252 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



grains. Wheats collected for this work from different localities, 

 typical as to soil and climate, were studied in detail with reference 

 to their milling and baking qualities. Different factors, including 

 chemical reagents and the high and low nitrogen content of wheat in 

 their relation to the baking qualities, were studied, and an investiga- 

 tion of the variation in quality of individual wheat kernels in the 

 head was made. 



The study of the function of sulphur as a plant food was taken up 

 during the year. Peas and wheat were grown in pot tests on differ- 

 ent types of soil and supplied with sulphur in different forms to 

 determine the influence upon growth and chemical composition. 

 Work on the soil-moisture project was carried on with wheat grown 

 in pots on different types of soil, and several important relationships 

 of soil moisture on the production of the dry matter in the plant were 

 studied. The field work on this project included investigations on 

 the conservation of water as affected by different soil treatments and 

 on the factors influencing the loss of moisture by evaporation. 



The study of starch production by the potato, which was interfered 

 with by frost injury to the material secured the year before, was again 

 taken up actively, further material being collected and selections 

 made. A good cellar was provided during the year where the tubers 

 can be safely kept. 



Attention was further given to the tomato-blight project — a study 

 of a new disease, the study of soil toxicity resulting from the growth 

 of coniferous trees, including its influence on root respiration, the 

 effect of nutrition on the development, maturity, and prolificacy of 

 swine, the investigations on Mendelism in blackberry hybrids, the 

 effect of parasitism on the host insect, and to some extent to liema- 

 globinemia in cattle. The work on the destruction of spermophiles 

 by means of a disease was concluded. The disease, while effective in 

 killing infected squirrels, failed to spread satisfactorily. 



The Hatch fund was used for the support of a number of other 

 lines of work in addition to those enumerated. The plant pathologist 

 studied different varieties, and in particular the station's selections 

 with reference to their susceptibility to Avheat smut, and also gaA^e 

 attention to a bacterial disease of tomatoes. 



The assistant zoologist worked on the life history of the Columbian 

 ground squirrel with a view to finding methods for its extermination, 

 and gave special attention to the peculiar hibernating habits of this 

 animal and their relation to food and moisture. This line of work 

 for the coming year is to be conducted as an Adams-funcl project. 



Feeding experiments were carried on with horses to determine the 

 feeding value of timothy, wheat, and alfalfa hays used with oats and 

 barley. In a feeding test with cows, alfalfa meal proved cheaper 



