170 EEPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPEEIMENT STATIONS. 



40-acre farm was rented for a 5-year period to test and determine 

 methods for the eradication of quack grass. In connection with 

 this work spraying did not prove very effective. Crop improvement 

 and plant breeding were carried on with spring and winter wheats, 

 fall rye, oats, barley, flax, corn, sugar beets, mangels, alfalfa, clovers, 

 timothy, cowpeas, soy beans, and hemp. A series of about 15 corn- 

 breeding stations was maintained in different localities of the State, 



Under the direction of this department numerous experiments are 

 in progress on methods of developing va.rieties or strains of the 

 cereal crops. The development and distribution of new varieties 

 among the farmers of the State were continued during the year with 

 much success. A new variety of winter wheat, Minnesota No. 529, 

 and 3 varieties of oats, Minnesota Nos. 261, 281, and 295, which out- 

 yielded the ordinary grains by 15 to 25 per cent, were distributed. 

 Among the earlier varieties originated and sent out by the station 

 may be mentioned Minnesota No. 169 wheat, No. 26 oats, No. 13 corn, 

 and No. 25 flax, which have become known commercially and are now 

 quite widely grown in Minnesota and the adjoining States. 



The agi'iculturist is also in charge of the farm-management work 

 on the demonstration, farms. The farmer who allows his farm to 

 be used for demonstration receives an outline of the plan of farming 

 from the station, and keeps reasonably complete business records. In 

 addition to these demonstration farms there are about 30 farms on 

 so-called statistical routes where the cost of production was given 

 special attention. The statistical work i^ pursued in cooperation 

 with the Bureau of Statistics of this department, which defrays part 

 of the expense. From these two sources considerable data with ref- 

 erence to farm management was accumulated. 



A feature of the animal -husbandly work was a study of the feed 

 consumed by each cow in the dairy herd in relation to the milk, butter 

 fat, and solids-not-fat produced. A bulletin covering the record of 

 the dairy herd for a period of 10 years was prepared for publica- 

 tion. A record was also kept of the feed consumed and growth made 

 by the calves and heifers in the dairy herd, covering the period from 

 birth to the completion of the second year. 



The veterinary department gave special attention to hog cholera 

 and swamp fever. The hog-cholera serum produced gave very prom- 

 ising results. The actual results up to March 1, 1910, were as fol- 

 lows : In infected herds 69 out of 1,604 vaccinated hogs died, and out 

 of 76 un vaccinated animals in infected herds 70 died. Of 982 sound 

 hog-s treated with a full dose of tested serum 12 died. All vaccinated 

 hogs were tested by inoculation or exposure. The total amount of 

 serum produced up to February 8, 1910, was 98,189 cubic centimeters, 

 or enough to protect 4,800 average hogs. 



