48 Station Bulletin 372 



been a loss of 12 per cent in weight by evaporation from the treated compared 

 to 17 per cent loss from the untreated. On February 19, 46 per cent of the 

 treated squash were marketable compared to 27 per cent of the untreated. 

 Mixing of wax and formaldehyde in an attempt to give a combined treatment 

 gave unsatisfactory results because the wax did not spread on evenly, re- 

 sulting in injury from the formaldehyde in heavily coated areas. Samples 

 of all specimens have been taken for chemical analysis. 



A. F. Yeager, T. G. Phillips 



Breeding Work 



The principal emphasis in the tomato breeding program continues to be 

 the development of high vitamin strains. Three bulk lots of tomato juice, 

 canned by the Department of Agricultural and Biological Chemistry, give 

 evidence of progress in this direction. Juice from high vitamin strains 

 analyzed 55 milligrams; from ordinary commercial varieties, 18 milligrams; 

 and from hybrids between commercial varieties and high vitamin strains, 35 

 milligrams per hundred grams of juice. These analyses were made six 

 months after canning. Some of the high vitamin strains have acceptable 

 commercial quality and are in the early class — at least as early as New 

 Hampshire Victor. One strain. No. 7, was distributed this year for trial at 

 other points in the United States. In 1946, while not of the highest analyses, 

 it averaged in the thirties, but has other characteristics which recommend it. 



The Granite State muskmelon, a new introduction, produced a splendid 

 crop of high-quality melons in 1946. Hybrids between it and the best strains 

 of perfect flowered muskmelons have been made. The Fj generation was 

 raised in the greenhouse and the F2 generation is in the field for 1947. 



Bush Buttercup was distributed to the seed trade this year using seed 

 matured at Colebrook, New Hampshire. This is indicative of its extreme 

 earliness. Squashes of the Blue Hubbard type but very much smaller, weigh- 

 ing on an average of three to four pounds, have also been developed on the 

 semi-bush vine characteristic of Bush Buttercup. Their quality is higher 

 than Blue Hubbard and they are much earlier, probably early enough to ma- 

 ture in Northern New Hampshire. 



The Tiny Green bean, a New Hampshrie introduction, has created con- 

 siderable interest . It is a green snap bean with a pod small enough to can 

 whole when mature. The mature seeds are white, resulting in a canned prod- 

 uct free from seed discoloration. This variety resulted from an original cross 

 between a Dutch variety. Perfect Stringless, and Refugee. 



A new variety of early peas, resulting from a cross between Lincoln and 

 Radio, was named Mayflower Pea and was introduced to the trade. This is 

 a wrinkled variety in the extreme early class, produces fair-sized, curved pods 

 which are exceptionally well filled. In co-operation tests, under the trial name 

 of New Hampshire Early Dwarf, it ranked at the top both in productivity 

 and quality. 



A. F. Yeager 



Varietal Tests 



"Bunching" carrots were given special attention during 1946. Three 

 successive plantings were made and the product judged as fresh material di- 



