February, 1930] agricultural experiments 1929 27 



The first iceberg lettuce grown on the experimental plots at Lancaster 

 was shipped to Boston July 19th, by E. H. Kinear. Since Boston is a 

 large terminal market, it was possible to make comparisons with lettuce 

 from other sources. Although the shipments were small and sent at 

 irregular intervals, the results of these trials are encouraging for future 

 development. The lettuce received much favorable comment by the 

 trade and brought a price comparable with that shipped from California. 



Through special arrangements with the Express Company, several lots 

 were delivered to the commission house, eight hours after leaving Lan- 

 caster. The lettuce had been carefully graded and ice-packed in standard 

 western crates which were lined with wax paper. Because of the prompt 

 delivery and careful packing the lettuce arrived in good condition. It 

 compared well with that from the west as to quality. The heads were 

 nearly as firm as the western, were fresher in appearance, and there was 

 a smaller amount of waste due to icing and russetting of the outside leaves. 

 {Purnell Fund.) 



TESTING FOR PULLORUM DISEASE 



The amount of pullorum disease (bacillary white diarrhea) in New 

 Hampshire is decreasing, according to the results of the blood testing work 

 of the poultry pathology laboratory. The infection present in 124,785 

 birds in 173 tested flocks was 1.5 per cent in the season of 1928-29 com- 

 pared to 2.9 in the previous season. 



One hundred per cent of the birds in 132 flocks were tested, and 101 of 

 the flocks were found wholly free of the disease. Twenty-seven other 

 flocks which were only partly tested were found to be without reactors to 

 the disease test. 



Thirty-seven new names were added to the 100 per cent free list, and 22 

 flocks were removed. The removals were caused by failure to test, 

 presence of reactors found later to be in the flock, or because of residence 

 outside of the state. Fourteen of the flocks which had formerh' attained 

 the 100 per cent free list were admitted to the accredited list on passing 

 the second test. 



In all, there are 57 flocks on the accredited list, containing 51,925 birds. 

 Thirty-eight flocks containing 22,330 birds are on the 100 per cent free 

 list. 



Testing work is in charge of C. A. Bottorff and C. L. Martin. {Mis- 

 cellaneous Income.) 



POST-MORTEM EXAMINATIONS 



Post-mortem examinations of birds received at the poultry' pathology 

 laboratory indicate that pullorum disease is still the dominant cause of 

 death of chicks in New Hampshire, although the majority of the diseased 

 chicks originated from sources outside the state. Of the 750 chicks ex- 

 amined 321 died of this disease, 204 of which come from sources outside 

 the state to 41 New Hampshire farms. The remaining cases, all from 

 sources in New Hampshire, were found on 32 farms. 



Other causes of death in chicks were: pneumonia, 144; "crazy chicks," 

 47; coccidiosis, 96; vitamin D deficiency, 41; colds, 20; and minor trou- 

 bles. 



