124 KEPOKT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



well toward completion. The laboratory study on the diffusion and 

 depletion of lime in the soil was about completed, and the work of 

 compiling the results for publication was taken up. 



A bulletin was published setting forth some of the results obtained 

 in the study to straighten out the classification of the hymenopterous 

 family Braconida- and to learn more about the habits and the host 

 relations of the different species. In this bulletin five new species 

 were described, additional ciiaracters were pointed out, and errors 

 in former descriptions were corrected. This work was based in part 

 on a large series of reared specimens of various species and on results 

 secured in breeding from known parents. 



The study of the bacteria and animal organisms in the intestinal 

 contents and mucosa of healthy chickens was completed, and a bul- 

 letin giving results was published. The purpose of this bulletin was 

 to set forth the methods used in making the examinations, together 

 with the results obtained wherever of value as a contribution to the 

 physiological and pathological bacteriology and protozoology of the 

 intestines of liealthy domestic fowls. The observations were made 

 upon the feces of 45 birds, ranging in age from 1 day old up to 2 

 years, and upon the intestinal mucosa of 60 birds, including birds 

 taken from the shell, newly hatched chicks.^ and fowls ranging in 

 age up to 2 years. It was found that chickens reared under sanitary 

 conditions do not harbor many animal organisms. Heterakis worms 

 and tapeworms found in healthy birds were believed to indicate some 

 insanitary condition of the poultry yards. A study of white diar- 

 rhea in chickens and the possibilities of its prevention by sub- 

 cutaneous and intravenous injections of some phenol compounds into 

 fowls whose ovaries are infected was taken up during the 3'ear. 



A number of other lines of work were carried on under Hatch and 

 other funds. In agronomy, cooperative wheat, oats, and barley tests 

 were made in different sections of the State, one to four varieties of 

 wheat being tested by each of 30 farmers, one to three varieties of 

 winter oats by each of 10 farmers, and a variety of winter barley 

 was grown by several experimenters. Alfalfa was tested at two dif- 

 ferent points in the State and the station cooperated with the au- 

 thorities in 10 counties in conducting corn-gi'owing contests. To- 

 bacco investigations were conducted in cooperation with this depart- 

 ment. The work outlined last 3'ear was continued and four series of 

 new rotation tests were begun, the crops entering into rotation with 

 tobacco being crimson clover, vetch, winter oats, cowpeas, potatoes, 

 wheat, and red clover. 



The horticultural department of the station made changes in its 

 fruit plantations by removing some of the old orchards and vine- 

 yards and making new plantings for study and experiment. An 

 overhead sprinkling system of irrigation was installed to irrigate 



