22 N. H. Agri. Experiment Station [Bulletin 284 



Complete Fertilizer as Opposed to Nitrogen Only in Orchards 



Tests of the value of complete fertilizer as opposed to nitrogen only, in 

 New Hampshire orchards, were continued in 1934. As has been reported 

 previously, only very slight differences between the treatments have been 

 found. These are in the direction of lower yield and somewhat better color 

 on the plots fertilized with the complete fertilizers. It seems probable that 

 this is due to a difference in the character of the nitrogen. In the complete 

 fertilizer nitrogen occurs in exactly the same quantity as that applied to the 

 control plot, but it is in a somewhat more slowly available form. Evidence 

 from a variety of sources seems to indicate that phosphorus and potash do 

 not produce an appreciable effect upon apple trees unless they are incorpo- 

 rated deeply in the soil. It seems rather unlikely, therefore, that the presence 

 or absence of these materials is contributing to the results in this experiment. 

 (G. F. Potter— Hatch Fund.) 



Plant Breeding 



Two strains of Des Moines squash coming from the same original source, 

 one of which had been grown since 1928 in South Carolina and the other for 

 the same period in New Hampshire, were not found to differ significantly. 

 Under the same conditions, however, a strain of Australian hull-less pop- 

 corn grown for five years in South Carolina proved to be about one week- 

 later in maturing than the New Hampshire strain, and at the same time 

 produced ears which were slightly longer and heavier. (/. R. He pier — 

 Hatch Fund.) 



Spray Service 



The usual pest control service was carried out. This season for the first 

 time in five years the record of codling moths captured in fermented bait 

 traps showed two peaks, the first between July 3 and July 15 and the second 

 between August 17 and August 27. This indicates that a second brood oc- 

 curred this year, and the fact is corroborated by finding empty pupae skins 

 under some of the bands of untreated corrugated paper. It is rather inter- 

 esting to note that in certain orchards, woodpeckers drilled through these 

 untreated corrugated bands and removed as many as 80/c of the pupating 

 larvae beneath. (£. /. Rasiiiussen — State Fund.) 



Foot Rot of Peas 



To study variation in infection of the seed with foot rot, 72 different 

 varieties and strains of peas were grown in pure sand in a greenhouse bench, 

 supplying nutrients from a culture solution. From 4.2^^ to 93% of the 

 plants in the several lots were found to be diseased. The average was about 

 45%. The varieties Laxton's Progress and Little Marvel were also grown 

 in an infected soil in a garden where peas yield only 10 to 20% of a crop on 

 account of foot rot. In the infected soil, germination on the average was 

 about 10 to 20% lower, and of the plants formed, an additional 15 to 20% 

 were affected with the disease. Disinfection of the seeds with red copper 

 oxide, with Semesan Jr. and Trioxo was tried, but did not give any clearcut 

 advantage. (/. K. Hoplcr — Miscellaneous Income.) 



