PENNSYLVANIA. 128 



phoric acid is the controllina^ eloinent on the station soils. Additional 

 investigations have been carried on as to the practicability of raising 

 alfalfa on the limestone soils of central Pennsylvania, the results be- 

 ing quite encouraging. It is believed that Pennsylvania fanners are 

 warranted in attempting to grow alfalfa wherever deep, porous, well- 

 drained soils are avaihil)le for this purpose. 



The important and fundamental investigations in animal nutrition 

 with the use of the respiration calorimeter have been continued in 

 cooperation witii the Bureau of Animal Industry. One of these 

 experiments, in which the availability of coarse fodders and corn meal 

 was compared, has given interesting results. In general, it may be 

 said that they show that the current method of comparing feeding 

 stuffs on the l)asis of the total amount of digestible matter contained 

 in them is seriously in error, and that the method of comparison by 

 means of so-called " fuel values " is also inaccurate. Thus, it was 

 found that for purposes of maintenance the digestible matter of corn 

 meal was worth 21 per cent more than the same amount of digestible 

 matter from timothy hay, Avhile for productive purposes the cor- 

 responding difference was 56 per cent. 



For the first time in its history the Pennsylvania Station has 

 State funds for maintenance, the last legislature having appropri- 

 ated $10,000 for two years, together with $2,500 for the erection of an 

 implement shed and poultry houses. The other appropriations made 

 for the agricultural department of the college were $75,000 for the 

 agricultural building, and $30,000 for the maintenance of agricul- 

 tural courses. These appropriations are especially important as indi- 

 cating the changed attitude of the Commonwealth toward agricul- 

 tural education and research. They were secured largely through the 

 united efforts of the allied agricultural organizations of the State, and 

 help to demonstrate that the agricultural forces of the State are 

 imited in their support of the movement for the proper equipment 

 and maintenance of the agricultural work of the college. 



There is evidently a gre-'.t opj^ortunity for the enlargement and 

 strengthening of the agricultural work of the college and station to 

 meet more adequately the needs of the agricultural people of this 

 great State. With the awakening of interest in this matter recently 

 evidenced, there should be little difficulty in greatly expanding the 

 work of this college j»nd station in the near future. Delay in formu- 

 lating definite plans and perfecting organization for their execution 

 would be unfortunate. 



LINES OF AVORK. 



The principf'l lines of work conducted at the Pennsylvania Station 

 during the past year were as follows: Chemistry — cooperation with 

 other departments in the study of foods, feeding stuffs, excreta, ferti- 



