IGO STATE BOARD OP' AGlllCULTURE. 



number of samples of butter should be examined for their content of these 

 metals and experiments should be performed to show the amounts required 

 to produce the results, the chemical reactions taking place and the conditions 

 which determine what takes place. 



It would be advantageous also to have the Dairy section partly respon- 

 sible for the project, since they are in closer touch with the buttermaking 

 industry and could give the work a practical direction and interpretation, as 

 well as assist us in the manufacture of experimental butters and in the judging 

 of the butters being studied. 



[G. L. A. Ruehle.] 



I take the liberty to quote from my report for this year to the president : 



"It is with no small measure of regret that I announce the retirement by 

 resignation of Mrs. Zae Northrup Wyant at the close of the fiscal year. I 

 shall take occasion to speak of her work in my report to the Director of the 

 Experiment Station. When I took charge of the laboratory in 1912, she was 

 engaged in research exclusively. Since then she has been under the necessity 

 of teaching many classes under many circumstances. Without fail, she has 

 measured up to the responsibilities and with ability, energy and rare good 

 nature she has proved what had already been demonstrated in the field of 

 investigation, that in the students' laboratory she could command the respect 

 of and stimulate and inspire all. Her capacity for work and versatility in 

 a setting of rare good humor is without equal in my experience. She leaves 

 a lasting impress on this institution and on the science of bacteriology." 



A very casual study of this Experiment Station's records for the past four- 

 teen years will reveal the tremendous amount of worth while work accomplish- 

 ed by Mrs. Wyant. Th(>re are to her credit a considerable number of technical 

 bulletins, popular bulletins, and lengthy contributions to the annual reports 

 in the field of dairy, soil, fermentation, entomological and general bacteriolog3\ 

 She has also to her credit numerous scientific and popular papers in the cur- 

 rent periodicals and journals. Her resignation meant a distinct loss to the 

 College and Station and we fear to science, and put us in the very difficult 

 position of locating a worthy successor, competent to carry on her work. 



Research Associate Zae Northrup Wyant, in leaving, places in our hands 

 a complete record of her unpublished work. 



The folloAving is a brief report of some of the work which, for the past year 

 and practically up to the present time, has been under her immediate super- 

 vision: 



Silage poisotmig: Fourteen samples of silage, two samples of oats, and one 

 each of corn and hay were sent in for analysis. Either they were suspected 

 of poisoning stock or merely sent in to see whether they were fit to feed. 

 B. hotuUnus was found in none of the samples, although cultures from several 

 of the samples were suspected of containing these organisms. Two samples 

 of silage were good and their feeding was recommended. 



No silage inoculation experiments were carried on this year. 



Flax retting: No work has been done until the last few weeks of the year 

 upon this problem. Miss Trevithick, a student, is just beginning some 

 research ■work upon this subject under the direction of Mr. Tweed. 



Vinegar: From July 1, 1920 to June 30, 1921, two hundred ninety three 

 requests for vinegar cultures were received; 329 yeast cultures were sent out, 

 not including 25 gallons of starter sent to a Michigan canning company for 

 manufacturing vinegar stock, also 332 cultures of acetic bacteria and 56 lots 



