Little research has been done in the humid mid-Atlantic region to develop full-season N fertilizer recommendations for dryland no-tillage grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) production. The objectives of this study were: (i) to determine the optimum rate of band-placed starter N fertilizer needed in combination with side-dress N applications to achieve economic grain yields, (ii) to investigate if pre-plant broadcast N applications are as efficient as band-placed plus side-dress N applications, (iii) to evaluate the response of grain sorghum yield to partitioned side-dress N applications, and (iv) to study the influence of residual soil profile mineral-N (nitrate and ammonium) on sorghum response to applied N fertilization. Multi-location field studies were conducted over three years. A range of N treatments of various starter-band and side-dress N rates were applied. The experimental data indicate that an optimum rate of N fertilization depends on residual soil mineral-N. Little or zero starter-band-N in conjunction with side-dress-N applications of 130 kg of N ha-1 for soils testing high in mineral-N ( 50 kg N ha-1 in the top 0.3m of surface soil) at planting, and a starter-band-N supplement of 40 kg N ha-1 in conjunction with 130 kg N ha-1 side-dress N for soils testing low in mineral-N at planting, optimized the grain sorghum yields in these experiments. Broadcast N applications were observed to be as efficient as band placed N applications when followed by rainfall soon after application. Grain sorghum yields did respond to the partitioned side-dress N applications. However, partitioning of side-dress N application again depends on the residual mineral-N level present in the soil. In order to consider residual soil mineral-N in making N fertilizer recommendations "Associated Nitrogen Fertilizer Equivalency" (ANFE) values were calculated. ANFE is the amount of applied N that has potential to produce the same yield as that produced by the residual soil mineral-N. The N fertilizer recommendations based on ANFE values were quite close for two out of four sites as compared to the N rates at which the maximum yields were obtained in this study. / Ph. D.

Dress is both an individual and a societal means of communication. Understanding the meaning of dress within a society, culture, and specific time period can aid researchers in understanding the social, political, and economic events and changes that take place in dress. The Scottish Highland dress differed in the 17th and early 18th centuries from that of the Scottish Lowlanders (i.e., people of Scotland below the Highlands) due to differences in culture and geography. Highland dress has been difficult to study because few extant garments exist before the 19th century and most of the records that exist deal with the upper class garments. The purpose of this research was to determine whether or not poetry (i.e., poems, ballads, and songs) could be used as a source of knowledge on historic dress in a social, political, or economic context, using the dress of Scottish Highlanders from 1603 through 1830 as an example, and to triangulate the findings with other sources that portray dress through the written word or visual image. This research cross-referenced the items of dress with social, political, and economic events that occurred in the lives of the Scottish and Highland people. The main source of documentation for this research was 3,501 Scottish poems written between 1603 and 1830 gathered from 18 anthologies and there were 394 poems with male dress references and 245 poems with female dress references, which was 18% of the poems. A large number (N=1531) of individual dress items were referenced within those poems. The poems were triangulated with 34 letters and 332 portraits from the same time period. The study of Highland dress in poetry expanded the knowledge base regarding specific items worn by males and females. The majority of the poems and dress references were found in the 18th century. The plaid and the kilt were the focus of poems related to war. The letters and portraits provided new information on dress, as well as providing support for the information gathered in the poems. Triangulation with the letters and portraits validated poetry as a source of Highland dress between 1603 and 1830. / Ph. D.

M.S.

The nonverbal messages conveyed by dress are learned earlier by today's children than they have been at any time in the past. Yet, little empirical research has examined the effect of clothing on the behavioral development of the preschool child. Dress is a medium for carrying out the serious roles of life, but it is also a medium for play. Although numerous studies have investigated play, an important element of child development, few have included dress as a factor. Research has shown that not all children participate in all forms of play behavior, particularly dramatic play, which contains the element of make-believe. Furthermore, research has shown that increased associative fluency in preschool children is dependent specifically on the occurrence of make-believe play. A child, deficient in such divergent-thinking skills, would seem somewhat disadvantaged and less able to cope with a problematic environment. The present study asks the question: Can the wearing of specially designed clothing raise levels of observable make-believe behavior for preschool children? Two research hypotheses were formulated to address this question: l) There will be a difference in player/nonplayer imaginativeness scores while wearing control and experimental garments. 2) There will be a difference in player/nonplayer imaginativeness scores while wearing Experimental Garment I or II. / Ph. D.

