Report on the Agricultural Experiment Stations, 1954 Page: 17
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Dixieland strawberry, originated by the North Carolina station and the Department,
is considered of merit as an early berry for southern States. Ripening season is similar
to Blakemore, but Dixieland greatly outyielded the older variety in 1952 and 1953. It is
considered promising as a companion variety to the later maturing Albritton.
VEGETABLE CROPS
Culture of Vegetable Crops
Supplementary irrigation
Maintaining the soil moisture through supplementary irrigation increased yields of
beans up to 4,175 pounds per acre at the Arkansas station. At the Missouri station marketable
yields of Rutgers tomatoes were increased from 3.2 tons per acre on the unirrigated
plots to 15 tons per acre for the plots having 75 percent of available moisture. At the
Tennessee station, maximum yields of beans were secured when 3 inches of water a week
were made available; however, the most economical yields were secured with 2 inches,
and the best yields of turnip greens were produced with 2 inches of water. At the Mississippi
station irrigation alone for the last 3 years has increased sweet corn yields 1-1/2
to 2 times that for nonirrigated sweet corn. When irrigation is used, the plant population
can be increased from 16,000 up to 24,000 plants per acre.
Varieties vary in water requirements
Differences in water requirements between lima bean varieties were observed at the
Utah station. Utah 16 lima beans did not require as much water as Clarksbush, they also
matured 6 days earlier and had an increased yield of 660 pounds when shelled. The station
also reports that the application of nitrogen and additional water brought higher yields
of lettuce seed.
Fertilizer needs and limitations
Reduced growth of lettuce in the greenhouse following tomatoes at the Missouri station
was closely associated with fluctuations in the available soil nitrates. At the Storrs
station (Connecticut) boron toxicity appeared on snapbeans in spring and fall crops when
20 pounds or more of borax per acre were applied; however, there was no significant
decrease in yield until the 80-pound borax rate was reached.
The Indiana station confirmed previous reports that phosphorous is the principal
element needed in tomato transplanting solutions and found that monoammonium phosphate
is excellent for this purpose. The tomato plants did not respond to either nitrogen or
potassium in the mixture.
The Maryland station found that a combination of magnesium sulfate, borax, and a
fungicide made the best foliar spray for tomatoes. The most effective time of application
was shown to be when the crown-set-fruit began to color and again during the week of the
third harvest. The resulting increase in yield was found to be entirely in No. 1 grade
fruit. The processed tomatoes showed a firmness similar to that of tomatoes that had
benefitted from the application of chelated calcium. The Kentucky station boosted early
tomato yield with a combination of dextrose and hormone sprays applied to the foliage
of the plants previously well fed with fertilizer applied in the soil.
Spacing plants for greater yield
Experiment stations have shown in recent years that much can be learned about
spacing distances in order to get most desirable growth and highest yield. "Double" row
planting of cantaloups at the Arizona station brought a big increase because the new
practice allowed efficient use of land and irrigation water. Southern peas spaced 1 foot
apart in the drill in 42-inch rows brought better yields at the Mississippi station than
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United States. Office of Experiment Stations. Report on the Agricultural Experiment Stations, 1954, book, April 1955; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc5988/m1/21/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.