EXPERIMiENT STATION REPORTS. 217 



The rye selection and increase work on the South Manitou Island is in 

 its third year. The entire Island is planted to selected Kosen rye, and 

 the Island is furnishing an excellent source of high yielding seed. During 

 the past two years South Manitou samples have won the first prize in tlie 

 rye class at the International Grain and Hay Show at Chicago. 



Mr. D. F. Kainey, in charge of co-operative field experiments, reports 

 the planting of eighteen tests of alfalfa varieties, four wheat variety tests, 

 eight oat varietal tests, and four barley tests. 



The local experiments with alfalfa varieties under Mr. Eainey greatly 

 aided, at the recent state-wide alfalfa campaigns, in calling attention lo- 

 cally to northern grown seed, particularly the Grimm, and also the value 

 of home-gTOwn Michigan seed from hardy varieties. 



The crops work at the Upper Peninsula Sub-station is now on a sound 

 basis. Mr. G, W. Putnam during his three j^ears of service did work of 

 much value, calling attention to crop varieties of proper adaptation, in 

 establishing planting dates by careful experiments, and in introducing 

 the sunflower crop as a successful silage crop. Mr. H. R. Pettigrove, ap- 

 pointed Assistant in Crops, April 1st, is carrying on the major crop 

 experiments at the Upper Peninsula initiated by Mr. Putnam, with the 

 addition of sugar beet seed production experiments and more extensive 

 potato work. 



The work with sugar beets under Mr. Down includes comparative tests 

 of seed from leading European sources and home-grown seed, time ami 

 rate of planting experiments with beets, and seed production investi- 

 gations. 



Extensive fibre flax breeding work has been conducted by Mr. R. L. 

 Davis of the Bureau of Plant Industry of the United States Department 

 of Agriculture. Mr. Davis' work occupies five and one-half acres of land 

 and gives promise of producing excellent seed strains for Michigan's fibre 

 flax industry. 



Members of the Section particularly appreciate the action of the State 

 Board of Agriculture in making possible the appointment of four addi- 

 tional graduate assistants. Without doubt many new research problems 

 can be accomplished with this additional help. 



Mr. George Getman, Field Foreman, has earned the appreciation of all 

 members of the Section, engaged in field experimental work, by his excel- 

 lent service in accomplishing field operations. 



The numbei' of inquiries received from farmers by mail relating to 

 crops questions has greatly increased. Eleven thousand, four hundred 

 and eighty first-class letters were written by Experiment Station and 

 College workers in the Farm Crops. Department and eight thousand, four 

 hundred and seventy-five first-class letters by Extension men in Crops, 

 or a total of nineteen thousand, nine hundred and sixty-one letters in 

 answer to crops inquiries. In addition a large number of inquiries were 

 answered by appropriate bulletins or circulars. 



I particularly appreciate your assistance as Director in making pos- 

 sible the advancement of projects of this Section, through the grant- 

 ing of additional financial resources and laud for experimental purposes. 



Yours respectfully, 



J. F. COX, 



Professor of Farm Crops. 

 East Lansing, Michigan, June 30, 1922. 



