EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. Ill 



inui'iate and sulphate of potash and nitrato of soda are being tested. 

 While it is not likely that the use of any of the uiaterials will prove 

 desirable under all conditions, it is probable that to supplement stable 

 manure and clover, some form of phosphate and possibly also of potash 

 ran generally be applied with profit. 



THE SOL'TII HAVEX STATION. 



Mr. Frank A. Wilken has continued in charge of the work at xSouth 

 Haven and has also had the oversight of the cooperative spraying, til- 

 lage and fertilizer experiments in that section, all of which duties he 

 has ])erformed in a highly satisfactory manner. 



In the past most of the land at the South Haven station has been used 

 for variety tests of fruits, but the removal of some of the older peach 

 trees and a portion of the grapes which have served the purpose for 

 whicli they were planted, has afforded room for undertaking a numlier 

 of tillage experiments and, later on, they can be used for si)raying and 

 fertilizer work. 



The orchards are in a satisfactory condition except the peaches and 

 Jajian })lums which suffered seriously from the effects of the freeze of 

 October 10, 190G. Some injury was also done to the grapes and nearly 

 all of the raspberries and blackberries were killed to the ground. 



\Vhile the present sub-station should be continued for a number of 

 years, there is need for more land in order that many experiments for 

 which plans have been made may be carried out. It is not possible with 

 only twelve acres of available land, most of which is planted for variety 

 testing, using only two trees of a kind, to carry on the work that is 

 being called for by the fruit growers of ;Michigan. If a tract of forty 

 acres convenient to vSouth Haven could be obtained for the purpose, the 

 results would lie materially increased with but a slight increase in the 

 expense of maintenance. 



EXHIBITS AT FAIRS. 



As in past years extended exhibits were made at the state fair at 

 Detroit and ait the West ^Michigan Fair at Grand Rapids. In addi- 

 tion to the use of collections of varieties of fruits, an endeavor was 

 iiiiide to show the results of the experimental work in the way of spray- 



ing. 



Kespectfullv submii ted, 



L. R. TAFT, 



Horticulturist. 

 Agriculhiiiil College, .Mich., .Tune ^0, 11)07. 



