274 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



extreme low acidity in the must and by a tardy alcoholic fermentation; 

 second, the presence in tlie must of liiiili ncidity wliicli retards, hinders, 

 or prevents the work of the yeast in transforming the sugar of the juice 

 into alcohol due to placing the fresh juice in casks containing a quantity 

 of vinegar and to the growth of the acetic bacteria before the yeast has 

 begun active work ; and third, restraint of the supply of free oxygen 

 (air) thus inhibiting tlie work of the vinegar bacteria in oxidizing the 

 alcoholic liquid (hard cider) into vinegar due to the casks being full or 

 nearly' full and to closing or nearly closing the opening (bung) ; also 

 trying to make vinegar at too low temperatures and disturbing the cask 

 during the acetic fermentation should be included as causes of trouble. 



Samples of different foods sent in for information relative to quality 

 and for suggestions to prevent abnormalities have been examined and 

 such information as was at hand and as was obtained, considering gen- 

 eral conditions, was communicated to the inquirer. 



From our collection of strains of miscellaneous microorganisms 79 

 have been prepared and sent gratuitously in response to requests from 

 various educational institutions. In addition to these 7 lactic and 2 

 bnlgarian cultures were dispensed for dairy and therajjeutic purposes 

 in the state; likewise 10 alcohol-acetic cultures for vinegar inoculation. 

 (Chas. W. Brown). 



Mr. Morgan reports as follows: 



''The study of the soil solution was continued throughout the year. 

 The publication of the work concerning the method of obtaining the soil 

 solution has been held up for a year for the lack of funds. This will ap- 

 pear as Technical Bulletin No. 28, under the title of ''The Soil Solution 

 Obtained by the Oil Pressure Method." This describes the method of 

 procedure together with some of the results of the study of these solu- 

 tions. The manuscript of an abstract of the above bulletin has been ac- 

 cepted and will appear in the June number of Soil Science. 



"The manuscript describing the results of the microbial action on 

 nitrogenous substances in the soil as obtained by means of the study of 

 the soil solution is now ready to submit to the council for consideration 

 as a Technical bulletin. This bulletin is to consist of two parts. The 

 second part is on work done in cooperation with Dr. R. P. Hibbard, Re- 

 search Associate in Plant Physiology, on "Physiological Balance in the 

 Soil Solution." Dr. Hibbard is the author of this part. 



"The writer hopes to be able in the near future to present for publi- 

 cation in some scientific journal the preliminary work done in coopera- 

 tion with Mr. W. S. Robbins, formerly of this department, on the growth 

 of the hog cholera virus in the soil solutions. Some of the results were 

 gratifying, but more work is necessary to make it conclusive. 



"During the Christmas holidays I attended the annual meeting of the 

 Society of American Bacteriologists held under the auspices of Yale 

 University, New Haven, Connecticut." (J. Frank Morgan). 



Mr. Morgan will continue his investigations, making use of the soil 

 solution method in an effort to determine the factors, undoubtedly 

 microbial, responsible for the conversion of the unavailable matter of 

 peat and muck into matter available for agriculture. It is planned to 

 cooperate with the muck crop specialist, Mr. Ezra Levin, of the Botanial 

 Department. 



Adams i^roject 3a, SAvine Epidemics, has continued to suffer as a re- 

 sult of our inability to retain the services of men employed to carry on 



