Jan. 1922] 



ANNUAL REPORT. 



27 



This shows an increase of 5.8% in favor of the unsuckered com. The 

 ears of the suckered corn averaged 1-3 of an ounce larger. The difference 

 in yield is so small that it is not significant, showing that suckering was not 

 profitable in 1921. 



Four rows of Bantam com 250 feet in length, showed the following re- 

 sults: 



The Golden Bantam gives a slight increase, 2.6% in favor of the suckered 

 com with the size of the ears practically the same, but the difference is so 

 small that the results are negative. 



Tomato Selection Experiment. 



Individual yield records were taken by Mr. Hepler of the yield of 1064 

 Bonny Best tomato plants in the 32 soil fertihty plots. Fruit from the 

 highest yielding plant and the lowest yielding plant in each plot was selected 

 and the seed saved. The yield of each of these 64 strains will be determined 

 in order to isolate an early high yielding strain of Bonny Best tomatoes 

 for New Hampshire. 



The value of selection on yield and earliness will also be studied. 



Effects of Borax on Plant Life. 



Because of the presence of borax in some of the domestic sources of potash 

 and extensive crop injuries traced to this source, the eight experiment sta- 

 tions of the northeastern states arranged for co-operative work on the prob- 

 lem during the winter and spring of 1920. Greenhouse tests were conducted 

 at the Vermont Station by J. R. Neller, with each station bearing its pro- 

 portionate part of the expense involved. In the experiments borax-free 

 fertilizer, to which borax was added in definite amounts was used on corn, 

 potatoes and beans. The tests showed that a given borax application was 

 most liable to be harmful if appUed in drills below the seed or seed pieces. 

 Bean and com plants proved more susceptible to injury than potatoes. Under 

 the conditions of the experiment anhydrous borax at the rate of three pounds 

 per acre was the largest amoimt that could be applied in drUls with safety 

 to beans. The limit for com proved somewhat under five pounds and for 

 potatoes slightly above five pounds. Applications of lime were found to 

 prevent some of the injury to all three crops, while gj'psum and manure were 

 also beneficial with com. 



This was the first attempt at conducting co-operative experiments on 

 the part of the northeastern experiment stations, and may well be the be- 

 ginning of other valuable co-operative effort. 



