ANNUAL REPORT, 1946-47 11 



intervals throughout the season, beginning June 26, and with DDT and nicotine 

 sulfate as needed; and harvested October 19 and 21. 



There was no striking difference in the yields of potatoes of any class or size 

 obtained from the different ways of using fertilizer this season. 



Potato Variety Trials. (Karol J. Kucinski, Ralph W. Donaldson, Walter S. 

 Eisennienger.) The 1946 season was considered an exceptionally good potato 

 year. The \'ields obtained in the variety tests ranged from 474 bushels per acre 

 for Sequoia to 190 bushels per acre for USDA 46952. Based on yields of market- 

 able size, the potato varieties in the Experiment Station plots ranked as follows: 

 Sequoia, Green Mountain, Pontiac, Mohawk, Chippewa, Teton, Houma, Sebago, 

 Irish Cobbler, Warba, USDA 627-103, Katahdin, and USDA 46952. The 

 Houma variety produced 347 bushels per acre, but approximately 23 percent of 

 these were "B" size or smaller. 



Pasture Renovation Experiments. (Wm. G. Colby.) Work with pasture renova- 

 tion was begun in 1943 in cooperation with the U. S. Department of Agriculture 

 Regional Pasture Laboratory at State College, Pennsylvania. The nature and 

 scope of the project was given in last year's report (Mass. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 

 436: 13-14, 1946.) 



Herbage Yields. Yield data from all of the different trials thus far conducted, 

 indicate that untreated sods yielded from practically nothing for very poor sods 

 up to one ton of dry matter per acre for the better ones. Good Kentucky blue- 

 grass and natural white clover sods liberally topdressed with lime and a complete 

 fertilizer produced up to two tons of dry matter per acre, while areas which had 

 been tilled and re-seeded in addition to being limed and fertilized, yielded three 

 tons of dry matter and in several cases three and one-half tons. The reseeded 

 areas, in addition to giving greater total yields, maintained more uniform produc- 

 tion throughout the grazing season. A mixture of Ladino clover, red clover, and 

 alsike was used on all areas. Smooth brome grass {Bromiis inerniis) was the grass 

 most frequently used, with smaller plots of orchard grass (Finnish late hay strain), 

 timothy, and meadow fescue also included for comparative purposes. Although 

 it is sometimes difificult to secure good stands of brome grass, this grass seems to 

 show the most promise. 



Land Drainage. Some of the best potential pasture land in the State is now 

 practically useless because of poor drainage. Therefore, the first step in any 

 renovation program is to provide adequate drainage. Many such areas can be 

 satisfactorily and economically drained by dynamiting; others may require the 

 use of a dry land dredge of some sort. 



Reclaiming Newly Drained Land. The surface of newly drained land is usually 

 so rough and uneven that considerable difficulty may be experienced in seedbed 

 preparation even with the aid of a heavy brush and bog harrow. Observations 

 were made on the use of a large machine using the "roto-tiller" principle for till- 

 ing rough, recently drained areas. In one operation this machine not only leveled 

 off but broke up and cut to pieces the many tough fibrous tussocks or hummocks 

 which were present. Where the land is not stony this machine shows real promise. 



Time of Seeding. Comment was made last year that late summer seeding had 

 been more satisfactory than spring seedings. It was pointed out that weather 

 conditions were usually more favorable for summer than for spring seedings and 

 that this was probably the most satisfactory explanation. It now appears that 

 weather is not the only factor involved. In several instances where the land had 

 been long out of cultivation, difficulty was experienced in establishing a new 



