152 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Press Bulletin No. 24 — The Germinating Qualities of Michigan Seed 

 Corn, by V. M. Shoesmith. 



During the year nothing has been published from "the results of ex- 

 perimental work pursued in animal husbandry. The results of the three 

 years' work referred to in my last report, relative to the use of succulent 

 feed in its relation to wool and mutton production, have not been pub- 

 lished owing to the desire to still further repeat the trials, hoping that 

 more data may render the results still more conclusive. An epidemic: of 

 disease among the swine has completely thwarted all efforts toward ex- 

 perimentation in this line. 



Both the animal and dairy husbandry departments are engaged in 

 carrying forward -the up-grading breeding experiments established sev- 

 eral years ago. Of course siome time must yet elapse before the records 

 of the third generation, as producers, can be established. The dairy 

 husbandry department is conducting investigations relative to the eco- 

 nomic production of veal in the dairy herd. 



The department of farm and horses continued its work relating to 

 the economic wintering of the farm work horse during the past winter. 



The poultry department has continued its tests with three types of 

 farmer's poultry houses and it now seems that further work will be 

 necessary in order to procure positive results. 



The time of those in charge of the farm mechanics department has 

 been so completely occupied by instruction work as to render it almost 

 impossible for them to make much progress as regards the lines of in- 

 vestigation work in hand. 



A valuable addition in the form of land has been made to the Upper 

 Peninsula Station at Chatham. Six hundred acres of land, with the 

 timber removed has been generously donated by the Cleveland Cliffs 

 Iron Co. for pui'poses of experimentation and demonstration. This 

 comprises the section on which the town of Chatham is located with 

 the exception of forty acres which forms a part of the town site. 



As this projjerty adjoins the present farm of 160 acres diagonally and 

 as it consists of the choicest land in Upper Michigan, the possibilities 

 of developing a, model farm are api>arent under proper management. 

 It is not intended to develop an experimental farm but rather to estab- 

 lish a model or demonstration farm operated on a commercial basis. 



Respectfully submitted, 



R. S. SHAW, 



Director. 



East Lansing, Mich., June 30, 1911. 



