;sa^(3i>t::i By A. F. Yeagei Bi }€^ :«*• STATION BULLETIN 383 The Agricultural Experiment Station The University of New Hampshire, Durham, N. H. JUNE 1950 TABLE OF CONTENTS page FOREWORD 3 FRUITS Apples 4, 5 iPeaches 5-7 Pears 7 Grapes 7 Raspberries 7-10 Durham Raspberry 7, S Other Rubus Breeding 8-10 Strawberries 1 0 Great Bay Strawberry 10 Other Strawberry Breeding 10 Blueberries 11,12 NUTS Butternuts 1 2, 1 3 Hickory Nuts 1 3 Hazel and Hazel-Filbert Hybrids 13 WOODY ORNAMENTALS Lilacs 14 Ann Tighe Lilac 14 Other Lilac Breeding 1-'' "T FLOWERS Chrysanthemums 15, 16 Granite State 15 Nashua 15, 16 Sunapee 16 Other Chrysanthemum Varieties 16 Dianthus 16 June Carmine 16 Begonias 16 New Hampshire Hybrid 16 Other Begonias 16 BREEDING Improved HORTICHTIlllAL PLAITS I! By A. F. Yeager Professor of Horticulture THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW VARIETY OF FRUIT and its introduc- tion after it has been developed re- quires much more time than is neces- sary for vegetable plant breeding. This is because most of the plants n^ust be grov^n several years before they come into bearing from seed. A greater growing space is also re- quired for each fruit plant than for o vegetable plant. For these rea- sons, it is impossible to work with such lorge numbers as is done with vege- table crops This means slower pro- gress with fruit and woody ornament- al plant breeding. The groundwork for a real plant- breeding program has now been laid at the University of New Hampshire. Breeding stock has been collected end has reached maturity. Some of the seedling populations are also Hearing their bearing age. There- fore, more rapid progress may be expected within the next few years than has been possible during the past ten years. This bulletin is the second in a series of two publications which was planned to tell you about some of the accomplishments of the plant-breed- ing program at the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station. It outlines the work under way with fruits and ornamentals, indicates in what direction the work is aimed, and points out what results may be antici- pated. The first publication of the series, Station Bulletin 380, is concerned with vegetable plant breeding, and dis- cusses the work with tomatoes, melons, squashes, peppers, peas, egg- plant, popcorn, beans, cabbage, and carrots. It is called "Breeding Im- proved Horticultural Plants. I-Vege- tables." FRUITS, NUTS and ORNAMENTALS FRUITS New Hampshire Plant-breeding Program Experiments with APPLES PEACHES PEARS GRAPES RASPBERRIES STRAWBERRIES BLUEBERRIES BUTTERNUTS HICKORY NUTS HAZEL AND HAZEL - FILBERT HYBRIDS LILACS HONEYSUCKLES CHRYSANTHEMUMS BEGONIAS APPLES Apple-breeding work at the Uni- versity of New Hampshire has not as yet reached the pay-off stage. Its objectives are to provide a variety of as high quality as Mcintosh, one that is productive, red in color, ripens later in the fall, and that will keep longer in the spring. The Win- ter Banana, variety is the only var- iety that over the years, at Durham, N. H., has consistently outyielded Mcintosh. It also has the most near- ly perfect tree in shape and size. At Geneva, N. Y., Winter Banana gave a high percentage of good seedlings among the few which were grown. It was decided, therefore, to make crosses between this variety and Mc- intosh. Several hundred such seed- lings are being grown, some of which are now reaching bearing age. Crosses have also been made between Northern Spy and Macoun with a similar objective in mind. A tetraploid Mcintosh, with double the normal number of chro- mosomes, was discovered by a United States Department of Agri- culture worker in northern Massa- chusetts, in 1947. On this tree Apple tree under an insect-proof cage for crossing. crosses were made in the spring of J 948, using Winter Banana pollen. Abundant fruits were set and seed was produced. Where Winter Ba- nana was used as the female and the pollen from the tetraploid Mcintosh was used on Winter Banana, no fruits set. Seedlings from this particular cross should give triploid trees which will be two-thirds Mcintosh. Here we shall have an opportunity to ob- serve a population of Mcintosh and Winter Banana, using both diploid and tetraploid Mcintosh as the fe- male parent. The results may be valuable from a plant breeder's point of view and there may be equally interesting observations for geneti- cists. For instance, are these seed- lings actually triploids? Miss Charl- lotte G. Nast, Assistant Professor of Botany, who is now engaged in de- termining this point from root tips that were collected before the trees were set in the field, finds that most of them are triploids. If they are triploids, it is possible we may get a variety which does not require cross Seedling apples in breeding project. pollination, as in the case with Bald- ivin, which is a triploid. PEACHES Durham is on the northern border of the area where peaches can be grown. At the University of New '/ fef r Crossing peaches. 