WISCONSIN. 167 



Cooperative and extension work is conducted by the station along 

 several lines, including soil tests, tuberculin tests of herds, the 

 eradication of the stomach worm of sheep b}^ means of a coal-tar 

 creosote, and poultry raising, and under a State appropriation in 

 the controlling of insects and plant diseases. 



The station work is attracting more attention from the people of 

 the State than formerly. It is managed in a businesslike way 

 and in the interests of the farmers and horticulturists of the State, 

 having due regard for the development of various specific phases 

 of agriculture. The station and college work are quite fully dif- 

 ferentiated. 



WISCONSIN. 



Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Wisconsin, Madison. 



Department of the University of Wisconsin. 

 W. A. Henry, D. Agr., D. Sc, Director. 



The Wisconsin Station has brought to a close an extensive series 

 of investigations of the losses of butter fat in cheese making. It 

 is believed that by the use of separators and other improved methods 

 enough whey butter can be obtained to yield an increased profit to 

 the industry of at least $150,000 a year. Swiss cheese manufacture 

 has been continued, and further studies have been made of the 

 action of various yeast ferments and the use of square vats in place 

 of the expensive and awkw^ard round copper kettles now claimed 

 to be absolutely essential. The inhibitory influence of nickel and 

 iron on rennet and the influence of the richness of the milk on the 

 quality of the cheese are also being studied. The relative value of 

 vegetable and aniline butter colors is being tested, and progress has 

 been made in the investigation of problems of dairy sewage disposal. 



In animal husbandry a study is being made of the relative 

 economy of medium and high protein rations for milk production, 

 with the object of introducing more farm grains into the rations 

 of dairy cattle. The value of the dual purpose cow for milk and 

 beef as compared with the special purpose breeds is also receiving 

 attention. The feeding and breeding of pigs and sheep continue 

 to be prominent features. Grinding corn has been found unprofit- 

 able in fattening hogs, as the saving of feed is too small to meet the 

 cost of grinding. A comparison of the bacon and lard types for 

 pork production has been inaugurated. Beet pulp is being tried 

 as a food for sheep, and the experiments on raising winter lambs 

 have been continued. 



In horticulture extensive experiments to improve the native wild 

 plum are drawing to a close. From thousands of seedlings a few 

 choice varieties adapted to Wisconsin conditions have been secured 



