141) UKI'dUl' (IF OI'FK'K OF RXl'KU I M I'.N T STATIONS. 



VIRGINIA. 



Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, lUtKhslninj. 



D(T»'ii"t'"i'"t of Vir^iiiiii Ajrricultural Mini .Mccliiiiiic.il ( 'olh'j^*' iiiul I'olytechnlc 



Institute. 



A. M. SorLK. r.. S. A., JUnclor. 

 GENERA I. OITTI.OOK. 



Tlic work of the A^'ir^iiiia Station during tho past year has hoen 

 hirgvly of a j)i-('liiiiiiiary iialiiic, owiii<r to llic ahuost coinjjh'te re- 

 or<janizatioii oi" the staii' a year a^o. At the same tiiiic the former 

 investigations of the station have been continued, and some of them 

 have iriven valuable results. It has been demonsti'ated that the com- 

 position of cider nuiy be quite easily conti-olled by the use of pure 

 musts, that these can be i)repared and distributed to the farmers of 

 the State at a slight cost by the station, and that the uncertainty and 

 grave loss due to fermentation in the ordinary process of cider making 

 can thus be eliminated. This is a matter of great importance, be- 

 cause thousands of bushels of apples are annually allowed to go to 

 waste in the State because of the belief that it would not pay to 

 manufacture them into cider, or because of the bitter experience many 

 have had in their attempts to manufacture cider vinegar through the 

 infection of the cider b}^ undesirable yeasts and ferments. 



A rather important j^iece of investigation was brought to a close 

 during the present year relative to spraying cattle with kerosene 

 emulsion for the destruction of the horn fly. The apparatus used 

 consists of a series of spraying nozzles so arranged that the animals 

 passing through a narrow chute are thoroughl}^ covered Avith the so- 

 lution. Its efficiency has been tested through two seasons, and it can 

 be recommended as a cheap and efficient means of controlling the 

 horn fly. This information will be of unusual interest to dairymen 

 and beef raisers in all sections of the country. The bacteriologist is 

 giving special attention to studies related to legume cultures for soil 

 and seed inoculation. Cultures in liquid form for the principal 

 leguminous crops have been sent to hundreds of farmers in the State. 



The more important investigations inaugurated during the present 

 year are confined to the departments of field investigations and ani- 

 mal husbandry. Investigations are in progress to determine the best 

 varieties of corn, the influence of climate and elevation on corn, and 

 the improvement of corn through cross-fertilization and selection. 

 Similar investigations are in progress w^ith wheat and other winter 

 cereals. Tests are being made of all the principal legumes to estab- 

 lish their relative importance in Virginia agriculture and to deter- 

 mine the manner in which they can be used most effectively for ani- 