5 A cross between the North Caucasus peach and Eclipse. Hampshire Horticultural Farm the hardiest of ordinary varieties such as Oriole, Cumberland, and Eclipse will mature a satisfactory crop in about half the years. In other years, they produce little or nothing. One mile distant from the University Farm, at the village of Durham, peach blossom buds rarely live through the winter and a crop is an infrequent occurrence; hence, this locality is excellent for doing peach breeding work as it is necessary to detect the seedlings which have greater hardiness. During the winter of 1943-44. re- ports were received that plant in troductions from the North Caucasus region had proved unusually hardy at the United States Plant Intro- duction Station at Glenn Dale, Md. Immediate arrangeinents were made to have pollen from several of the North Caucasus seedlings sent by mail to Durham, when the trees bloomed in Maryland. The pollen from these seedlings was stored in a dessicator over calcium chloride under refrigeration, and was used on several of the hardiest peach var- ieties. Crosses were made with Oriole, Eclipse, Cumberland, and Vedette. These seeds were stratified, were planted indoors in the spring of 1945, and were set in the field when the weather permitted. They made a satisfactory growth in 1945 and J946. In the spring of 1947, these crossed trees bloomed profusely and most of them set a good crop of peaches. A few backcrosses were also made with Eclipse and Oriole. Another heavy crop of fruit was pro- duced in 1948. Thus, two crops were produced on trees within their first four years from seed. In 1948, several hundred seedlings of the F2 generation produced trees that made a satisfactory growth. About two- thirds of them have been eliminated at the end of the first season's growth because, by that time, it was possible to determine by leaf-vein color that the fruit they were destined to bear would be white, an undesirable char- acteristic. Space was thus made in which more seedlings were planted in 1949. Observations made on germinating peach seed in the spring of 1949 has shown that one need not wait until leaf maturity to determine the flesh color of the fruit a tree will bear. Before seedlings emerge from Peach seedlings at this age have a yellow color if they will grow into a tree bearing yellow fruits. the soil they will be white or yellow, corresponding to the flesh color of the fruit which they will some day produce. Seeds from pure white peach trees give only white seedlings, from pure yellow only yellow, and in F^ populations when three white to one yellow are expected, such a ratio was found in the seedlings. The use of this information will permit the car.y discarding of undesirable white peaches and will greatly reduce the cost of doing peach-breeding work. Of course, there are some which are difficult to classify; hence, 100 per cent accuracy cannot be expected. Genetic stocks of possible unusual hardiness now being grown include seedlings from the University of Minnesota, the South Hero peach from the Lake Champlain region, and also a few plants from several individuals who believe they have unusually hardy material. Under normal conditions, nature should help test them quickly. PEARS Little pear-breeding has been done in the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station program. It has involved crosses between Clapp's Favorite, which is by far our most vigorous and productive variety, and Conference, a very good, high-quali- ty winter pear. The objective is not only to produce a variety as pro- ductive, vigorous, and of as good quality as Clapp's Favorite, but also one which will ripen during the win- ter instead of in August, as does Clapp's. Some of these seedlings are Hearing the bearing age. Blight is not a factor at Durham. GRAPES Earliness is a prime requisite in grapes. While Concord is reason- ably hardy, it rarely develops good quality because the growing season is too short and cool. The best varieties in order of ripening are Erie, Van Buren, Fredonia, and Kendaia. In 1948, other varieties in our vineyard failed to bear. Erie, the earliest variety, does not produce pollen. For this reason fruits pro- duced during the year were neces- sarily pollinated by the others noted Seed of Erie was saved and planted, resulting in 1,500 seedlings which have been set in the field. From them we hope to procure extra-early, hardy, high-quality varieties, cap- able of self-fertilization. RASPBERRIES DURHAM RASPBERRY In the spring of 1942 in the Uni- versity Greenhouse, blossoms of Tay- lor raspberries were emasculated and pollen was supplied from Nectar- berry, which was also grown indoors. Seeds were set, saved, and stratified. The seedlings were grown in the spring of 1943 and set in the field. Many of them bore some fruit in the spring of 1944. None showed evi- dence of Nectarberry parentage. Among the seedlings many produced an early fall crop. One of them, which later was named Durham probably grew from a partheno- genetic seed of Taylor. Fruit on this seedling began ripening on August 10 and continued to mature until the frost period. In the spring of 1945, suckers were taken from this plant and set in another row for further trial. Again, beginning about the middle of August, these transplants produced abundantly that same autumn. The original clump of plants likewise produced an abun- dant fall crop. In