NEBRASKA. 185 



tion and improvement of oats, and adaptation of winter barley to 

 Nebraska. The effect of croj) rotation and continuous cropi^ing on 

 Nebrahka soils was studied at the central station and at the North 

 Platte substation. The best variety of corn for the silo in central 

 and eastern Nebraska is also under investigation. Work was con- 

 tinued on the duty of water from the natural precipitation in crop 

 production, the elFect of fertdizers on Nebrasl^'a soils, the effect of 

 soil inoculation for alfalfa, the value of sweet clover as a green 

 manure, and the cost of producing crops in Nebraska. 



Some experiments Avere also carried on in seed germination, on the 

 influence of soil types on the root and form development of seedlings, 

 the effect of spacing in plantations on the quality and quantity of 

 growth of certain Nebraska trees, the effect of cutting back hardy 

 catalpas at difl'erent ages as compared with seedling growth not cut 

 back, and on methods of sowing seeds of various species of trees. 

 Tests of varieties of potatoes and of the relative value of seeds from 

 different regions were continued, demonstrating the superiority of 

 seed grown locally under a straw mulch. Cooperative spraying 

 demonstrations were continued with results showing the profitableness 

 of the spraying of orchard fruits. 



Experiments Avere carried on demonstrating tlie value of alfalfa in 

 rations for fattening cattle. The dairy department continued records 

 of the dairy herd begun 14 3'ears ago and of calves from birth to ma- 

 turity, compared beets and silage for cows, and dry feed versus pas- 

 ture, studied the relation of conformation to performance in dairy 

 animals in cooj^eration Avith five other stations, the time of maximiim 

 l^roduction in the lactation period, the etl'ect of sires on daugiivevs in 

 breeding experiments, and the feeding of skim milk to calves. 



The life history of a number of insect pests, including seed wheat 

 Eleodes, the parasites of the Avhite-marked tussock moth, melon aphis, 

 squash borer, cucumber beetle, squash bug, pine-tip moth, corn-ear 

 worm, potato-stalk borer, and straAvberry-leaf roller, were studied 

 during the year as well as methods for preventing their depredations. 

 In all of the entomological Avork special attention Avas giA^en to insect 

 parasitism. 



Work at the North Platte substation, as in previous years, included 

 tests of varieties of cereals and forage plants adajited to dry-land 

 conditions, crojD rotations, studies of methods of conserving soil 

 moisture, tests with forest trees, orchard fruits and ornamental plants, 

 exj^eriments in wintering cattle on different kinds of roughage, tests 

 of grain for hogs, and the use of alfalfa for hay. 



The station cooperated Avith this department in a number of lines 

 of Avork, including breeding and selection of improved varieties of 

 wheat, testing the milling and baking qualities of Avheat, the main- 

 tenance of a seed laboratory, and testing of crops and methods of 



