KANSAS. ' i07 



KANSAS. 



Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Maiiliattan. 



Department of Kansas State Agricultural College. 



C. W. Bl'rkett. M. S.. Director. 



The work of the Kansas Station has been undergoing a radical 

 reorganization. Increased responsibilit}' has been given the newl)'' 

 appointed director, who will devote himself exclusively to adminis- 

 trative work. A policy of concentration of the lines of work has 

 been outlined and it is hoped to bring about a better coordination of 

 the several dei^artments. The department of dairying and animal 

 husbandry has been divided, the former head remaining in charge of 

 the dairy work and his assistant taking up the work in animal hus- 

 bandry. The Fort Hays substation has been placed in the immediate 

 charge of the director, and is to be used largely for acclimation tests, 

 plant breeding, feeding trials, field demonstrations, and studies in 

 farm management. 



The experiments in irrigation from wells which were carried on by 

 the substation in cooperation with this Office have been concluded 

 and reported upon. A tract of 40 acres has been .leased near Fort 

 Hays for cooperative experiments in dry farming. 



An investigation of the nature and extent of adulteration of alfalfa 

 seed and of a number of grasses has led to the development of a satis- 

 factory method for detecting Canada blue grass in Kentucky blue- 

 o-rass seed. An effort has been made to eradicate the San Jose scale, 

 Avhich has been discovered in several localities. Other work of the 

 entomological department includes studies of insect pests of corn, 

 alfalfa, and of stored grain. A large cooperative experiment in 

 spraying apple trees for the prevention of apple scab and the ravages 

 of the codling moth has been carried on by the horticulturist and a 

 number of commercial orchardists. Several hundred acres were 

 sprayed with Bordeaux mixture and either arsenate of lead or arse- 

 nate of soda, with the result that less than 25 per cent of the fruit 

 was injured, whereas the year previous there w^as almost total loss. 



Studies of cattle dips, extensive variety testing of grains and 

 forage crops, breeding experiments with small fruits, and crop-rota- 

 tion trials have been continued as in previous years. An egg-laying 

 test of the leading breeds of hens, to include cost of production and 

 similar factors, has been started and will continue a year. 



An extensive study of wheat is to be undertaken, to include breed- 

 ing experiments by the Svalof method and milling, chemical, and 

 baking tests of Kansas wheat, with a view to studying the yield of 

 flour and its baking qualities, especially as influenced by the proteid 

 constituents. Experiments to ascertain the nutritive value of the 



