EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. 325 



George Winegar & Son, Morrice, 

 J. E. Merritt, Manistee, 

 C. H. Whittum, Eaton Rapids, 

 T. A. Farraud, Eaton Rapids, 



B. F. Hall, Belding, 

 L. E. Hall, Ionia, 



C. W. Gaiiock, Grand Ledge, 

 John Strange, Grand Ledge, 

 Oscar Braman, Grand Rapids, 

 L. A. Bregger, Bangor, 



E. W. I'otter, Leslie, 

 Joseph Sill, Onaway. 



Respectfully submitted, 



H. J. EUSTACE, 



Horticulturist. 

 East Lansing, Mich., June 30, 1017. 



REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF FARM CROPS. 



Director R. S. Shaw, East Lansing, Mich.: 



Dear Sir — I have the honor to submit the following report for the 

 Division of Farm Crops for the year ending June 30, 1917. 



The resignation of Professor V. M. Shoesmith Avas accepted by the 

 State Board of Agriculture, and went into effect April 1st. Before tak- 

 ing leave, Professor Shoesmith completed a report of the fertilizer and 

 rotation experiments which have now progressed for six years. The 

 greater part of the data included in his report is here given. In gen- 

 eral, the results obtained from this extensive project increase in value 

 year by year, and Avork will be continued under the direction of the de- 

 partment staff. It was decided that certain plats have run their course, 

 and that continuation is no longer advisable. These have been discon- 

 tinued and the land used for other purposes. In the main, however, the 

 project will be continued as originally planned. 



Exi)eriments Avith the rate and method of planting beans, the effect 

 of field selection of beans on yield and disease resistance, and experi- 

 ments Avith various varieties of soy beans for silage purposes, are under 

 Avay. A project, aiming to determine tlie effect of various comi)anion 

 crops on seedings of clover and alfalfa, and the effect of time of seeding, 

 and subsequent handling of same, is also being carried out. 



The variety test Avork Avith corn on the Station farm is being continued 

 under the direct supervision of Eugene E. Doavu. Work of a similar 

 character has been extended to a number of communities widely scat- 

 tered over the state. Twenty-six variety tests of corn, including local 

 varieties and the best varieties of possible Avortli obtainable, have been 

 put out at widely distributed points. It is thought that these varietj^ 

 tests will do much toward determining the varieties best suited to the 

 section in which they are conducted. 



