EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. 73 



samples of so called breakfast foods and substitutes for coffee and other 

 condiments will be collected for analysis and examination. 



The work with wheat will be continued, improving varieties by selection 

 and by cross breeding. The attempt to find varieties which are especially 

 resistant to Hessian fly has not met with success at this Station. It is 

 possible that by the selection of individual plants in varieties which are 

 most promising in this respect that the Stations will be able to develop 

 strains which are resistant alike to Hessian fly, to rust and to smut. At 

 the same time, one of the prime factors to be considered is the milling 

 qualities of the wheat, and in the work of improvement this is the first 

 item regarded. 



The time of the Botanist during the last year has been taken up with 

 various lines of work of extreme importance to Michigan, although not 

 recorded in bulletins. In the first place, the number of samples of seeds 

 examined for adulteration and per cent of germination is increasing. 

 The sugar factories have come to rely quite largely on the reports made 

 to them by Professor Wheeler as to the vitality and germination of seeds 

 offered them, and the farmers are sending in more and more samples of 

 clover and grass seeds for examination. Next, the number of fungous dis- 

 eases naturally increases as the country becomes more thickly settled. 

 The clover is now subject to a disease unknown a few years ago which is 

 assuming serious proportions. Sugar beets offer a new and very active 

 field for investigation. The fruit trees have to be watched continuously 

 for approach of new forms of old diseases, if not for kinds of diseases 

 heretofore absolutely unknown. 



The Bacteriologist has devoted his time to the study of questions relat- 

 ing to a pure milk supply in the cities and to the creameries and cheese 

 factories. The bulletin issued does not contain the conclusions of the 

 work, but simply reports progress. On the completion of the new building 

 for this department work will be undertaken with certain diseases of live 

 stock prevalent in the State, such as hog cholera. 



The Entomologist can never foretell the line of work he shall be called 

 upon to do a season in advance. During the past year there have been no 

 violent outbreaks of insects on fruit or field crops which have called for his 

 interposition. He has issued a bulletin describing the new pests and sug- 

 gesting remedies. 



Professor J. D. Towar, for several years the Agriculturist of the Station, 

 was honored, in the late winter, by the appointment to a very noteworthy 

 position in Australia. He becomes principal of the Roseworthy College 

 of Agriculture near Adelaide, in' southern Australia. He severed his 

 connection with us on the first of May. Professor Towar devoted himself 

 entirely to studies related to field crops, while at the College, spending 

 his winters at institute work. In all these several lines he succeeded to 

 the fullest extent, and the Station and College suffered a severe loss by 

 his departure. 



At a recent meeting of the Board the Director of the Station was relieved 

 of the institute work and the immediate charge of experiments, both in the 

 field and with live stock, was committed to his hands. This is an arrange- 

 ment in every way to be commended. 



During the past year the experiments with live stock have included 

 the feeding of a carload of steers to test the relative values of an acre of 

 10 



