Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16
and the experiment will be continued for

and the experiment will be continued for
several years.
! Plant Disease: For five or six years po-
! tato scab has been studied with view
of determining how this disease affects
the value of seed potatoes. An IDEA mas
prevailed that seed disinfection would IN
sure clean potatoes. The results thus iar
attained indicate the principal cause OF
the disease lies in the quality OF the soil
that potato scab Is soil rather than
seed trouble. A certain amount or SOIL
acidity apparently prevents its develop
ment. Tho use Of ammonium sulphate mas
been shown to be beneficial An EFFORT mas
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 % per
cent and prevented blight or rust when
was so prevalent this summer. and spray
ing is an insurance that pays for itself.
An experiment has been made with cab
bages to determine the cause OF club root
n disease which makes cabbage roots
form into q swollen mass rather than nor
NAL roots. II Is due to soil infection. An
lapplicatior to the soil of about 80 busheis
of air slaked lime to the acre generally
will prevent this malady.
Rotany: The relation of different fac
tors, such as light. water and soil to the
DEVELOPMENT of forest tree seedlings and
particularly white pine has been studied.
Apparently water and soil have create"
influence than light upon tree develop
ment. A systematic study of the algae
of Vermont is under way. experimenting
the publications already issued. on the
general flora. the shrubs, grasses and
trees of Vermont revised and enlarged
tree bulletin will he issued soon. The
breeding of blacliberries and other plants
is being carried on for two years and
will continue for several years longe".
These have been crossed artifcially in
order to learn their characteristics and to
determine the relation of environment and
heredity to the development.
Forestry: series of experiments are
being conducted on the forest areas be-
longing to the university. Various plots
are used from which trees have been cut
in greater or less numbers in order to de-
termine the effect of various degrees of
cutting upon forest production. Some of
the trees with larger tops are left for the
purpose of furnishing seed. On smaller
plots a record has been made of every
plant growing within the area, in order
to determine the effect of general condi-
, lions upon forest growth. Thermometer.
in various parts of the forest record the
temperature. Certain areas are left il
, their original state for the purpose OF
comparison. Tree circumference has bee,
measured in order to determine the rate
of growth, where a forest has been thin
ned Some of the trees are about IS year:
= old. while others are from IS to 100 year.
O old. Experiments are being made in tn,
. Plainield State forest with spruce anc
y white pine; in Townshend with fir ane
spruce in West Rutland with oak ant
white birch; and in Proctorsville witt
I white ash. The state nursery at Burling
, ton contains about 100000 trees.
, Chemistry; An improved method o.
,, testing soil acidity has been devised
. The method commonly used, known a.
the litmus paper methods. did not tell how
much lime was needed. The new method
tells the whole story disclosing just hov
much lime is needed to counteract acidity
thus saving money to the farmer an,
making results more effective. Nearl,
1000 soil samples from all parts of Yer
mont have been tested and their lime re
quirements and organic matter contents
determined. Fully % per cent. were
strongly acid. Their lime requirement
vary from a few hundred pounds to fiv
tons per acre, averaging about two tons
Most of the soils We're we'll supplied wit.
organic matter. This new method of sol
acidity testing is now being very genera II,
used throughout the country and is use,
Unnecessarily by the various Vernon
= county agents
( Animal Disease; The Veterinarian i
= continuing his studies on bovine abortion
e and his many hundreds of trials lead hin
Il to believe ii is quite possible to contro
= this disease by the use of methylen
r blue and cresol. Farmers in whose herd
c this baleful malady exists should get il
touch with the station as to approx e.
. methods of combating it.
t Inspection Work: Acting under Stat
s laws the station annually samples. ana
lyZes and reports upon the quality q
10 commercial fertilizers. feeds and seed.
10 including in its inspection bulletins pop
Is ular articles dealing with farm practis
No along these special lines.
a Station bulletins are issued at irregula
20 intervals and mailed to any address o
% addressed to the Experiment Station, Bu,
o. lngton, VT, is sufficient.