SOUTH DAKOTA. 131 



re^ons of the United States and from abroad. Similar results by 

 like methods are beings obtained with cereals and fora«:e plants, the 

 work at the central station bein<;: supplemented by tests at the sub- 

 station at Ilighmore under drier conditions. Special attention has 

 been given to macaroni or durum wheats in comparison with ordi- 

 nary wheats, the field tests being supplemented by analyses and 

 milling, baking, and macaroni-making tests. The work with cereals 

 is being done in cooperation with the Bureau of Plant Industry of 

 this Department, as is also that wdth varieties of vegetables and fiber 

 plants. 



The breeding experiments with cattle and swine mentioned in the 

 last report of this Office are under way, and experiments in crossing 

 range ewes with rams of improved breeds have been undertaken to 

 secure a better type of sheep for range conditions. There are also 

 numerous feeding experiments with the different animals under 

 observation to determine the relative value of different pastures, 

 forage crops, mill by-products, millet seed, and the staple cereals — • 

 corn, oats, and barley. The new^ barn furnishes good facilities for 

 both instruction and investigation. The agriculturist resigned at the 

 close of the year to accept a position in the Bureau of Plant Industry 

 of this Department, and the work in agronomy has been put in the 

 immediate charge of the director. 



By wisely concentrating its efforts on a few of the more important 

 lines of work, such as animal husbandry and plant breeding, this 

 station has been able with very limited funds to accomplish much of 

 great value to the agriculture of the State. The wisdom of pursuing 

 these fundamental lines of investigation uninterruptedly through a 

 series of years is made evident by the important results of permanent 

 value which are now rewarding the years of patient effort to find 

 or produce strains or varieties of forage crops, fruits, and live stock 

 suited to the peculiar conditions of South Dakota. 



LINES or WORK. 



The principal lines of work conducted at the South Dakota Sta- 

 tion during the past year were as follows: Physics and chemistry 

 of soils; field experiments — rotations; plant breeding — selection and 

 adaptation, including native and introduced fruits, cereals, and for- 

 age crops; diseases of plants and animals; animal husbandry — 

 feeding and breeding experiments with cattle, sheep, and swine; 

 entomology ; and irrigation. 



