166 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



In studies in soil technology attention was given largely to loss of 

 lime as nitrate in the drainage of the soil pits. It was found that the 

 amount so lost was greater than that taken up by crops. 



The entomologist completed a study of two species of red bugs of 

 the apple and published the results in Bulletin 291 of the station. 

 He further practically completed the work on the plum-leaf miner 

 and joint worms of grasses. 



With Hatch and other funds work was done in improvement by 

 selection of brome grass, rape, vetch, and corn. Experiments in the 

 improvement of wheat and oats were continued in cooperation with 

 this department. Investigations were continued on the reciprocal 

 relation of leguminous and nonleguminous plants to nitrification in 

 the soil, confirming the results previously reported. Experiments 

 with different systems of fertilizing in rotations were continued, 

 together with studies of the effect of lime on nitrification. 



Investigations on Mallophaga of fowls and work on the larch case 

 bearer were completed, and the study of the life history and control 

 of the apple-leaf roller was undertaken. Experiments were made on 

 methods and cost of spraying for the elm-leaf miner, as well as on a 

 parasite of this insect. Some work was also done on orchard pro- 

 tection by means of electric lights and charged wires on the codling 

 moth in western New York, on the second brood of the apple maggot, 

 and on onion thrips. 



The new department of pomology made extensive plantations of 

 orchard fruits to study stocks, scions, and varieties. Methods of 

 packing and marketing received attention, and a survey of the 

 small fruits of Avestern New York was begun. Work on the classi- 

 fication of the peony was completed during the year and published 

 in Bulletin 306, and similar work on sweet peas was nearly completed 

 and that on gladiolus was continued. Experiments with fertilizers 

 on muck soils Avith the object of reducing the cost of nitrogenous 

 fertilizers were inaugurated. 



In plant pathology attention was given particularly to investiga- 

 tions on black rot and other diseases of grapes, bean anthracnose, 

 diseases of ginseng, lime sulphur, and other liquid and dust fungi- 

 cides, apple-tree canker, diseases of peaches, fire blight, and other 

 diseases of nursery stock, bulb rot and other diseases of gladiolus, 

 chestnut-bark disease, and diseases of truck crops. 



Investigations in plant physiology were conducted on respiration 

 of fruits, respiration of seedlings, ripening and coloration of to- 

 matoes under varying conditions of light, heat, and surrounding 

 gases, morphology of the root-tubercle organism, production of active 

 cultures of root-tubercle organisms, fermentation of tannin, antag- 

 onistic relation of mineral nutrients, yellows and other physiological 



