134 EEPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



Progress was reported on all Adams fund projects. Further re- 

 sults secured in the stable ventilation project were suunuarized for 

 publication in bulletin form, and in the project on food requirements 

 for milk production a large amount of data was tabulated and some 

 of the results were worked up for technical and popular bulletins. 

 In the study of the relation of type of animal to beef production 

 work was taken up with the fifth lot of steers. 



The influence of the method of cropping on soil fertility was 

 studied on about 50 plats. The work has largely been a study of the 

 humus in the soil when the permanent plats were laid down, as com- 

 j3ared with the humus content 10 years later and at similar inter- 

 vals. Marked differences were noted in the amount and composition 

 of the humus present and some striking differences were noted in 

 the effect on different crops. The potash, phosphoric acid, and nitro- 

 gen were likewise determined, and an effort was made to correlate 

 the results with findings elsewhere in the State, especially where 

 single crops had been raised for many years. Samples of all the 

 crops and fertilizers used in connection with this work were analyzed. 



The life-histoiy work on Empoasca Tnali was practically finished, 

 only a few points in its life history and whether or not it is parasi- 

 tized remaining to be determined. The studies of Maerosiphum 

 granaria were also about completed but work was continued to de- 

 termine a particular point in its life history. The most serious in- 

 vasion of Brucophagus funehris during the past season occurred 

 near Duluth, where the year's field work on this pest was done. 



Work on the plant-rust problem included studies of spore germi- 

 nation of a number of species and of the resistance and its nature of 

 various -host plants to parasitic fungi. In working for rust resis- 

 tance some Fo hybrids were grown and a study of the correlations of 

 host characters was made. As a practical result of this work a high 

 rust resistance has been united with a good quality of grain in wheat. 

 Certain points in the life history of common wheat rust were also 

 studied and determined. 



In the fruit-breeding experiment, considerable progress was made 

 in hybridizing and selecting plums, grapes, apples, straAvberries, 

 pears, and other fruits, and a study was made on natives and hybrids 

 to determine the underlying principles of plant breeding, and to 

 learn what constitutes hardiness. A statistical study of fruit char- 

 acters was also conducted. Many thousand crosses have been made 

 and the material on hand offers an unusually favorable opportunity 

 for this line of investigation. 



The work of the station under Hatch and other funds is more ex- 

 tensive than that under the Adams fund and is also very important. 

 The veterinary department continued its work in virulent blood vac- 

 cination as a means of immunizing very young pigs against hog 



