14 Director's Report of the 



ones Ave most need to know, we should begin to probe more 

 deeply and laborionslj beneath the surface of things. There i?, 

 moreover, a pronoimced tendency now evident in many quarters 

 to withhold the publication of conclusions until they are abun- 

 dantly justified by data, a most healthy and encouraging symptom 

 in experiment station activity. The members of this Station 

 believe in trying to enter upon the policy thus outlined and it is 

 to be hoped that in so doing they will have the sympathy and 

 loyal support of New York farmers. 



It should be remembered that this policy means the publica- 

 tion of fewer bulletins than might otherwise be issued if the 

 practice of compilation and profuse writing were adopted. 



THE WORK OF THE STATION DURING 1899. 



On subsequent pages there may be found summaries of the 

 work carried on during the year 1899 by the various departments 

 of the Station. These include a brief review of facts and con- 

 clusions contained in the year's bulletins as well as a statement 

 of the nature and bearing of experiments and investigations, the 

 data from which are not yet sufficiently complete and concern- 

 ing which nothing has yet been published. It so happens that 

 just now the unfinished work is large. It embraces several in- 

 vestigations in plant nutrition, animal nutrition, cheese curing, 

 horticulture, bacteriology and plant pathology: 



The availability of certain insoluble phosphates to several va- 

 rieties of plants. 



The relative importance of potash and soda in plant nutrition. 



The effect of fineness upon the availability of crude phosphates. 



The plant food needs of fruits and the effect of certain plant 

 food elements upon their quality. 



Relative economy of different systems of feeding crops. 



A study of apple cider and vinegar. 



The source of milk fat and observation on the use of food by 

 milch cows. 



