30 N. H, AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION. [Bulletin 192 



Half of these plots are to be limed every other year with one ton of ground 

 limestone. Tliis year the plots were in red kidney beans. They are situated 

 on a farm that has been badly run down and very striking results were obtained 

 showing the necessity of manure to bring up the land. 



Experiment of Storage Pits and Trenches for Root Crops and 



Cabbage. 



The experiments in pit storage were imdertaken to determine the actual 

 temperature inside the pit where the vegetables were stored; and care was 

 taken to secure the same conditions as those under wliich the farmer would 

 store vegetables. Two lots of vegetables, consisting of beets, carrots, and 

 rutabagas, were put in pits under the surface of the groimd; one of the pits 

 was filled with two six-inch layers of hay and two of soil. The temperature 

 was taken daily with an electrical thermometer, and bulbs were placed in the 

 bottom of the pit under the vegetables as well as on top of the vegetables. The 

 pits were made on November 15. 



The heat from the vegetables raised the temperature of the pits so that it 

 reached its maximum of 55° ten days after the closing of the pit. The tem- 

 perature started dropping and reached a minimum of 35° on Februarj^ 23, 

 staying close to that mark until April 1, when the pits were opened. The 

 temperature at the bottom of the pit was about 5° higher than the top. The 

 vegetables were in fair shape, when taken out; about 75 per cent were salable. 



Four lots of cabbage were also stored in trenches above ground. The first 

 lot was covered with two layers of hay and five inches of soil; the second with 

 two layers of hay and eight inches of soil; the third with a six-inch layer of 

 soil and no hay; and the fourth with a two-inch layer of soil and three layers 

 of hay. The maximmn of the first pit was 42° November 25, and the minimum 

 was 29° on December 15 and 27° on January 4. About 75 per cent of this 

 cabbage was usable when removed. The second plot reached a minimum of 

 29° January 4; all this cabbage was usable when removed. Plot 3 reached a 

 minimum of 23° on January 4 ; less than half the cabbage in the lot w'as usable. 

 Plot 4 never went imder freezing, although it reach 32° several times. All the 

 cabbage in this pit was usable. 



The conclusions drawn from this project were that if good cellar storage is 

 available, the storing of roots in pits is hardly advisable, because the quaUty 

 deteriorates faster than in cellar storage. When cabbage has proper protec- 

 tion, however, it comes out of the storage pit in better condition than when 

 kept in cellar storage. 



ADAMS PROJECTS. 



Fruit Bud Formation. 



This project was cared for in its essentials as outlined in previous reports 

 and the data is being put in shape to summarize the ten-j^ear average since 

 the work started. Rather serious damage resulted to the orchard from the 

 low temperature of the winter which caused the tops of the trees to show small 

 leaves and stunted growth, and may result in the actual death of some of them 