the spring of 1946, sucker plants again moved to a new location and increased. The newly set plants and the old plants made such a promising yield that it was decided to give the new variety the name Durham and to distribute it. The berries of Durham are red, medium in size, of fair quality, and firm. Among the everbearing var- ieties and seedlings tested, Durham is the only one to date which has pro- duced enough of a crop in the fall to promise profitable possibilities. The first blossoms are at the tip, but side branches appear progressively back from the tip so that the bearing area becomes very large. Durham reproduces by suckers which appear in abundance. The young plants, which grow four to five feet in height, seem as susceptible to spur blight as the parent, Taylor. Canes so affected winter kill, but those which are not affected appear to be as hardy as Latham. Annual crops may be expected, which is not al- ways the case with varieties bearing only on overwintering canes. Spur blight, which to date has been con- trolled by the removal of all canes, may thus be avoided without the loss of a year's crop. Durham has been reported as producing well in Ontario, Iowa, North Dakota, and Oregon. OTHER RUBUS BREEDING Crosses have been made between Taylor raspberry and selections of •">» .' \% SK&'j^t 'rf'V-* Durham Everbearing raspberry produces abundant early fall crops. 8 RuIjus chamaemorus plant in fruit. This octoploid plant crossed with the diploid Taylor raspberry has given interesting results. Ruhus odoratus. the flowering rasp- berry. The seedlings from these crosses have been very weak grow- ers, bear pink sterile flowers, and produce almost no sucker plants. Crosses between Rubus odoratus and Snyder blackberry have also been made. Seedlings from this cross have been almost sterile, although some seed on this hybrid was pro- duced in 1948 and again in 1949. A few seedlings have been started. The blackberry cross is very vigor- ous, is thornless, and spreads rapid- ly by suckers. The thornlessness and disease-re- sistance of Rubus odoratus are high- ly valuable features. It is hoped that they may be incorporated in good fruiting varieties. Crosses were also made in the winter of 1942 and 1943 between Taylor raspberry, a diploid, and Rubus chamaemorus, the bake apple berry, an octoploid, which was obtained from R. B. Pike of Lubec, Maine. The bakeberry plant pro- duces yellow fruits on plants less than six inches high. Hybrids be- tween it and raspberry proved to be quite fertile, some bearing pinkish- yellow fruits, others red. These plants grew to about two feet in height. They were only half winter hardy. Seed saved from these hybrids gave a second generation of seed- lings, all of a suckering habit and varying from six inches to eight feet in height. Some are hardy, some are not. One of the best selections These hybrid raspber- ries am produced on two foat plants. grows about 30 inches high. It has branching canes and the fruit is a good red raspberry, ripening very early. Such plants would be easier to winter in difficult locations in the TVortheast, as the snow covers them. An Fo generation is being grown and some of the promising F2 se- lections are being increased for wider trial. It is evident already that from this cross good red rasp- Lerry varieties, ranging in plant height from six inches to six feet, can be developed. What their chrom- osomes numbers may be has not been determined; but as raspberry has 14 chromosomes and bakeberry 56, var- iation in numbers might be expected. STRAWBERRIES GREAT BAY STRAWBERRY One of the principal objectives of the strawberry-breeding work has been to provide a variety that is later than Howard No. 17 (Premi- er), our leading commercial variety. It might be equal or better than Premier in quality, productiveness, and resistance to disease. The cross between Simcoe, a very late, firm- fruited but rather acid variety from Canada, and Catskill, a handsome, dark-red, high-quality variety has given good seedlings. Rigorous test- ing in comparison with hundreds of other seedlings and the best named varieties, resulted in the selection of one which was named Great Bay in 1948. Great Bay is a vigorous-grow- ing variety. It produces perfect flowers and the foliage is resistant to leaf spot. Fruit is produced in great abundance and begins ripening a few days after Howard No. 17. The plants also seem to have the ability to continue ripening their fruit over a long period, so that the last commercial pickings ripen with the last pickings of some varieties which produce their first ripe fruits very much later than Great Bay. Thus we get high productivity of late fruits plus the earlier crop, mak- ing the season's total much greater than varieties which produce no earlier crop. OTHER STRAWBERRY BREEDING Another strawberry population grown with the same objective in mind has come from crossing Tup- per, a very late, large Canadian var- iety crossed with Fairfax. It has given some very good seedlings and the best of them possibly may be named. Another objective of strawberry breeding at the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station has been to introduce into the cultivated