ANNUAL REPORT, 1933 55 



the tree and fruit. Results for the past season will be found in the report of the 

 Entomolog}" Department. 



Blueberry Culture. (J. S. Baile>-.) In the spring of 1933 the plantation to be 

 used for cultural studies was enlarged to about one-half acre. The observations 

 on height of water table were continued. Propagation was continued to obtain 

 more plants for experimental purposes. Birds took such a large portion of the 

 crop that very few berries were harvested from the variety plantings. 



In the spring of 1932 some cultural experiments were started using one-year-old 

 blueberry plants in three-gallon earthenware crocks. By the middle of the 

 summer of 1933 it was evident that the root systems of the plants were becoming 

 crowded and therefore the experiment on these plants would have to be discon- 

 tinued at the end of the season. This work indicated that under some conditions 

 lime is not as toxic to blueberries as has been previously supposed. 



Additional pot experiments were started in the spring of 1933. These pots 

 were accidentally left out in a heavy rain for a short time. The soil in some of 

 the pots became saturated with water and several plants died and several more 

 were severely injured as a result of the wetting. The new growth that was pro- 

 duced on the injured plants had light yellow, unhealthy-looking leaves. This 

 accident emphasises the importance of planting blueberries in a situation where 

 the roots will not be in a water-logged soil during the growing season. 



DEPARTMENT OF POULTRY HUSBANDRY 

 J. C. Graham in Charge 



Broodiness in Poultry. (F. A. Hays.) Results in developing a non-broody 

 and an intense broody line through nine generations from 1923 to 1931 have 

 been published as Bulletin 301. 



The present method of procedure in this project calls for the use of progeny- 

 tested sires in the non-broody line together with aged females for breeding, to 

 discover whether it is possible to completely eliminate broodiness. More data 

 are also being collected on degree of broodiness together with a study of inherited 

 factors concerned in degree of broodiness. 



Breeding Poultry for Egg Production. (F. A. Ha\ s and Ruby Sanborn.) The 

 mean annual egg production of the last generation of birds was 238 eggs. The 

 mortality in the laying houses was 19.34 per cent. This last generation was 

 superior in egg production to any other generation produced, and the mortality 

 rate was significanth- lower than in the two preceding generations. Egg size is 

 steadily increasing without reducing the number of eggs laid. Hatching dates 

 were set three weeks earlier in 1933 in order to study the performance records of 

 the birds when hatched earlier. Special attention is being given to the elimination 

 of winter pause, also to the establishment of greater uniformity for clutch size 

 and to increasing vigor as measured by mortality in families on the range and in 

 the laying houses. An exhibition quality strain was introduced in 1929 which 

 has been carried in part for exhibition quality and in part selected for characters 

 affecting egg production. 



Statistical Study of Heredity in Rhode Island Reds. (F. A. Hays and Ruby 

 Sanborn.) Data have been prepared under this project and published as follows: 

 "The Significance of Length of Biological Laying Year in Production Breeding," 

 Bulletin 298; "Crossing Production and Exhibition Rhode Island Reds," American 



