity, but it 

 was not shown by several other commonly used nitrogen fertihzers. 



