Department of Plant Physiology Ixxix 



EXTENSION 



The extension work of the Department has been greater than in any 

 of the preceding years. A large number of letters of inquiry concerning 

 mushroom culture, legume inoculation, and various miscellaneous subjects 

 pertaining to plant physiology have been answered. The Department has 

 also, during the past year, again made a considerable number of identifica- 

 tions of weeds and other plants submitted, and has answered inquiries 

 concerning them. This work is not normally in the province of plant 

 physiology. 



Two exhibits were made during the year. An educational exhibit, 

 dealing primarily with legume inoculation, was made during Farmers' 

 Week and at the same time an exhibit and demonstration of the culture 

 of mushrooms was made. At the State Fair an exhibit, with a member 

 of the stafY in charge, was installed by this department for the first time. 



As a part of the investigation work, and yet also extension work, the 

 Department supplied 500 farmers with the nodule-producing bacteria for 

 alfalfa, Canada field pea, soy bean, and vetch. The distribution for 

 the year 1912-1913 will be considerably increased, as already over 500 

 applications have been received. 



RECOMMENDATIONS 



The most urgent need of the Department is more greenhouse space. 

 The present house has a floor space of 1,150 square feet. During the 

 first semester of last year, 125 students in course work had to make use 

 of this greenhouse for experiments. With that number of students it 

 was far too crowded. The crowded condition, however, is not the most 

 serious factor. Courses in plant physiology require a large number and 

 variety of plants. At present no space is available in which to grow 

 such plants. There are in the Department 28 graduate students, of which 

 number one third to one half are engaged in research work. The work 

 of these men and the department investigations are considerably ham- 

 pered because of the lack of greenhouses. In order to work efficiently 

 the Department should have three times the present greenhouse space. 



The students in plant physiology must do part of their work in the 

 greenhouse ,and part in the laboratory. It would facilitate matters con- 

 siderably if a greenhouse for experiment work could be attached directly 

 to the teaching laboratory of the Department. It is not only inconvenient, 

 it is also difficult, for the laboratory instructors to teach efficiently 

 when they must divide their time during one period between the 

 laboratory and a greenhouse not closely connected with it. 



