LOUISIANA. 79 



system of rotation, and the next in value was cotton. The result of 

 the stations' Avork showing that the ill effects of feeding rice bran 

 were due to oil in the bran, led to the establishment of a factory for 

 making an extracted bran and molasses feed. The work which the 

 stations have done on molasses as a feeding stuff has resulted in a 

 great saving of the feed bills on plantations. In one case the cost 

 IDer mule per day Avas reduced from 11) to 13 cents by formulas sug- 

 gested bj'^ the stations. Alfalfa is being quite generally introduced 

 into the State as a result of investigations by the stations. 



During the year fifty new varieties of sugar cane have been im- 

 ported for trial. Some feeding experiments are being conducted 

 Avith steers and with calves brought from Texas; also experiments 

 in swine production and in truck growing, all for the purpose of 

 encouraging diversified agriculture in the State. The stations are 

 cooperating Avith the Bureau of Plant Industry of this Department 

 in the fall planting of alfalfa and other legumes and in testing forage 

 plants and several A^arieties of citrus fruits. The fertilizer laboratory 

 has been moved from Ncav Orleans to Baton Rouge, Avhere an addi- 

 tion to the station building has been constructed to accommodate the 

 fertilizer Avork. At Calhoun an office and library building, costing 

 about $2,000, has been completed, and also a residence for the 

 assistant director, costing about $2,500. 



The work of the Louisiana stations is being reorganized to some 

 extent, so as to concentrate the administratiA'e and inspection func- 

 tions at Baton Rouge, and to strengthen the investigation at that 

 point in several lines. In place of some of the more practical phases 

 at the North Louisiana Station, Avhich have accomplished their mis- 

 sion, it is planned to take up more technical questions in a number of 

 lines. Great as has been the A^alue of these stations, there seems op- 

 portunity to develop the iuA-estigations in seA^eral lines, and thus 

 extend the field of usefulness. The management is efficient and 

 economical, and the outlook for the future is most encouraging. 



LINES OF AA'ORK. 



The principal lines of work conducted at the Louisiana stations 

 during the past year A\-ere as follows: 



Sugar Station. — Chemistry; bacteriology; soils and soil phys- 

 ics; field experiments — tests of fodder plants and varieties of cane; 

 horticulture — tests of home-groAvn i\ northern-grown seeds; sugar 

 making: drainage, and irrigation. 



State Station. — -Geology: botany; bacteriology; soils; inspec- 

 tion of fertilizers and Paiis given; field exi)eriments — forage (■roi)s, 

 legumes, rotations, varieties of cotton and sugar cane; horticuUure; 

 animal husl)andr3^ — breeding and feeding for beef production; dis- 

 eases of animals — inoculation for Texas fever, study of the nodular 



