June, 1939] Agricultural Research in N. H. 27 



rooted in the spring of 1937 and carried over in trays during the 

 winter of 1937-38, were placed temporarily on high, sandy ground 

 which was in a rather good state of fertility. These plants did 

 exceptionally well, and it was noted throughout the state that plants 

 on high ground did much better than those on low areas. This may 

 be due to the better aeration of the soil found in high, sandy ground. 

 Experiments along this line are being conducted by W. W. Smith. 



Attempts are still being made to locate the very best wild plants in 

 the state in order to produce a better and hardier type of blueberry 

 by crossing them with the varieties which are already known. 

 Because of a late spring frost which killed most of the fruit little 

 could be done on this project this last year. 



Other results of the year's work in connection with highbush ber- 

 ries indicate that: (1) Fungus diseases on young blueberry plants 

 can be satisfactorily controlled by spraying the cuttings with Samo- 

 san Jr. as soon as they are set out and by spraying the young plants 

 and leaves whenever there is any indication that there might be 

 some mold starting in the frames. (2) Sorbex peat gives better 

 rooting in propagation trays than fine horticultural peat. (3) Con- 

 cord and Jersey varieties proved more vigorous growers than some 

 of the other varieties, and the variety Rancocas an exceptionally 

 weak grower. (4) Mature highbush wild blueberries, five or six feet 

 high, can be transplanted so successfully that theyAvill bear a crop 

 of blueberries the following summer. (5) In transplanting rooted 

 cuttings and starting young plants in the field there is quite an 

 increase in growth and response in those plants which are set in soil 

 mixed with wet horticultural peat. 



Lowbush Blueberries 



Studies of the lowbush blueberries were continued in 1937 and 

 1938 by W. W. Smith. Large quantities of blueberries were taken 

 from the winnowing machine in the blueberry pastures and frozen, 

 and experiments relative to the growing of young plants from seeds 

 obtained from these berries are being conducted at present. 



The plants grown from seed in the greenhouse during the winter 

 of 1936-37 and transplanted in rows in the spring of 1937 have not 

 expanded any but seem to remain at present as individual plants. 

 Each row of these plants is from seeds of the berries of one plant ; 

 therefore, all plants in each row have one common parent. It is 

 hoped that these plants will furnish some indication of the variation 

 in plants grown from seed. {Hatch Fund) 



Apple Rootstock Project 



Mother plants of Mailing Nos. 4, 1, 9 and 3 were mound layered by 

 W. W. Smith to increase this stock. Buds of the varieties Mcintosh, 

 Cortland, Baldwin and Northern Spy were worked onto the Mailing 

 stocks Nos. 4, 1, and 9. These buds were taken from trees showing 

 outstanding performance. The Mcintosh buds were from trees 

 producing high-colored fruit as well as the Rogers red strain and the 

 Farley's No. 3 red strain of Mcintosh. Experiments to determine 

 whether variations in the color of apples are due to some inherent 

 quality of the fruit which can be propagated or to some environ- 

 mental factor, such as the location of the tree or the stock that the 



