WEST VIRGINIA. 259 



A cooling apparatus was devised by means of which it is possible 

 to produce cooled milk with no appreciable increase in its bacterial 

 content. Studies were also pursued regarding the bacterial flora of 

 milk in the udder and the means of controlling it. 



Progress was made in the study of the cucumber mildew and of 

 apple-leaf diseases. Twelve distinct species of fungi were isolated 

 from apple leaves and their life histories were worked out. The 

 study of the stages not fully established in the life history of the 

 woolly aphis of the apple was continued, and a report of progress 

 on the investigation of snout beetles injuring nuts was made in the 

 form of a bulletin. The list of these nut-attacking beetles studied 

 was as follows: Balamnus prohoseideus^ B. rectus^ B. carya>^ B. 

 ohiusus, B. quercus, B. nasicus, B. orthorhynchus, B. haculi^ B. con- 

 fusor^ B. pardaliis^ C onotrachelus juglandis^ C. afftnis^ C. naso^ and 

 G. posticatus. Some data were collected in connection with the 

 studies of the short-tailed shrew. ^ 



Work on the project regarding the mortality of brooder chicks 

 included studies of the influence of age of fowls, temperature of 

 brooder, aeration, moisture, heavy feeding, length of laying period, 

 and other similar factors on the vigor of the egg sperm. A project 

 involving the study of acidity in soils, largely with reference to the 

 factors tending to produce soil acidity and those which either in- 

 crease or decrease the acid condition of the soil, was submitted and 

 approved. 



The activities of the station supported by Hatch and other funds 

 were also pursued on a project basis. Fertilizer requirements of the 

 soil on the station farm were studied, and the effect upon the physi- 

 cal properties and chemical composition of the soil of long-con- 

 tinued applications of ditferent manurial substances, including lime, 

 ^stable manure, sodium nitrate and acid phosphate, was noted. Ob- 

 servations were further made on the relative yields of the standard 

 farm crops when fertilized in the various ways. As a result of the 

 work on acid soils the application of lime and the culture of clover 

 and cowpeas have greatly increased throughout the State. Other 

 results confirm the station's position that the use of the commercial 

 acid phosphates is not responsible for acid soils in AVest Virginia. 



The department of agriculture conducted tests of types of poul- 

 try houses as affecting health and productivity of laying hens, and 

 studied the effect of artificial methods of rearing poultry on the 

 vigor and productivity of the flock. This test has been in progress 

 without interruption for 10 years. This department also carried on 

 feeding experiments with fowls, continued the plat work begun in 

 1900, and carried forward the improvement of the old farm, which 

 has now been brought up to a condition enabling it to furnish all 

 the forage required by the station. 



