The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-12-14
SOME FARM PROBLEMS
Deductions Obtained at State Expert
ment Station.


of some OF the results that have been
ATTAINED in the research work at the
institution Some OF them are as fol,
lows.
Horticulture: The yield and con-
troll of the quality Of Hubbard Squash
has been studied for four years and
probably another seasons work will
be done. A special study is being
made of seed selection from high and
low yields and an attempt has been
made to learn whether breed or sea
son is responsible for the variation
in quality. The results so far irdl-
cate that the breed is largely respon-
sible About two acres Of squash
have been used.
A cion selection trial on apple
trees taken from high and low yield
ing trees has been under way for five
years and viii continue for ten to
fifteen years more. About 40 trees
on the college farm are used and
more than 200 cions have been graft
ed from trees OF known low or known
high yields, from standard varieties
such as Northern Spy Wealthy,
Rhode Island Greening, Pound
Sweet, Fameuse and Patten Green
ms.
Animal Husbandry: The effects
on the milk flow Of low, medium and
high amounts OF food protein have
been studied, as well as the results
attained in long time feeding expert.
ments as compared with those OF
shorter duration. These experiments
were started nine years ago and will
run two more years, Grade Jerseys
have been used The proportion OF
grain 10 roughage has been kept con-
slant Apparently no marked advan-
tage is gained in terms of Increased
milk yields or improved quality, from
the feeding Of large amounts Of pro-
tein although it appears that COWS
fed large amounts protein place
little more protein in the milk.
No definite result has been secured
thus far and the experiment Will be
continued for several years,
Plant Disease. For five or six
years potato scab has been studied
with view OF determining how this
disease affects the value OF seed po
tatoes. An idea has prevailed that
seed disinfectlcn would insure clean
potatoes. The results thus far at
tanned indicate the principal cause of
the disease lies in the9quality Of the
soil, that potato scab is soil rather
than seed trouble A certain
amount of soil acidity apparently pre-
vents its development The use OF
ammonium sulbhate has been shown
to be beneficial An effort has been
made Of late to determine how much
can be used WITH safety The trials
will continue some years longer.
Bordeaux mixture properly applied
has increased crop yields from 10 TO
rs per cent aud prevented blight OF
rust which s7was so prevalent this
summer. Spraying Is an insurance
that pays for itself An experiment
has been made with cabbages to de
termine the cause of club root, a
disease which makes cabbage roots
form into swollen masses rather
than normal roots. 1t is due to soil
infection. An application to the soil
Of about $50 bushels OF air slaked
lime to the acre generally viii pre-.
vent this malady.
Chemistry. An improved method
of testing soil acidity has been devils
ed The method commonly used
known as the litmus paper method,
did not tell how much lime was need
ed. The new method tells the whole
story disclosing just how much lime
Is needed TO counterfeit acidity, thus
saving money to the farmer and max
ing results more effective. Nearly
1000 soil samples from all parts of
Vermont have been tested and their
lime requirements and organic mat.
ter contents determined Fully 95
per cent were strongly acid. Their
lime requirements vary from few
hundred pounds to five tone per
acre, averaging about two tons, Most
of the soils were we'll supplied with
organic matter This new method of
soil acidity testing is now being very
generally used throughout the coun.
try and is used successfully by the
various Vermont county agents.
Animal disease. The veterinarian
is continuing his studies on bovine
abortion, and his many hundreds OF
trials lead him to believe it is quite
possible 10 control this disease by
the use Of methylene blue and cresol.
Farmers in whose herds this baleful
malady exists should get in touch
with the Station as TO approved meth.
DDS OF combating ii.
inspection work. Acting under
state laws the Station annually sam
pies, analyses and reports upon the
quality OF commercial fertilizers,
feeds and seeds, including in its in.
sDection bulletins popular articles
dealing with farm practise along
these special lines,
Station bulletins are issued at ir.
regular intervals and mailed to any
address on application. A postal card
stating desires addressed to the Tx.
na,,;r,n,t Station Rurlin gtDn VI ia