216 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



Bulletin 215, also published during the year, describes new and im- 

 proved methods for distinguishing between organic phosphorus, 

 which contributes to the growth of all the tissues of the body, and 

 inorganic phosphorus, which contributes only to the growth of the 

 bones. The results of these studies showed that glycero-phosphates 

 are more useful than the other organic and inorganic compounds 

 found in foods, and it is pointed out that as the content of fann 

 foods of phosphorus in this condition is very small, it may be a 

 profitable practice under certain conditions to add glycero-phos- 

 phates to the food much as we use common salt. 



Each department of the station had in progress a large number of 

 investigations supported by Hatch and other funds. The botanist 

 studied a bacterial disease of raspberries and blackberries, a disease 

 of peaches, Fusarium diseases of potatoes, a Fusarium wilt of cab- 

 baoe. and also grave considerable attention to diseases of the cereals. 

 Spraying experiments were conducted to test various fungicides in 

 comparison with lime sulphur. The bacterial blight of oats is re- 

 ported upon in Bulletin 210 of the station. The study of diseases 

 of forest and shade trees was taken up in cooperation with the For- 

 estry Department. About 425 samples of seeds were tested during 

 the year for purity, and germination tests were made of about 200 

 samples. A^'eed-spraying experiments were carried on. and salt 

 solutions, 3 pounds to 1 gallon of water, were found effective for 

 destroying poison ivy, horsenettle, elder, etc., while iron sulphate 

 proved excellent for destroying the oxeye daisy. The plant-breeding 

 work of the department consists mainly of hj^bridizing wheat, oats, 

 and tobacco. Several hybrids of wheat and oats were tested at the 

 station and on the outlying farms. Several hundred tobacco hybrids 

 were under test at Germantown, and this part of the work is carried 

 on to some extent in cooperation with the Bureau of Plant Industry. 

 In entomology studies were made of the wheat jointworm, bark 

 beetles, web worms, white grubs, insects affecting stored grain, etc., 

 and spraying experiments were made for the control of apple pests. 

 Most of the spraying work is- conducted cooperatively, and it is 

 planned to continue this plan for five or six years before making 

 definite recommendations. The work of the department of agronomy 

 consisted of testing old and new varieties, methods, rates and times 

 of seeding, and the improvement of varieties by selection and breed- 

 ing of alfalfa, clover, corn, cowpeas, special forage crops, meadow 

 grasses, oats, soy beans, and wheat. Some 25 different sources of 

 alfalfa seed were studied, together with 35 varieties of corn, 25 of 

 which are pedigreed strains developed by the station, 4 varieties of 

 field peas. 10 species of grasses, 60 varieties of oats, and 51 of soy 

 beans, 34 of which are superior pure-line selections. 



