232 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



V. On the possibility of detectino; infected eggs. 

 This experiment is being continued with very enconraging results. 



Respectfully submitted, 



■ E. C. FOREMAN, 



Poultryman. 

 East Lansing, Michigan, June 30, 1922. 



REPORT OF THE SOILS SECTION. 



Dean R. S. Sha\y : 



It is ag\iin with ])leasure that I subuiit to you the report of some of 

 the accomplishments of, the Soils Section of the Experiment Station. 



At the close of the fiscal year there were fifty co-operatiye upland soil 

 improvement projects and twenty muck ex])eriniental tracts. In addi- 

 tion the forty acre fertiliy field at Mancelona was laid out. At the latter 

 Station it is proposed to investigate and to demonstrate the best methods 

 for the management of that type of soil. Alfalfa and sweet clover and 

 soy beans are to be used in rotation of different lengths. The value of 

 lime ami green manure, different carriers of phosphorus and potassium 

 are to be determined. It is our desire, and in fact our plans call for 

 such, to establish at least one half dozen of these fields on dift'erent types 

 of soil and under diverse climatic iconditions. We have always steadfastly 

 maintained that owing to the diversity of soil and climate in the State 

 it is essential that this procedure be followed. The people of the State 

 are desirous of this work being done and we trust that we shall be able 

 to accomplish this as sijeedily as is ])ractical)le. 



Tlie results from our co-oi)erative projects on the whole are satisfactory. 

 This method enables us to obtain a large amount of information and dis- 

 pense it with very little cost to the organization. The success may be 

 measured somewhat by requests that we receive for the establishment of 

 additional work. In "fact these are so luimerous that we can not fulfill 

 more than a small percentage of them. 



The salient features that have been brought out by such endeavors may 

 be presente<l in a few statements. It should be noted that the success of 

 this work is due in a large measure to G. M. (irantham. Where acid 

 phosphate has been uised on many plots laid out in the heavy upland 

 soils the increase in the yield of wheat has been such that desirable 

 profits have been obtained." Nitrates have not paid when used on heavier 

 soils except in a few instances. Neither has potash proved to be profitable 

 under existing conditions on such lands yet with the lower prices there 

 may -be a place for it under some conditions. On the other hand in the case 

 of sandy soils nitrates have yielded good profits and the use of x>otash has 

 generally paid where clover and alfalfa were seeded in the grain. On 

 the other hand acid phosphate has been di.sappointiug on such lands in 

 the absence of nitrates or unless accompanied by stable manure. In 

 other words the chief limiting factor in these soils is nitrogen rather 



