68 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



ILLINOIS. 



Agricultviral Experiment Station of the University of Illinois, Urbana. 



Department of the University of Illinois. 



Eugene Davenpokt, M. Agr., Director. 



GENERAL OUTLOOK. 



The investigations of the Illinois Station have been continued 

 along the same general lines noted in the last report of this Office, 

 and the plan of supplementing studies in the station laboratories and 

 fields with extensive experiments on rented fields in different parts 

 of the State has been consistently pursued. The field work in horti- 

 culture and soil management has been very extensive, the former con- 

 sisting of spraying, cultivation, pruning, and other work in orchards, 

 and experiments with vegetables in southern Illinois; and the latter 

 of cultivation, fertilizer, and crop experiments on typical soils in all 

 parts of the State. During the year a number of circulars and bul- 

 letins bearing on these experiments have been published. (PI. II, 

 figs. 1, 2, and PL III, fig. 1.) 



One of the most striking features of the animal-husbandry investi- 

 gations of the past year was the study of market classes and grades 

 of swine, the results of which have been published in a bulletin con- 

 taining 41 half-tone engravings illustrating the different grades of 

 swine sold on the markets. The department of animal husbandry is 

 also investigating methods of beef production; economical feeds for 

 calves, yearlings, and 2-year-olds; swine production, and the cost of 

 maintaining pregnant brood mares. The dairy investigations are 

 also conducted both at the station and in dairy herds and creameries 

 in different parts of the State. A study of the milk supply of Chi- 

 cago with reference to cleanliness is being made, and records of milk 

 production of different herds are being kept. A special effort is 

 being made to improve general conditions on dairy farms in different 

 parts of the State. 



During the year three of the field laboratories have been completed. 

 These are for agronomy (PI. Ill, fig. 2), horticulture and animal 

 husbandry (beef cattle). The buildings are of brick, with slate roofs 

 and stone trimmings, of the same general type of architecture, and 

 cost from $12,000 to $25,000 each. A definite plan is being followed 

 in the development of the organization of the college and station as 

 its resources increase. The college of agriculture of the university, 

 including the experiment station, is divided into a small number of 

 departments, the heads of which both investigate and teach. As far 

 as the station is concerned, it is thought best to keep the number of 

 such departments small, and they do not at present include all the 

 main divisions of agricultural science. One object of this restriction 