varieties some of the native wild strawberry's good characteristics, such as hardiness without winter mulching, high aroma, and desirable flavor. Selections made from the wild strawberry that seemed to have these desirable characteristics were studied under cultivation. They showed great variability, ranging from very soft to very hard fruits; from long, slender fruits to round: from very light color to dark; from very acid to sweet; and from plants which are extremely susceptible to leaf spot to those that seem to be almost entirely immune. First-gen- eration crosses between selected wild strawberries and cultivated berries gave fruits of intermediate size on very vigorous productive plants and of acceptable fruit quality. They have also shown great ability to withstand unfavorable weather with- out damage. If any commercial varieties are to come from this group, however, it will be necessary to use the best of the first generation seedlings and back cross them again with high-quality, cultivated varieties to increase the size. This is being done. 10 A tlesiialile wild low-bush l)lueberry used in crossing with cultivated high-bush varieties. BLUEBERRIES The high-bush blueberry (Vaccin- ium corymbosum) is native through the lower half of New Hamj»shire but the cultivated varieties of blue- berries which belong to this species have not been too successful except in unusually good locations. In many winters, the part of the plant above the snow line is killed or se- verely injured by extreme weather conditions. The low-bush blueberry (Vaccinium pennsylvanicuni ) is found in great abundance over the sides of New Hampshire mountains. The low-bush blueberry, though no more hardy than the high-bush, es- capes injury in severe winters be- cause the plant is covered with snow. For this reason, breeding work with blueberries has been initiated with the idea of producing a commercial- ly valuable half-high blueberry by crossing the low-bush and the high- bush. Such crosses occur naturally between unselected parents. In the project carried on at the New Hampshire Agricultural Ex- periment Station, the best low-busii jiiants were selected and crossed witb. the best cultivated varieties of high- bush. The plants which resulted are intermediate in size, the fruits are much larger than the low-bush, but not as large as the cultivated high- bush. Some of the first generation plants, however, are very fruitful and may have value in themselves. One of the particularly good crosses has been a cross between a selection of low-bush blueberry from Gilford, N .H., and the Pemherton variety. A second generation of seedlings is being grown from this cross with the hope that we may get plants which will be about the size of the Fi hybrid {i.e. about two feet high) that will produce fruits of large size pnd of bright blue color. Incident- ally, this color is near black in the first generation seedlings, even though both parents are blue. It is also hoped that such a half-high bush, (like the low-bush plants,) may propagate by means of stolons. If this happens, the half-high will 11 A fruiting blueberry cross protected from birds. become an easily-propagated culti- vated variety more satisfactory to New Hampshire growing conditions, where a snow cover would prevent the plants from being winter injured. The native high-bush blueberry reaches its northern limit in New Hampshire. Therefore, it is prob- able that selections made here would have greater winter hardiness than those made farther south. E. M. Meader has discovered two unusual- ly good wild, high-bush blueberry plants; one at Loudon, N. H., desig- nated Sebatis, and another called Clarendon No. 1 (P.I. 185436) at East Clarendon, Vt. These two plants have been crossed with several su- perior, unnamed cultivated blue- berries developed by the United States Department of Agriculture at Weymouth, N. J. More than 2000 such hybrid plants have been grown. Jn this way we hope to pro- duce hardier varieties which have file desirable fruit characteristics of the best cultivated sorts. NUTS BUTTERNUTS In an effort made to locate the best butternut trees in the area, a prize was offered in 1940 for the finest sample of nuts sent to the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station. Approximately 150 sam- ples were received. Cracking tests were made on the samples, and from the lot, ten were chosen. The un- cracked nuts from the samples were planted on the Station grounds. To date, none have fruited, although many have produced male catkins. Great variability has been noted be- tween the different plots, particular- ly in regard to stature, vigor, and foliage characteristics. The leaves of one have not been affected by leaf disease which frequently defoli- ates ordinary butternuts. Upon checking with Harry Townsend of Lebanon, N. H., who provided these nuts, it was learned that the tree fiom which these nuts were taken was locally reputed to be a cross between Butternut and Japanese Wal- nut. This may be true, as these species are of the same genus and resemble each other in many super- ficial characteristics. One of the most important results from such a breeding project comes from the fact that visitors