16 N. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION. [Bulletin 163 



As a basis for this work an effort was made to secure seed of the best and 

 most representative strain of corn grown in each of the above-named counties. 

 A quantity of seed of each strain sufficient to plant one-twentieth to one- 

 tenth of an acre was sent to each of the counties cooperating. The different 

 strains were planted side by side in each of the localities, and data concerning 

 their comparative yields, maturity and general adaptability to that particular 

 section are thus secured. 



It is hoped to continue this work for several seasons and to enlist the coop- 

 eration of all the county farms of the state. When the best strains have 

 once been found out a definite system of selection and breeding for their 

 improvement will be begun. 



PUBLICATIONS. 



The publications issued by the department in bulletin or circular form 

 during the past two years are as follows: 



Purchase and Home-mixing of Fertilizers, Circular No. 12, February, 1911. 



Selecting and Storing Seed Corn, Press Bulletin, December, 1911. 



Corn Tests at County Farms, Press Bulletin, February, 1912. 



Analyzing Soils for Fertilizer Needs, Press Bulletin, March, 1912. 



Improvement of Hay Lands, Press Bulletin, April, 1912. 



Alfalfa in New Hampshire, Extension Circular, May, 1912. 



Results of Seed Tests, Bulletin No. 156, February, 1912. 



The last-named publication gives the results of 72 seed examinations made 

 during the year under the provisions of the new State Pure Seed Law. The 

 agronomist of the station has been appointed the agent of the secretary of 

 the State Board of Agriculture, who has charge of the administration of the 

 law, and has been instructed to make the official tests and publish the results 

 annually as a regular bulletin of the Experiment Station. 



REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY. 



O. BUTLER. 



During the biennium ending November 1, 1912, the investigations carried 

 on by the Department of Botany have been generally confined to the contin- 

 uation of the studies of which some mention was made in the Twenty-first 

 and Twenty-second Report of this Station. 



The studies on the diseases of apples that were in progress at the time 

 of the last report have been brought to a close and the results published,* 

 with the exception of a contribution on the Leaf Spot of the Apple, which will 

 shortly be forthcoming. The leaf spot of the apple is a common disease in 



*Brooks. C, and Black, C. A. Apple Fruit Spot and Quince Blotch. Phytopathology 2: 

 63-72. 1912. Also New Hampshire Agr. Expt. Sta., Scientific Contribution, 5. 



Brooks, C. Some Apple Diseases and Their Treatment. New Hampshire Agri. Expt. Sta. 

 Bull., 157: 32 pp. 1912. 



