28 X. H. Agri. Experiment Station [Bui. 296 



of a sod mulch. Later one orchard was partially disced. In July and 

 August, soil samples were taken at various depths and the extent to 

 which the potassium had been fixed in the surface soil or had pene- 

 trated to deeper levels, was determined. The results indicate that in 

 almost all the orchards, the potassium had entered the soil layers be- 

 tween two and four inches beneath the surface, and in the Morton 

 orchard at Plymouth, N. H., a very defiinite increase in the test for 

 replaceable potassium was obtained in the soil sample 4 and 6 inches 

 beneath the surface. This penetration is rather better than was expect- 

 ed in a sod mulch orchard. Further tests showed that by August in four 

 of the five orchards the petioles of leaves from the potassium plot 

 seemed richer in replaceable potash than those of the nitrogen plot. 

 Two of these orchards were included in the experiment because of a 

 rather serious leaf scorch similar in appearance to the leaf scorch found 

 in potassium deficient apple trees. In the orchard where scorch was 

 most serious, 20 pounds per tree of muriate of potash was applied in 

 May and June, 1935. By August, 1936, the tests for potassium in the 

 petioles of the leaves were distinctly and unquestionably higher where 

 the potash had been applied. However, there was no improvement in 

 the scorch. This seems to indicate rather conclusively that in this 

 instance the trouble is not lack of potassium. (Hatch Fund) 



Strawberry Fertilizer Tests 



In 1935, Howard 17 strawberries were set in a field in which 20 tons 

 of barnyard manure per acre had been cultivated into the soil. On Aug- 

 ust 7, 1935, each of the following fertilizer treatments was used on 60 

 separate rows or plots: (1) acid phosphate. 1500 pounds per acre, (2) 

 acid phosphate 750 pounds per acre, (3) and (4) check — no fertilizer. 

 There was no significant difference in yields which totalled: Series 1 — 

 61.3 kilograms; Series 2 — 63.4 kilograms; Series 3 — 60.1 kilograms; 

 Series 4 — 62.9 kilograms. It seems certain that as great a yield was 

 obtained with manure alone as when acid phosphate was applied in 

 addition, reports L. P. Latimer. {Hatch Fund.) 



Variety Tests of Vegetables 



A test of 27 hybrid sweet corn varieties was made by J. R. Hepler 

 from seed planted May 27. 



The Golden Cross Bantams, especially the Purdue strains, are the 

 standards for their time of maturity. 



Of the early hybrids Gemcross 39 and Spancross 39 were most prom- 

 ising. Double Cross Bantam 44073 was a small eared high quality early 

 corn. Sencross 7 x 43-5 and the 3 Way x 43-29 were promising crosses 

 considering quality, size, and type of ear and time of maturity. 



In the tomato variety trials, the variations between strains of the same 

 variety have proved almost as great as between varieties. Of the Earli- 

 ana types, Canadian (Harris) and Sunrise (Landreth) gave the largest 

 yields last year; of the Bonny Best types, the Landreth strains of Bonny 

 Best and John Baer; of the Stone types, No Substitute; and of the Mar- 

 globe group, the Stokes strain. Yields from three strains of Bonny Best 

 ranged from 8.2 to 17.8 lbs. of ripe fruit per plant. 



