236 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



REPORT OF THE SECTION OF FARM CROPS. 



To the Director: 



'Sir: — I am glad to report development in our major lines of crops 

 experimental work and the addition during the year of new projects, 

 the fulfillment of which should give valuable results. 



Co-operative arrangements have been made with the Bureau of Plant 

 Industry of the United States Department of Agriculture for the carry- 

 ing on of extensive sugar beet breeding and cultural projects. On April 

 1st the equipment of the Blisstield Station for sugar beet investigations 

 was transferred to this station, and the U. S. D. A. North-central States' 

 Sugar Beet Experimental Station was definitely ]daced at M. A. C. Mr. 

 E. E. Down was transferred to half-time service on the Bureau of Plant 

 Industry rolls, and is in charge of this phase of the work. 



Mr. C. E. Cormany is devoting a large part of his time to cultural in- 

 vestigations with beets. 



Breeding work with potatoes has reached a point where minor in- 

 creases of improved strains will soon be available. 



Herewith follows detailed reports from experiments in charge of 

 the main projects : 



REPORT OF RESEARCH ASSOCIATE F. A. SPRAGG, 



In Charge of Plant Breeding Projects. 



It seems that with the years our work is expanding, and yet the 

 number of crops that we are dealing with is being reduced. The" in- 

 creased work comes as a result of dealing with a larger number of varie- 

 ties, and a general expansion of the breeding work with the more 

 important crops. 



I feel that we are fortunate in being able to obtain the services of 

 Mr. H. M. Brown to take the general line of investigations that Mr. 

 Down lays down. Mr. B. B. Robinson is giving considerable assistance 

 as a Graduate Assistant. In addition to this, certain projects would 

 not be possible were it not for the fact that we were able to obtain the 

 services of at least one advanced student during the summer. This 

 j-ear we had Mr. R. K. Rosa, w^ho w'as with us last year to assist in the 

 technical work. Also, I must acknowledge the efficient way in which 

 Mr. Geo. Getman and his helpers take care of the preparation of the 

 land, planting, cultivating, and harvesting the crops involved in these 

 investigations. In the potato breeding w^ork, Mr. Cormany continues 

 with the immediate touch, giving me the advisory position in the breed- 

 ing of this crop. 



It seems a little difficult to give a brief outline of different lines of 

 work in any other form than that of a table of plant breeding projects. 

 The following statements bring out some points that characterize changes 

 or developments since the last report: 



