86 EEPORT OP OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



which has caused much injury to tlie fruit. A test of the effects of 

 different methods of fertilizing on the growth, fruit production, 

 prevalence of winter injury, and the prevalence of yellows in an 

 orchard of 900 peach trees entered upon its third year. Attention 

 was also given to melon culture, with special reference to the diseases 

 attacking the crop. Chestnut blight, which is spreading in the State, 

 was studied with regard to its distribution and the methods of its 

 prevention and eradication. 



The experimental forest planting with native and introduced 

 species was continued in the station forest at Windsor. The thin- 

 ning experiment in a white-pine plantation entered upon its third 

 year, and of two experiments in thinning deciduous forests one was 

 in its sixth and the other in its second year. The forester also 

 examined lands for farmers, giving advice as to forest planting and 

 management, and furnished at cost suitable stock for forest planting. 

 He further brought about a greater efficiency in the system of forest- 

 lire control in the State by securing legislation making cooperation 

 between the firewardens of adjoining towns possible. He cooperated 

 with the Department of Agriculture, as provided in the Appalachian 

 Forest Reserve act for fire protection of forests on the watersheds of 

 navigable rivers. Under an arrangement with the Forest Service, 

 work was begun on a cooperative study of woodworking industries 

 in Connecticut, with special reference to closer utilization of forest 

 products. A practical result of this work in forestry has been a 

 stimulation of interest in forest planting on nonagricultural lands. 



Laboratory and vegetation tests on the availability of nitrogenous 

 manures produced by the chemical treatment of inert materials 

 like leather, hair, etc., have been completed and the results pre- 

 pared for publication. The general indications are that some forms 

 of nitrogenous matter recognized to be of no immediate value as 

 fertilizers can be converted by relatively inexpensive chemical treat- 

 ment into fairly available forms, and that chemical methods can 

 determine with more accuracy than heretofore whether organic 

 nitrogen of c(5mmercial fertilizers is or is not fairlj'^ available to 

 crops. 



The station carried out jointly with this department experiments 

 on the effect of phosphates on the quality and quantit}^ of the tobacco 

 crop. A bulletin was published during the year reporting the results 

 of similarly arranged cooperative work with reference to the advan- 

 tage of sterilizing tobacco-seed beds and describing the apparatus- 

 for and the operation of steam sterilizing. 



The principal form of extension work by the station consisted of 

 an exhibition illustrative of the different departments of its work 

 in a tent, 40 by 60 feet, which was set up at six agricultural fairs in 

 different parts of the State. Members of the staff' were in attendance 



