EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. 99 



which affect plants and animals are bacterial in their origin, but there 

 remain a large number which are purely fungoid in character. The 

 mother beets in our experimental work were practically all destroyed 

 by a fungous disease. No tree, and in fact, no crop is now immune. 

 Much time of the botanist must therefore be devoted to this line of 

 work. 



The report of the bacteriologist will give a clear outline of the scope 

 of the work he has performed. The station is doing practically noth- 

 ing in the line of so-called practical dairy work, contenting itself with 

 the work being carried forward by the bacteriologist in his studies of 

 the bacterial flora of milk and the relation of different kinds of bacteria 

 to the keeping qualities and the use of milk in the manufacture of 

 butter and cheese. The biology of the soil must also be carried much 

 farther than at present before we may rightfully expect correct answers 

 to the problems now confronting us. The soil is an exceedingly com- 

 plex material and the results of seemingly simple plot and pot experi- 

 ments cannot be properly interpreted until we know more about the 

 bacteria in the soil and activities. No small part of the time of the 

 bacteriologist is taken up in the study of the diseases of animals and 

 plants. 



The live stock department has been peculiarly fortunate in receiving 

 an appropriation from the state, part of which at least can be used 

 for experiments. The report of Prof. Shaw, hereto attached, indicates 

 the lines of investigation taken up, part of them already resulting in 

 bulletins. Some questions confronting Michigan farmers are not easy 

 of solution. Several years ago the station undertook to compare the 

 relative merits of silage and field cured corn for fattening steers. The 

 results one year pointed to the superiority of silage. The next year 

 the advantage seemed to lie on the side of the shocked corn. In sub- 

 sequent years the two methods have alternated in demonstrating super- 

 iority. As a result, no bulletin has been issued. Again, where the 

 steers have been held over and given the same ration, all being fed 

 alike the surprising result has been reached that the variation between 

 lots was nearly as great as when they were fed different rations in the 

 experiment itself. 



It is difficult therefore to correctly interpret the facts brought out 

 in feeding experiments. We are measuring results by gains of animals, 

 taking into consideration the amount of feed required to make a pound 

 of gain. Unfortunately our yard stick varies in length. On the same 

 ration one animal will make a gain on a less quantity of food than will 

 another. The jjersonal equation is therefore an important factor, one 

 hard to eliminate and not entirely disposed of when a large number of 

 steers are fed. 



By the use of the appropriation the work of this department has been 

 greatly enlarged, placed in new quarters and more thoroughly organ- 

 ized. 



On the station plots the work has been continued along lines already 

 adopted, the enlargements being mainly in increasing the work on plant 

 selection. Prof. Moses Craig now devotes his entire time to plant 

 selection, cross-fertilization and plant breeding generally. He is work- 

 ing with the horticulturist in the cross-breeding of strawberries and 



