108 EEPOKT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



ducted at the station and on the west slope with cover crops for 

 orchards as a means of adding humus to the soil. The work with 

 cabbages was largely confined to growing plants from seed of known 

 parentage for comparison, with the hope of developing a strain 

 specially suited to meet Colorado requirements. In connection with 

 bean-breeding experiments, several selected varieties were grown 

 in the greenhouse and cross-fertilized. The resulting hybrids are 

 compared in field-culture tests. A model potato cellar was installed 

 at the station for experiments in storage. 



The animal-husbandry work was entirely supported by State 

 funds, and included feeding experiments in which different rations 

 for sheep, hogs, and steers were compared. In the sheep-feeding 

 experiments it was found that it is profitable to use alfalfa hay of 

 the best quality. In steer-feeding work molasses, cottonseed meal, 

 and beets made a cheap and satisfactory ration. As a rule, pur- 

 chased grain rations were not found profitable and it was necessary 

 to use home-grown feeds. The animals used in these experiments 

 were in some cases furnished by commission firms. 



The poultry work of the station is supported with a State fund of 

 $5,000, including work at farmers' institutes and poultiy shows. Dur- 

 ing the year different types of colony houses suited to local conditions 

 were tried, and data on the profit of the poultry business in Colorado 

 were collected. 



The irrigation work of the station included meteorological studies, 

 drainage survey of the State, observ^ations on seepage and return 

 waters, and concrete for minor constructions. Most of the irriga- 

 tion projects have been in progress for a number of years, but the 

 data secured have not yet been published. 



The station cooperated with fanners in the State in a number of 

 lines of work, especially investigations with reference to predaceous 

 insects and horticultural work of various kinds. With this depart- 

 ment cooperative work was can-ied on in horse breeding, field daiiy 

 work, forestry work on the plains of Colorado, and the construction 

 of a piece of model road. Much of the orchard work upon the 

 western slope, as well as of the potato work, is in the nature of col- 

 lege and station extension efforts. 



The following publications were received from this station during 

 the year: Bulletins 146, Raising Hogs in Colorado; 147, Top-working 

 Fruit Trees; 148, Cement and Concrete Fence Posts; 149, Carrying 

 Range Steers Through the Winter — Sugar Beets for Fattening Steers; 

 151, Ration Experiments with Lambs, 1906-7, 1907-8— Self-feeders 

 for Hay; 152, Two Common Orchard Mites; 153, Agi-icultural Prod- 

 ucts Shipped into Colorado in 1909; 154, Alfalfa Studies; and 155, 

 The Fixation of Nitrogen in some Colorado Soils. 



