NEVADA. 187 



tyjoical of large tracts of land in the valley in which it is located. 

 The new food and drugs act, with its supervision and enforcement in 

 the hands of the station, went into effect January 1, 1910. A special 

 building for the station library was erected during the year at a cost 

 of about $1,200, an animal house Avas built for the use of the depart- 

 ment of biology, and one wing of a new greenhouse was erected at a 

 cost of approximately $5,000. 



P. B. Kennedy, the station botanist, continued to act as chairman 

 of the board of control of the Lincoln County experiment farm. A 

 report on the operations of this farm for the biennial period ended 

 December -31, 1910, is in course of preparation. 



In the Adams- fund work on the genus Trifolium, with special ref- 

 erence to the economic value of native species, seeds of 47 species were 

 secured and cultivated with many others for comparison. All but 

 one of the 47 species were native, and some of them from the sage- 

 brush land are very dry and tough, and the hairy ones are very 

 drought resistant. The species were worked out as they were found 

 in different localities, and the life habits and their method of propa- 

 gation were studied. TrifoUurrh Tnajiis, a native species ordinarily 

 collected in California, attains a very dense growth, with spreading 

 stem 2 to 3 feet high, and bears an abundance of seed. 7\ vanegatum 

 is of low but dense growth and T. worrrhskjolcUi has been found to be 

 an exceedingly vigorous plant, growing thick masses and spreading 

 readily by underground stems. The value of the different species 

 for forage purposes as well as for ornamental planting was studied. 



In following up the alfalfa-breeding project, it was found that 

 when the plants grew too closely they failed to produce seed. The 

 research chemist studied the relation of nitrogen to the organic 

 constituents of the alfalfa plant and isolated certain of these con- 

 stituents. Two distinct nitrogenous substances were isolated, which 

 will be studied in relation to different stages of growth and the stage 

 at which the largest amount is present. In connection with the 

 poisonous-plant investigations, work was started on the water hem- 

 lock and special attention was given to the chemical constituents of 

 different parts of the plant with a view to determining and isolating 

 the active jDrinciple. 



The meterological and climatological studies on Mount Rose were 

 largely confined to the conservation of snow. Snow was measured 

 with a sjiecially devised sampler under various conditions of slope, 

 compass position, and protection by timber; its density when it first 

 falls, the increase in density, etc. It was found that the character 

 of the forest exerts considerable influence in this connection, and a 

 study of the best conditions for snow conservation was begun. The 

 temperature of snow at different depths was measured, as was also 

 the evaporation of snow due to high winds. 



