EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. 125 



REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF BACTERIOLOGY AND HYGIENE. 



Agricultural College, Mich., July 1, 1904. 

 Director C. D. Smith, M. A. C: 



Dear Sir — In making our report for the year ending June 30th, I de- 

 sire to state that work has been much retarded during the year because 

 of the time given to installation in our new building. Time and energy 

 have been required to adjust ourselves and to arrange satisfactorily for 

 both research and class work. 



Again, Mr. Barlow, who had been with us for one year and had be- 

 come very efficient in soil and plant studies, was called to take a more 

 responsible position elsewhere. By his departure, research in soil and 

 plant bacteriology has been brought to a standstill, consequently, the 

 experimental work which was in progress at the time of his leaving, has 

 yielded no results sufficiently matured to be given to the public. Mr. 

 Barlow showed a peculiar knowledge of the field in which he was ex- 

 perimenting, and we anticipated excellent results from him. We trust, 

 however, that what he has not given to us, he will be able to furnish to 

 the institution in which he now labors. 



Mr. W. R. Wright, who has taken Mr. Barlow's position, has given 

 his entire attention to dairy bacteriological studies, and has assisted 

 me in many of the experiments. Mr. Wright, in connection with my- 

 self, will soon be able to issue a bulletin, setting forth some results 

 obtained from the study of the germs of milk fermentation and the use 

 of starters in controlling them. He also is interested in another bul- 

 letin, being associated with Mr. Michels and myself, in which are dis- 

 cussed the methods of handling and caring for milk. In this connection, 

 I wish also to refer to the fact that Mr. Howard, who is at present a 

 Btudent in the College, has done some excellent work in dairy bacteri- 

 ology, and this work will soon be in bulletin form. 



I regret very much to inform you that Mr. S. F. Edwards, who has 

 been with us for the past four years, is about to leave for the purpose of 

 taking up advanced studies in bacteriology. Although Mr. Edwards 

 has been largely connected with the class work of this department, he 

 nevertheless has done very commendable research work in soil bac- 

 teriology, so far as time permitted him. and has also assisted in carrying 

 out much of the routine work of the laboratory. By this, I mean that 

 many specimens which have been sent here have been taken care of 

 through his instrumentality. Such work is by no means light, and Mr. 

 Edwards has shown a willingness and a dexterity in executing this 

 work that deserves mention. 



I have also to inform you that Mr. Edwards has ready a bulletin which 

 has been written for the purpose of setting forth some of the problems 

 involved in soil bacteriology. It is purely a popular bulletin, and Mr. 

 Edwards has WTitten it in a very happy manner. While I think that 

 the P^xperiment Station is under deep obligation to Mr, Edwards, this 

 department, moreover, feels a greater and deeper obligation for his as- 

 sistance in the past in conducting its affairs, and in aiding in its progress. 



