June 1941] Agricultural Research in New Hampshire 35 



weight from .61 to 2.01 pounds a day, while feed costs for raising the 

 calves to six months of age ranged from a low of $12.00 to a high of 

 $56. The fifty calves were divided into three groups, according to 

 the feed cost per pound of gain. In the tabulation below averages 

 are presented for each group. 



(Purnell and Hatch Funds) 



HORTICULTURE 

 Fruit Bud Formation (A. F. Yeager) 



One per cent Elgetol was used on half trees of several apple va- 

 rieties as a blossom removal spray. It was effective in completely re- 

 moving blossoms and leaves. Many of the fruit spurs failed to 

 recover, but the foliage in general was replaced satisfactorily. 



(Adams Fund) 



Plant Breeding Studies (A. F. Yeager and J. R. Hepler) 



Considerable tomato breeding material was grown and studied 

 during the year. A cross between the common tomato (L. esculen- 

 tum) and Peruvian tomato (L. peruvianum) was carried through 

 three generations of selfed material and two generations back-crossed 

 to standard varieties. Partial recovery in size and quality was ob- 

 tained, but the extent to which the selections are disease resistant 

 remains to be seen. 



Two generations from crosses between ordinary muskmelon and 

 a perfect flowered Asiatic muskmelon (U. S. D. A. — 236B) were 

 grown during the year. Some early selections were made from the 

 field which carried perfect flowers. Another cross from which it was 

 hoped to obtain high quality, early, disease-resistant muskmelons was 

 also carried through two generations, and selections apparently car- 

 rying the desired factors made. 



About 100 single bean plant selections have been tested, the se- 

 lections coming from the third generation of a cross between Gage 

 and French Horticulture. Of this number, three strains were out- 

 standing in the characteristics sought. They are fairly early, have 

 good pod length, and the color of both the pod and shelled bean is 

 particularly good. 



In an effort to produce polyploids, colchicine in solution, in lano- 

 lin paste, and in agar was used on a large number of plants of various 

 varieties. Apparently good results were obtained with several spe- 



