276 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



opened up. It might be meutioiied here, that this study has shown, that 

 the general assumption that the amount of photosyuthate made in leaves 

 is an indication of vigor, is far from true. The work was done by O, 

 M. Gruzit as a minor roqniromont for the M. S. degree. A preliminary 

 report on this work wan given at Ihe last meeting of the Michigan 

 Academy of Science. It has seemed advisable to withhold publication 

 for the present until the new phases opened up are more thoroughly 

 studied. Mr. 1). A. Seeley has had under investigation as a major re- 

 quirement for the M. S. degree the problem of "Michigan Climate and 

 Plant Growth." 



Owing to an abundance of manuscripts to appear in the American 

 Journal of Botany the publication under the title "The question of the 

 toxicity of distilled water" referred to in my last report was not pub- 

 lished until the October number. A paper entitled "A simplified appa- 

 ratus for measuring the conductivity of electrolytes" in co-authorship 

 with Professor C, W. Chapman of the Physics department, was issued 

 l)y the Station in November as Technical Bulletin No. 23. 



The rest of my time, approximately two-fifths, has been taken up 

 with instructional work both in the undergraduate and graduate de- 

 partments. With the able assistance of G. E. Johnstone I have had less 

 to do with the laboratory work directly than before. However, the 

 lectures, special problem work in the winter and spring terms, and the 

 general direction of the physiological work has rested on me. 



The recommendations of the last two reports in regard to crowded 

 conditions in the Station botanical laboratory the advisability of segre- 

 gating the two branches of research, — j)lant physiologj^ and plant path- 

 ology, — and the need of additional greenhouse space may be repeated. 



Thanking you for another year of generous assistance, helpful advice 

 and loyal support at all times, I am 



Very respectfully, 



R. P. HIBBARD, 

 Research Assistant in Plant Physiology. 



Dr. E. A, Bessey: 



Dear Sir — I submit at your request a report of the work done during 

 the past year. This work was carried on entirely under the State 

 fund of the Experiment Station. A leave of absence was granted me 

 to complete the graduate work for the Masters' degree at the Agricul- 

 tural College of Cornell University. This leave extended from February 

 5th to May 5th. 



As heretofore, my work has been chiefly upon control measures for 

 the Anthracnose and Blight of beans. We have continued the testing 

 of an early maturing, disease escaping, variety of beans and secured 

 data from various localities of the State regarding its behavior under 

 weather conditions favorable to the disease. The growing of Michigan 

 beans under irrigation conditions in the western states as well as the 

 testing of such seed in this State is being carried on. The value of 

 "clean picked" seed and Anthracnose "resistant" red kidney beans is 

 also being demonstrated. To give these various kinds of seed a 

 thorough test, they are being grown in cooperation with the county 



