RHODE ISLAND. 127 



PUBLICATIONS. 



The publications of this station received during the past fiscal year 

 were Bulletin -1, on propagation and marketing of oranges in Porto 

 Rico; Bulletin 5, on tobacco investigations in Porto llico during 

 1903-4, and Circular 5, on coffee planting in Porto Rico. 



RHODE ISLAND. 



Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment Station, Kingston. 



Department of Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. 



H. J. Wheeler, Ph. D., Director. 



GENERAL OUTLOOK. 



The lines of work of the Rhode Island Station continue to be about 

 the same as heretofore, and there has been no important change in the 

 equipment of the station. Especial attention is being given to ques- 

 tions relating to the raising of turkeys, mainly w'ith reference to the 

 prevention of blackhead disease. This disease has become so preva- 

 lent in New England as almost to destroy the industry of turkey rais- 

 ing. The station investigations have indicated that the disease is 

 spread by the keeping of turkeys with hens, though the exact way in 

 which the disease is transmitted has not yet been determined. To 

 further test this matter the station has taken a piece of land in the 

 woods a considerable distance from the station farm and isolated 

 from surrounding farms. It is hoped that turkeys raised under this 

 environment will be free from blackhead. Efforts are also being made 

 to secure a breed of turkeys resistant to disease. Turkeys are being 

 brought in from Virginia and other regions for this purpose. This 

 work is in cooperation Avith the Bureau of Animal Industry of this 

 Department. 



Field experiments to determine the extent to which soda may take 

 the place of potash as a fertilizer are being extended through cooper- 

 ation with the Bureau of Soils, and a study of the paraffin wire 

 basket method of testing soils originated by the Bureau of Soils is 

 being made. In cooperation with the Bureau of Plant Industry the 

 station is testing varieties of corn, cowpeas, and other crops. It is 

 also conducting one cooperative experiment with a farmer on the 

 treatment of grass land. This is designed to furnish suggestions as 

 to the desirability of conducting a considerable number of similar 

 tests on farms in a number of sections of the State. The extension 

 work is being continued under the auspices of this college with funds 

 given by the State. 



The business of the Rhode Island Station is carefully conducted, 

 and with its pre.sent funds there is little opportunity for extension of 

 its work. Its investigations on soils, fertilizers, and turkey diseases 

 are of more than local importance, 