who note what we are attempting to do send in specimens and information which they think may be valuable. This has been the case with butternuts. As a result of such a visit, a report has come from Frederickson. New Brunswick, of a local butternut tree which is more than 15 feet in cir- cumference, breast high, and which produced nearly 20 bushels of nuts ir. 1948. Cracking tests made on a sample indicate that the nuts are of good cracking quality. This is by far the largest tree of this species 12 of which we have knowledge. Per- haps it, too, is resistant to the leat disease which we feel may be largely responsible for winter killing of this species at frequent intervals and the generally unthrifty appearance of trees which have reached any con- siderable age. HICKORY NUTS Considerable scouting has been done by members of the University of New Hampshire Department of Horticulture in an attempt to locate extra good hickory trees. The best nuts collected have been planted and some trees are growing. However, hickory grows so slowly that it may be a long time before any tangible results are secured. HAZEL AND HAZEL-FILBERT HYBRIDS Among the nuts which may be grown in New Hampshire, the cory- lus genus probably offers greater possibilities for profitable produc- tion than any other. The Winkler variety of hazel, growing on the Uni- versity of New Hampshire Horti- cultural Farm, fruits practically every year. It began bearing the year after it was set. In good sea- sons a bush five or six feet high may bear as many as two quarts of hulled nuts. The Winkler is well worth planting for home use, although the nuts are small compared to the European filberts. Although many have been tried, no true filberts have been hardy enough to be worth growing. Be- sides Winkler, the Rush Hazel as well as varieties of the Jones and other filbert-hazel hybrids have been growing quite well. While they have not borne as consistently as the Winkler, they produce a crop in most years. The nuts are larger and ripen earlier than Winkler. Hazels are largely self-sterile, so it was thought that nuts collected from W^inkler in the variety planting would probably be mostly pollinated by the hybrid varieties. For this reason, a planting of 200 seedlings from Winkler, open polli- nated, were set in 1946. Observa- tions show that there is much vari- ability among the seedlings and that a considerable portion have been crossed with the hazel filbert hy- brids. A few seedlings produced nuts in 1948. During the winter of 1946- 47, nearly all the blossoms on the Jones hybrids were killed. One plant, however, was outstanding in its productivity in 1947, as com- pared to other hybrids. These nuts were saved and planted with the ex- pectation that Winkler probably had pollinated most of the blossoms. Nearly 300 seedlings are growing. It is quite probable that some plants in these two populations will pro- duce larger nuts, and that they will be equally hardy, and will mature earlier. If this should come about, hazel-filbert hybrids might well be a common part of the future horti- cultural plantings in this region. 13 WOODY ORNAMENTALS LILACS Ann Tighe Lilac The purple lilac is the State Flower of New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Federation of Garden Clubs has undertaken the ac- cumulation of a fund for lilac re- search at the New Hampshire Agri- cultural Experiment Station. Natu- rally, the breeding of new varieties is undertaken as a part of this pro- gram. The first crosses were made in 1940 with double, dark-colored flowers of large size as the objectives. One of the seedlings of Volcan, the pollen parent unknown, was the out- standing plant of this group which flowered in 1945. It produces large clusters, and the semi-double florets are very large and almost as rich in color as Volcan. The first outstand- ing seedling, selected as a memorial to the late Mrs. Anne Tighe of Sal- mon Falls, N. H., because of her / active support of lilac work, was given her name. Other Lilac Breeding A study of the important lilac varieties which are growing in the University Lilac Arboretum shows that really fine pink varieties are missing. Crosses were made in 1944 in an attempt to develop such a good pink. The most satisfactory pink variety in the planting was Lucie Baltet, and it was thought that per- haps if this variety were crossed with a white variety a reasonable propor- tion of pinks might result. Crosses were made between Lucie Baltet and Madame Fernande Viger, Frau Bertha Damman, Jeanne de Arc, and the common white lilac (Vulgaris alba). More than 150 seedlings were pro- duced from these crosses. Nearly all blossomed in 194B, but not one pro- duced flowers of a desirable pink color. There were a few light blues, but nearly all ran from light purple to very dark purple. Therefore, it is evident that color in common li- lacs is due to complimentary genes. Some of the new Canadian va- rieties have come from crosses be- tween the species Syringa villosa and Syringa reflexa. Some are quite satisfactory pinks, which, blooming much later than common lilacs, escape the spring frosts which often damage Syringa vulgaris. To try to get better late