110 EEPOET OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



ment and of breeding to good pure-bred sires. The project started 

 original!}^ with 12 Arkansas cows and marked improvement has 

 been shown by individuals from one period of lactation to another. 

 Figures were secured on the digestive capacity of these cows and 

 their calves up to maturity. Measurements were made of the calves 

 to obtain data relative to their growth. 



The apple-breeding project was conducted with a view to finding 

 out the varieties containing the elements of hardiness as unit char- 

 acters. Observations were made on nursery trees, including seed- 

 lings, and records were kept on a number of characters such as vigor 

 of growth, resistance to winterkilling, and other qualities with refer- 

 ence to their dominance and recessiveness. 



The Iowa station carries on numerous lines of work under Hatch 

 and other funds. Soil work was conducted about the State, and a 

 report on a study of the gumbo soils of Iowa was made in Bulletin 

 119 of the station. The distribution of these soils is pointed out, and 

 their physical character is described. It was found that drainage, 

 fall plowing, and the use of clover or other green manuring crop 

 improved the gumbo soils, while the use of lime, even in large 

 amounts, did not seem to better their physical condition. The appli- 

 cation of ground limestone in its relation to certain groups of soil 

 bacteria was studied by the soil bacteriologist. 



The work of the horticultural department consisted of cultural 

 experiments with potatoes, a comparison of northern and southern 

 grown potatoes for seed, spraying vineyards and orchards, cold 

 storage of apples, top-working orchards, using stocks of superior 

 hardiness, and a study of the affinity between stock and scion. The 

 use of heaters to protect against frosts (PI. I, fig. 2) was tested and, 

 with State funds, an orchard survey of the leading apple-growing 

 county of the State was made. 



The forester had in progress some forest nursery work with spe- 

 cial reference to the farm, gave particular attention to the value of 

 Cottonwood and white pine for lumber, and tested preservative treat- 

 ments of fence posts and other timbers. Plantations of the hardy 

 catalpa in different parts of the State were studied as to their fence- 

 post production and their financial returns. 



The animal husbandry department made observations on the 

 l^reparation of corn for feeding pigs, the use of forage crops for 

 growing pigs, hogging down com, and on feeding brood sows. 

 Silage feeding was practiced with beef cattle to determine how much 

 silage can be fed to advantage. Some work was also done on the 

 effect of silage fed to sheep on birth weight and other factors. Im- 

 provement of range sheep by selection and breeding was continued 

 as in previous years. 



