AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 61 



MISCELLANEOUS 



The Effect of Temperature, Soil Reaction, and Soil 

 Nutrients on the Growth of Gerbera in the Greenhouse 



The group of seedling plants grown in sand culture during the pre- 

 vious year were transferred to soil in galvanized pails, one plant per pail. 

 These were divided into three lots of seven each. One lot was left un- 

 treated as a control. The second lot was given 18 grams of complete 

 8-16-16 fertiHzer for each plant in a layer two inches from the bottom of 

 the pail. The third was treated with 21 grams of ammoniated super- 

 phosphate per plant and placed in the same manner. Five grams of each 

 kind of fertilizer were added to the top soil of each of the respective 

 treated pails at about monthly intervals, and records were kept of salable 

 blooms. 



The number of blooms in the control pots actually outnumbered 

 those which were treated. During the later months the fertilized plants 

 caught up with the controls and out-produced them. 



Eight plots of 30 plants each were given the following treatment: 4 

 plots were located in each of two greenhouses in similar positions with 

 regard to hght. One group was held at 50° night temperature and the 

 other at 60°. Alternate plots in each group were limed until the soil re- 

 action tested approximately pH 7. The pH of the control plots ranged 

 from 5.48 to 5.95. Records were kept of salable blooms per month. Those 

 held at 50° produced more blooms than those held at 60°. This difference 

 may or may not be significant. The smaller production at 60° is due at 

 least in part to an increase in the insect pests of the gerbera. Pill bugs, 

 red spider mite, and thrip are much more troublesome and difficult to con- 

 trol at 60°. 



The total blooms resulting from the soil reaction treatments show no 

 significant difi^erence in production between pH 6 and pH 7. 



Stuart Dunn, W. D. Holley 



Nut Improvement 



A variety of hazel, the Winkler, has made a good record as a nut pro- 

 ducer. The nuts are very much larger than ordinary hazel. Three-year- 

 old bushes produced two-thirds of a quart of hulled nuts per plant. But- 

 ternut seedhngs secured from seed planted in 1941 have now reached a 

 height of six feet in many cases. These are the progeny of the best na- 

 tive trees. Attempts to propagate butternuts by grafting have thus far 

 proved futile. 



L. P. Latimer, A. F. Yeager 



A Study of the Performance During Wear of Women's and 

 Children's Silk, Rayon and Cotton Wearing Apparel Fabrics 



The Northeastern regional station in a co-operative textile project 

 was organized in 1935. Since that time the textile laboratories of the 

 Pennsylvania station have conducted various tests to determine the color- 

 fastness and durability of samples of fabric submitted by consumers from 

 yard goods used for making women's or children's wearing apparel. A 