The purposes of this study were to investigate consumer satisfaction, preferences, and care procedures of selected nightgown fabrics. Additionally, demographic information was obtained to characterize the sample. The data were provided by 54 females in Delaware, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia. Eight subjects, each wearing two different gown fabrics participated from five states; however, one participant each from Massachusetts and Vermont was disqualified. The four fabrics used in this study, representative of those available in the marketplace for the manufacture of ladies sleepwear, were made from: (1) 100% polyester, pink, brushed knit, (2) 100% nylon, lavender tricot, (3) 80/20% acetate-polyester, blue-green, brushed knit, and (4) 80/20% acetate-nylong, yellow-green, brushed knit. Preliminary and terminal interview questionnaires were used to collect the data as well as satisfaction ratings cards. Frequency distributions and percentages were used to characterize the findings from this study. Participants tended to be fairly young, well educated and dwellers of single family houses. The majority earned incomes in excess of $10,000. Automatic washers and dryers were used predominately. A variety of textile goods were laundered in the same loads as the sleepwear. Wearers indicated preferences for one or the other of the two gowns on each of the following factors: ease of soil removal, colorfastness, shape retention, appearance, hand, and durability. The 100% polyester, brushed knit fabric was preferred overall, but other fabrics received higher ratings on individual factors. On satisfaction factors, hand and ease of care were the most pleasing characteristics. Static electricity continues to be a problem. Satisfaction scores were somewhat parallel to preferences. / Master of Science

The purpose of this research was to determine and compare the dimensions of clothing interest between Afrikaans female clothing and textile students at The University of Pretoria and female clothing and textile students at Virginia Tech. An additional objective was to test the validity of the measuring instrument by factor analysis. Dimensions of clothing interest for the two groups were measured with the Gurel-Creekmore Clothing Interest Questionnaire, as revised and shortened by Borsari in 1978. T-tests indicated that the group mean scores differed significantly for three of the five dimensions. The Virginia Tech sample had a higher score on the interest and the self-concept dimensions while the Pretoria sample had a higher mean score on the modesty dimension. The factor structure for the American group was very similar to that established by Borsari in 1978 but differences existed for the structure of the South African group. / Master of Science

M.S.

This research investigated the relationships between clothing interest and self-perception among scoliosis patients and their non-handicapped peers. The objectives were (1) to investigate the differences in selected clothing interest factors and self-perception domains between female adolescents with scoliosis and non-handicapped female adolescents and (2) to investigate relationships between clothing interests and self-perception among female adolescents with scoliosis and non-handicapped female adolescents. Data were obtained from 70 female adolescents of which 35 had scoliosis and 35 were non-handicapped. A clothing inventory, developed by Creekmore in 1963 and revised by Borsari in 1978, titled "Dimensions of Clothing Interest," was used to measure clothing dimensions of interest, conformity, modesty, psychological awareness, and self concept. A second instrument, the "Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents", developed by Harter in 1988, was used to measure five domains of self-perception which were: social acceptance, athletic competence, romantic appeal, physical attractiveness, and global self-worth. / Master of Science

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the clothing needs and the selection and buying practices of women attending the Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Subjects for the study included 40 Virginia Polytechnic Institute women selected at random from the freshman, sophomore, junior and senior classes and from rural and urban areas. With personal explanation from the writer each girl filled out the schedule, “Factors Associated with Clothing Selection and Purchase by College Girls.” / M.S.

This study investigated female consumers’ awareness of and preference for brand name apparel, sought to determine the relationship between these variables and the purchase of brand name apparel, and attempted to determine the sample’s perceptions of branded apparel. The respondents’ brand name apparel awareness, preference, and perception were also investigated in relation to several demographic variables. Women professors and secretaries employed at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VPI&SU) were chosen as the sample for this study. A questionnaire was developed to ascertain the needed information and was distributed to 471 women by the intercampus mail system during the summer of 1985. The sample consisted of 97 secretaries and 73 professors, for a total of 170 participants. It was found that the brand name of apparel was unimportant to the sampled consumers in the purchase of dresses for the job, sleepwear and casual clothing. Within these classifications, consumers were generally more concerned with intrinsic garment features such as fit, construction, material, care, and style. Magazines were not found to be a major vehicle to provide clothing information, nor was magazine readership found to be related to the respondents’ levels of overall recognition and preference for name brand clothing. Consumers who were exposed to brand name apparel via media or store displays had a greater level of brand recognition and recall, which ultimately lead to greater preference for brand name apparel. Occupation and total household income were not found to be significant determinants of brand name awareness and preference. / M.S.