98 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



cattle, especially the grade dairy cow. The barns in which the experi- 

 mental animals *are kept have been entirely remodeled during the year 

 making the experimental work much more convenient and eflBcient. 

 It is proposed to issue a later bulletin giving a description of the barns 

 and the conveniences introduced. A discussion of the matter is there- 

 fore deferred until the appearance of the bulletin. 



A somewhat radical change has been introduced into the work of the 

 upper peninsula station. In preceding jears the work has been directed 

 towards discovering what would grow and do well in the peculiar 

 climatic conditions in the upper peninsula. From now on the ques- 

 tions to be answered relate to methods of growing the crops selected 

 by the work of previous years. The legislature has appropriated funds 

 to be used for building new buildings and a house and a storehouse 

 and implement room have been planned and are in process of erection. 

 There are not far from forty acres clear of trees, stumps and stones, 

 but much draining must be done before all of it will be available to 

 crops. 



At South Haven the plans adopted many years ago are being exe- 

 cuted. The peach and other fruit trees are now in full bearing, teach- 

 ing the peculiarities of each of the different sorts as well as their com- 

 parative merits. 



No inconsiderable part of the time of the chemist is taken up by the 

 routine work analyzing commercial fertilizers and issuing the report 

 thereon. As the amount of fertilizers sold in the state increases this 

 work assumes more and more importance. The amount of available 

 phosphoric acid in the country is limited and the temptation to keep 

 the amount supplied in a given fertilizer at least a little below the guar- 

 anty is very strong. 



The bulletins announcing the results of the analyses are issued in 

 editions of forty-five thousand and are widely scattered over the state 

 preventing by this very publicity any successful attempts to defraud 

 the people. 



Our knowledge of the chemistry and biolog;^' of the soil is limited 

 and uncertain. The chemist is therefore applying much study and 

 thought to soil problems. He labors under the misfortunte of not being 

 able to bring forth results at once and the public must wait for repeti- 

 tion of trials before demanding conclusions. Much of this work he is 

 conducting alone, part of it in co-operation with the bacteriological 

 department and part of it with the farm. 



The entomologist has had very limited time for consecutive and pro- 

 gressive work during the year because of th5 demands of the college 

 on his time. He has issued a bulletin on insects of the garden which 

 is in active demand. Another bulletin of the series will be issued dur- 

 ing the coming year hoping to cover in the course of a few years the 

 field of economic entomology. The entomologist has also been the 

 botanist of the station and in that capacity has been called upon to 

 examine a host of samples of seed, not only for purity, but for vitality 

 and germination as well. The fungous diseases of the state are in- 

 creasing in number and virulence as population becomes more dense 

 and are assuming a first importance in the eyes of those chiefly inter- 

 ested in the agricultural prosperity of the state. Part of the diseases 



