28 UNIV. OF N. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION [Bulletin 232 



STORAGE OF CABBAGE 



Cabbage was stored by J. R. Hepler in six pits to determine the effect 

 of varying conditions upon the temperature maintained and the keeping 

 quality of the cabbage. 



The piles were pyramidal in shape, built up from a depth of four or six 

 heads at the edge of the pile, according to the quantity stored. The roots 

 were cut off, but most of the outside leaves were allowed to remain. 

 The cabbage was covered with three inches of hay and four to eight inches 

 of soil with another layer of hay on the outside. The plan was to cover 

 three of the pits with four inches of soil and three with eight inches, but 

 the depth of covering varied. Chimneys of drain tile were put on two 

 of the pits to carry off excess heat. The temperatures were taken by 

 means of the electrical resistance thermometers which were placed in the 

 center of each pit of cabbage. 



Apparently the most important factor in keeping cabbage in pits is the 

 depth of the covering. If the cabbage is properly insulated with dry 

 hay, four inches of soil would probably be sufficient. In Pits 1 and 3, 

 which were most deeply covered, the temperature went up rapidly; and 

 the cabbage when taken out had started to decay so that the storage loss 

 was heavy. In the other four pits the storage loss was much smaller, 

 the cabbage coming out in fair to good condition. The depth of the pile 

 did not appear to influence results. The chimneys did not have a material 

 effect on pit temperatures. (Hatch Fund.) 



FERTILIZER AND LIME ON SPINACH 



Lime was found to have a decidedly beneficial effect on the production 

 of spinach in the garden fertility experiment conducted by J. R. Hepler. 

 The garden plots, which have been handled for eight years with various 

 fertilizer treatments, are those which were discussed under the strawberry 

 fertilizer project. After the strawberries were harvested last year, these 

 plots were planted to spinach. Fertilizers were applied after plowing, but 

 before the seed was planted. The system of treatments of the plots has 

 previously been given. Plots 4 and 6, having a combination of manure 

 and commercial fertilizer, produced better results than those plots of man- 

 ure and commercial fertilizer alone or a combination of more manure and 

 less commercial fertilizer. The beneficial effect of the lime is shown by 

 an increase of .56 per cent in jdeld. (Hatch Fund.) 



HOW MUCH POTASH DO TOMATOES NEED? 



Preliminary work by T. G. Phillips and T. O. Smith indicate that toma- 

 toes have a surprisingly low potassium requirement. Plants grown with 

 what is usually considered the normal amount of potash in the nutrient 

 solution did not do as well as those grown with one-tenth that amount. 

 As complete absence of potash as could be secured readily resulted, how- 

 ever, in quite evidently abnormal development. 



With soy beans no effect of complete absence of potash could be 

 obtained in the first generation. 



The work with tomatoes will be continued and accompanied by 

 chemical analysis of the plants at various stages of development. (Adams 

 Fund.) 



