210 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BT'LLETIN 280 



12. In the roots, starch occurs in the rays and the pericycle. 



13. Oils begin to appear by the first of July in the most mature leaves of the 

 current season as intracellular globules m the chlorenchyma, most abundant on 

 the uppermost layer of palisade (tells. These oil globules are also present in old 

 leaves, even after they fall from the uprights. Oils in general are highly concen- 

 trated reserve foods, and in this case may help to promote new growth early 

 in the season. 



Weather Observations. (H. J. Franklin). Daily local weather observations 

 were made and reported to the office of the Weather Bureau at Boston. Further 

 records bearing on frost forecasting were made for the station by observers at 

 North Harwich, East Gloucester, Carlisle, Fitchburg, Worcester, and Holliston, 

 Massachusetts, and Storrs, Connecticut. 



Pump Tests. (In cooperation with the Department of Agricultural Engi- 

 neering). Several years ago Prof. C. I. Gunness tested the capacities and effi- 

 ciencies of all the important bog pumps at that time in general use and pub- 

 lished a paper on the work. This paper was well received by cranberry growers 

 and by pump manufacturers. Since that time several new types of low-lift pumps 

 have come into the field. As the demand was becoming urgent that these new 

 pumps be tested. Prof. Gunness most generouslj' undertook the work again, 

 building a special testing plant at the Cranberry Station in 1930. He tested one 

 pump in 1930 and completed the work during the summer of 1931, four pumps 

 in all being testetl, as follows: Fuller, Everson, Worthington, and Dayton and 

 Dowd. 



Cranberry Varieties. (H. J. Franklin). The study of varieties was pur- 

 sued intensely during the early months of 1931. It was found that the species 

 Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait., to which all the cultivated varieties of cranberries 

 belong, comprises two important subspecies, and that wild hybrids between the 

 two are very common. The Howes and McFarlin varieties were found to be 

 such hybrids. 



It was discovered that the ripe berries of most early and mid-season varieties 

 do not have a noticeable bloom, while the fruit of most late varieties does. It 

 has been supposed that the development of the wax of which this bloom is com- 

 posed was useful to the plant as an adjustment to drouth, but the discovery- 

 mentioned suggests that with the cranberry it should rather be regarded as an 

 adjustment to frost conditions. 



Cultivated Blueberries. (H. J. Franklin). The first planting at the Cran- 

 berry Station blueberry patch was done in the fall of 1917 with about 300 un- 

 tested seedlings furnished by the Bureau of Plant Industry. (3ne of these seed- 

 lings has given an excellent account of itself and seems to be distinctlj' superior 

 for commercial purposes in New England, all things considered, to any other 

 variety so far produced. It should perhaps be patented. It has not yet been 

 given a name but bears the culture number 1239W of the Bureau of Plant In- 

 dustry. The particularly desirable features of this variety are: 



1. X'igorous and plentiful wood growth. 



2. Great productiveness. This bush seems to be considerably more pro- 

 ductive than any other so far commonly grown. 



3. Size of berries. The berries maintain a good size uj) to the very last 

 picking in a way that those of no other variety do. \\'hile none of the berries 



