170 KKI'nlM' (•!• oKFICK OK I'.XPKIilMENT STATIONS. 



(JKNKKAI- OUTLOOK. 



TluMT have Iummi few clian'^n's "m the work of tlu; Orojifon Station dur- 

 iiiL;- llic past yoar. In tli«> Department of Ao-riciilture problems of 

 i-otation and t\w »,n-o\vinjif of forage jjlants lia\ c continued to occupy 

 the Icadini:- position. Alfalfa has been grown with marked success in 

 the western part of tlie State, yielding as high as 18 tons of green for- 

 age per acre. The investigations with steamed silage did not show 

 such good results with clover and vetch as with corn. In the feeding 

 experiments excellent results were obtained fi-om soiling dairy cows, 

 and also from feeding skim milk with wheat for fattening swine. 

 In dairying the effects of feeding varying amounts of silage upon the 

 yield of milk, l)utter fat, and body weight were tested, also the efh- 

 ciency of hand separators under farm conditions. The chemical 

 department continued its studies of steamed silage, soils, hop and 

 fruit drying, and fertilizers, and has begun studies on protein in 

 vetch hay and the use of lime in the straw heap as affecting decom- 

 position. The entomologist is studying diseases and insects affecting 

 fruits and grains, and the effect of free arsenious acid in Paris green 

 on foliaoe. The horticulturist has devoted considerable attention to 

 the dates of blooming and ripening of apples and pears. His work 

 with onions shows marked results in favor of starting the seed in 

 boxes and transplanting. The bacteriologist has closed a series of 

 experiments testing the value of ditl'erent methods of treating grain 

 for the prevention of smut. Copper sulphate, formaldehyde, hot 

 water, and hot, dr}' air were tested with results showing the greatest 

 efficiency in destroying spores and tho least injury to the germinating 

 (pialities of the seed in the use of hot, dry air. He has also obtained 

 encoui'aging results in curing cheese in sealed cans with the aid of 

 pure cultures. The fresh curd containing pure cultures is placed in 

 tin cans, pressed over night in a cheese press, and the covers then 

 soldered on. The ripening process is said to result in a cheese of supe- 

 rior and quite uniform flavor, and of a more friable and waxy texture 

 than ordinar}' cheese, without rind or danger of mold. 



The station has cooperated in the past year with about 100 farmers 

 in different parts of the State in experim(>nts with cereals and forage 

 ])lants; with this Office in irrigation investigations; with the Bureau of 

 PliMit Industry in studying the influence of origin of red-clover seed 

 on yield of crop; with the Bui'eau of Chemistry in studying availa])le 

 plant food in soils, and with the Division of Entomology in studying 

 the San Jose scale and the Asiatic ladybird. The work at Moro, in 

 eastern Oregon, will soon be suspended. The station at Union, which 

 is supported by a biennial appropriation of §20,000 from the State, 

 has continued to devote its work mainh' to investigations with gi-asses 

 and forage plants. This station is cooperating with the liureaii of 

 Chemistry' of this Department in sugar-beet investigations. 



