58 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 436 



All annual weeds encountered, except ragweed, were killed by 100 gallons of the 

 oil per acre. The carrots were relatively unharmed by the spray under most 

 conditions, but the oil caused a scorching of the older leaves when the spraying 

 was done while the leaves were wet. 



The oil is highly volatile and does not leave any toxic residue in the soil. The 

 oily flavor is dispersed from the carrot plant after a period of about fourteen 

 days. Since the carrots and parsnips are not killed by this treatment they must 

 be thinned as usual. 



Young celery seedlings are not harmed by the oil, but half grown and older 

 plants are considerably damaged. Most other crops including beets, cabbages, 

 peppers, onions, asparagus, spinach, lettuce, turnips, and radishes are damaged 

 or killed by Stoddard Solvent. 



This oil can be used as a pre-emergence spray with susceptible crops; that is, 

 the soil is sprayed just before the seedlings of the crop emerge from the soil. 

 Crops of spinach, beets, and onions have been successfully weeded in this manner. 



Breeding Sweet Corn, Peppers and Field Tomatoes for Massachusetts. 



(William H. Larchman.) 



Sweet Corn. The development of inbreds or parent strains of corn has been 

 the major objective of this project until last >ear. A number of the inbreds have 

 reached a remarkable degree of uniformity in most of their plant characteristics 

 and now many of these have been cross-pollinated in various combinations to 

 test their relative value as parents for the production of hybrid sweet corn. One 

 of these strains has shown itself to be a good seed parent and has been named 

 Mass. 32. A large western seed house has increased the supply of this seed to 

 1500 pounds and it is now ready for use as a parent in production fields. 



Mass. 32 has been found to make an excellent hybrid when crossed with 

 Connecticut 42. The hybrid is essentially an early Golden Cross Bantam and 

 seems to be well adapted to IMassachusetts conditions. It has an ear of good size 

 and quality and matures about one week earlier than Golden Cross Bantam. 



Several other experimental hybrids looked very promising in 1945, but further 

 testing is necessary before their merits can be established. 



Peppers. The object of this work has been to develop an earlj^ high-yielding, 

 thick-fleshed pepper of the California Wonder Type. A number of selections 

 from commercial varieties and some hybrids among these have been grown in an 

 eflfort to achieve this goal. This project has not yet progressed to the point 

 where results are forthcoming. 



Tomatoes. There is need for a large, early, smooth fruited tomato variety 

 with high yielding ability. Selections from commercial varieties have been 

 intercrossed and further selections from this material have been made for several 

 years. A number of promising strains have been developed, but they have not 

 reached the desired degree of uniformity' or excellence and none have yet been 

 released for trial among vegetable growers. 



The Culture and Nutrition of Vegetables. (William H. Lachman.) 

 1. Straw, sugar cane fiber, and horse manure were used as mulching mate- 

 rials for Rutgers tomatoes. The plants were grown unstaked and unpruned, 

 and the treatments were replicated three times. These treatments were respon- 

 sible for wide differences in yield in comparison with the control plots. The high- 

 est yield was harvested from the plots with the horse manure mulch ; the lowest 

 from those mulched with sugar cane fiber. The latter had a distinct depressing 

 effect upon both vine growth and yield. 



