48 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 293 



or more in case of delicate calves or when an extra growth impetus is desired. 

 Nothing better was foiinfl for this purpose than powdered skim milk, now easily 

 obtainable in the market at a reasonable price, followed later by white fish meal 

 combined with our grain ration No. 5. The detailed method of procedure is given 

 in the publication. 



Two Systems of Dairy Cattle Feeding — High Roughage and Low Grain 

 versus Low Roughage and High Grain. (J. B. Lindsey and J. G. Archibald.) 

 This investigation has been completed and the results published in Bulletin 291. 



Mineral Requirements for the Growth of Dairy Heifers. (J. B. Lindsey 

 and J. G. Archibald.) Eighty-eight metabolism balance trials have been com- 

 pleted with twelve heifers on high and low phosphorus rations. The results of 

 seventy-two of these trials with eight of the heifers have been calculated and 

 sufficiently interpreted to enable determination of the next logical step in the 

 investigation; but publication of even tentative conclusions at this time is not 

 deemed justifiable. 



Studies in the Chemistry of Pasture Grasses. (J. G. Archibald and E. 

 Bennett.) A final report of three years' work on the chemical composition of 

 grass from pasture plots managed according to the Hohenheim system appeared 

 in the Journal of Agricultural Research 45: 627-640, November 15, 1932. 



Results of a study of the distribution of the different forms of nitrogen in 

 pasture grass have been brought together in an article entitled "Nitrogen Parti- 

 tion in Pasture Grass", which has recently been submitted for publication in the 

 Journal of Agricultural Research, together with a companion article entitled "In- 

 fluence of Drying and Grinding upon the Total, Amino and Ammonia Nitrogen 

 Content of Grasses." 



Eield work in connection with the survey of natural pastures throughout the 

 State was completed this year. One hundred samples of grass have been collected 

 from typical unfertilized pastures on predominant soil types in the five western 

 counties of the State. The analytical work on these samples is in progress and 

 will be completed within a few w-eeks. 



The study of the chemical composition of various species of grass has been 

 continued this year. Forty additional samples from well-established plots of 

 timothy, red top, Kentucky and Canada bluegrass, orchard grass, sheep fescue, 

 Rhode Island bent, and white clover have been secured during the year, and 

 reliable data are gradually being accumulated. The work will be continued 

 at least another year before a formal report is made. However, the following 

 tentative observations seem warranted at this time: 



1. Orchard grass {Dactylis glomerata) has a remarkably high mineral content, 

 phosphorus being about double that found in any other grass studied, and calcium 

 toeing considerably higher than in most of the others. 



2. The bent family of grasses (genus Agrostis), represented in this study by 

 red top {Agrostis alba) and Rhode Island bent {Agrostis canina), seems to be 

 characterized by a high content of calcium. 



DEPARTMENT OF POMOLOGY 



F. C. Sears in Charge 



The experiment station orchard produced another good crop of peaches in 1932 



following a remarkably mild winter. The lowest temperature reading in th(; 



orchard was e.xactly zero. During the ten years that this orchard has been of 



bearing age, the crop has failed only in 1924 and 1927, the cause of failure being 



