MICHIGAN. 117 



Reports of the receipts and expenditures for the Unit'ed States 

 funds have been rendered in accordance with the schedules prescribed 

 by this Department and have been approved. 



There are many indications of an increasing interest in agricultural 

 affairs in this State. The last legislature appropriated $5,000 for 

 normal work at the college as the result of the report of an industrial 

 commission appointed by the governor. An agricultural department 

 of ^ high school was opened at Petersham in charge of a recent 

 graduate from the college. The demands on the college and station 

 are steadily increasing, and they enjoy the cordial cooperation and 

 support of the people of the State. The station is doing a large 

 amount of work of scientific value, together with much of more imme- 

 diately practical importance. Its outlook, with a director at its head 

 to give a large share of his attention to its interests, seems very 



encouraging. 



MICHIGAN. 



Experiment Station of Michigan State Agricultural College, Agricultural 



CoUeye.a 



Department of Michigan State Agricultural College. 

 C. D. Smtth. M. S., Director. 



The work of the Michigan Station is progressing along practically 

 the same general lines as formerly. Some strong work is being done 

 in agricultural bacteriology on the effect of various organisms, alone 

 and associated, on rendering the i^hosphates available in the soil, 

 the effect of different amounts of green manure with soil on devel- 

 opment of acid, the organisms of nitrogen assimilation by legumes, 

 etc. Studies of the associative action of bacteria with certain combi- 

 nations in connection Avith lactic-acid organisms in souring milk have 

 shown differences of as much as ninety-six hours in the time of 

 souring. 



The field work is being carried on much as in previous years, 

 and includes a wide variety of culture, fertilizer, breeding, and 

 variety tests. The study of the effect of inoculation on the compo- 

 sition of peas and other legumes is continued. Some improved 

 strains of oats and wheat which have been distributed through the 

 State are giving excellent results and receive many compliments 

 from farmers and millers. An investigation of mint growing has 

 been begun, both as to the culture of the crop and the extraction of 

 the oil. To this end fertilizer trials have been conducted upon large 

 mint fields near Kalamazoo, and studies are progressing as to the 

 diseases of mint. 



The department of animal husbandry has been making experiments 

 with substitutes for skim milk for hogs, and also with cull beans, 



a Freight and express address, Lansing. 