varieties, open- pollinated seeds from three varieties, Hedin, Royalty, and Coral, were planted. Nearly all the seedlings from these plants, which were started in 1945, blossomed in 1948. There was a wide range of color in the flowers and a wide range in the height and characteristics of the plants. All were late flowering. Four seedlings of Royalty parentage were marked as particularly desir- able and propagated by soft wood cuttings for further observation. Several attempts have also been made to try to cross Syringa Japon- ica the Asiatic tree lilac (which pro- duces white flowers with a strong odor in large clusters very late in the season) and the common lilac. To date, only one seedling has been produced, and this may be a hybrid. This cross was made by Henry Clapp in 1944. Up to this time it has not flowered, but is making a very vigor- ous growth, and we hope that it may blossom before long. Should it prove to be a cross and fertile, we may have here the beginning of a new group of colored tree lilacs that bloom far later than anything of that kind we have had heretofore. Crosses were attempted again in 1949, using S. Japonica as the fe- male parent and villosa x reflexa seedlings as pollen. Seed pods de- veloped in abundance but none con- tained seed. 14 HONEYSUCKLE With the objective of producing a low-growing variety of honeysuckle with the attractive flowers of the Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera ta- tarica) and the blue edible fruit of the wild honeysuckle (Lonicera cae- rulea) crosses have been made be- tween these two species. The first generation of plants have been spreading low-growing shrubs which reach four feet in height. The flowers are not too attractive and the fruits are red or orange in color. A second generation is now being grown from this hybrid but the re- sults are yet to be determined. FLOWERS CHRYSANTHEMUMS Granite State Granite State was produced in an effort to develop better pot varieties of chrysanthemums for indoor cul- ture. This variety is a second-gener- ation seedling from the cross Silvei Sheen and White Doty made by W. D. Holley. It was introduced in the florist trade in 1944 and has been featured by one of the largest whole- sale florists in the country. Granite State is a naturally dwarf compact plant with snow-white, ball-shaped, hard, semi-incurred flowers. It blooms naturally in late October but responds well to shading to produce early bloom. It is very well adapted to pot culture. Nashua W. D. Holley also developed Nash- ua, one of a group of hardy chrys- anthemums which not only are suit- able for outdoor culture but also A chrysanthemum blossom before and after preparation for crossing. 15 bloom early in the fall, and produce good-quality flowers on long stems suitable for cutting. It is a seedling of Early Bronze. The upright plant is about 24 inches in height and blooms early in September. The blossoms are bronze to deep red in color, depending upon the temper- ature at the time of blooming. They are of the pom-pom type and arc useful for cutting as well as for border planting. Sunapee Sunapee has proved to be one <>l the most popular of Mr. Holleys introductions. It is a tall, upright plant which grows about 30 inches in height. It has golden pom-poni type flowers, a good stem, a fine cluster of blooms, and is excellent for cutting. The blooming time for Nashua is September 20 and later at Durham. OTHER CHRYSANTHEMUM VARIETIES Three other varieties of chrys- anthemums, Franconia, Laconia, and Exeter, which are similar to Nashua and Sunapee, were named by Mr. Holley. Franconia and Laconia are tall enough for cutting, but Exeter is a dwarf. DIANTHUS June Carmine This hardy outdoor variety came from a cross between Dianthus plu- niarius and the indoor carnation va- riety, Rosalie. It is a vigorous di- anthus, 10 to 12 inches in height. Under good growing conditions, it will spread from two to three feet. Its double flowers are deep carmine pink in color and are produced pro- fusely in late June and late July. There is some tendency to produce a second and lighter crop of flowers in September and October. No pro- tection is required for an outdoor planting of this variety. Granite State pot chrysanthemum, a new perfect potting variety. BEGONIAS New Hampshire Hybrid This is a strain of Begonia semper- florens, developed by Mr. Holley dur- ing the process of studying inherit- ance in begonias. The strain pro- duces dwarf, well-branched plants, with double or semi-double flowers and green foliage. Because such a high proportion of the plants are unusually good, it has not been pro- pagated as separate clons by asexual means but is introduced as a seed- propagated strain. The blossoms come in red, shades of pink, and white. Other Begonias Crosses were also made between double semperflorens and a red leaf type. One of the seedlings from such breeding which has created consid- erable attention has red leaves and large, bright pink double flowers. While this variety has not been named, it has been propagated to a considerable extent by interested visitors to the University of New Hampshire greenhouse and undoubt- edly may be found in many begonia collections in this region. 16