13 UNIV. OK N. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION [Bulletin 238 



have a distinct caloric value, are chocolate -coated cocoanut candies and 

 chocolate-coated bars with cream centers. 



One pint of chocolate milk shake made by the college creamery furnished 

 448 calories and 14 grams of protein. fPurnell Fund.) 



STUDIES ON FRUIT BUD FORMATION 



The work on fruit bud formation consists of three phases. The first is 

 concerned with the long term experiment in the Woodman Orchard ; the 

 second, a new series of experiments more recently inaugurated, deals with 

 the effect of time of application of fertilizers upon the flower formation 

 processes ; and finally, the chemical composition of fruit spurs as related to 

 initiation of flower embryos is being investigated. 



Experiments with the Woodman Orchard continued by G. F. Potter have 

 now completed their 19th year and show that the various plots may be 

 classified as to growth and yield in five classes, depending on the amount 

 of nitrogen available. The trees in permanent sod, where nitrogen supply 

 is exceedingly limited, have an average yield of 40 pounds. Those that are 

 cultivated in alternate years and therefore have a slightly larger supply of 

 nitrogen, averaged GG ])ounds per tree. Plots cultivated each year aver- 

 aged 7G pounds of fruit a tree. Yields in four plots cultivated annually, 

 which have in addition received a fertilizer containing 2 pounds nitrate 

 of soda per tree, range this season from 124: pounds per tree to 191 

 pounds. The average for the group is 152 pounds. The last plot, which 

 is cultivated, received G pounds of nitrate of soda per tree, and the yield is 

 distinctly more than any other plot in the orchard, with 290 pounds of fruit 

 per tree for this season. These results indicate that in a cultivated orchard 

 fertilizers may need to be applied for some time before the benefits become 

 apparent, and that ultimately they may materially affect the yields and the 

 productive life of the trees. 



The Influence of Time of Application 



A study of the influence of time of application of nitrogenous fertilizers 

 is being carried on with Baldwin, Rhode Island Greening and Mcintosh 

 varieties in three different orchards. The plan of experimenting with 

 paired trees was adopted, and two trees of each pair were selected for 

 similarity in both tree characters and soil conditions. One tree of each pair 

 was given the special fertilizer treatment to be tested, and the other an 

 application made in the spring in accordance with prevailing practice in this 

 section. 



Complete records were made by means of random counts of the percent- 

 age of spurs forming flowers in each tree, the percentage of blossom spurs 

 which set fruit, the yield of fruit per tree and the average size of the fruits. 

 Individual trees show a good deal of fluctuation and the records for this 

 season do not support any conclusion that the time of application of fer- 

 tilizer has produced a significant change in flower formation, percentage of 

 set, yield, or size. 



During two previous seasons a plot of Baldwin trees in the university 

 orchard, which receives a mid-summer supplementary application of nitrate, 

 produced about 30% higher yield than the checks. The yield was higher 

 than for the check trees during the present season but the difference may 

 hardly be considered significant. Since the Baldwin and Greening varieties 



