168 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



and will be propagated for limited distribution. Experiments on 

 the cultivation, fertilizing, curing, and hybridizing of tobacco are 

 in progress, as well as studies of the resistance of varieties of po- 

 tatoes to blight and of spraying for protection against it. Demon- 

 stration experiments in fruit growing are being conducted in the 

 Lake Superior region, together with numerous variety tests. Breed- 

 ing experiments are being carried on with a number of varieties of 

 plants, particularly as to the effect of excessive nutrition as a means 

 of inducing variation. In this way the seedless tomatoes illustrated 

 in Plate VI have been produced at will. 



Studies of tuberculosis have shown that the feedino- of skim milk 

 from creameries to calves and pigs has been an important means of 

 dissemination. The effects of tuberculin testing on milk secretion 

 are also being studied, as well as the occurrence of leucocytes in 

 milk and the distribution of lactose-fermenting yeasts through the 

 State. Soil studies are being made of the various types, the effect 

 of continuous cropping is being studied with a large number of soil 

 samples that have been collected, and field tests of untreated rock 

 phosphates are under waj^ In agronomy, the cereal breeding work 

 with corn, barley, alfalfa, and soy beans is progressing satisfactorily, 

 and weed eradication has been taken up. It has been found that 

 by spraying with iron sulphate solution it is possible to destroy wild 

 mustard (PL VII), oxeye daisy, cockle burs, and ragweed in oat 

 fields without injury to the oat crop. The strength used has been 

 about 100 pounds of iron sulphate to 50 gallons of water per acre, 

 and the cost of material from 60 to 75 cents per acre — much less than 

 for a copper sulphate solution. 



The cooperative and extension work of the station continue to be 

 very large. The irrigation work which has been carried on in co- 

 operation with this Office has been closed, but statistics on drainage 

 areas are being collected. The cranberry investigations are con- 

 tinued with State funds, and in cooperation with the Weather 

 Bureau stations have been maintained from which frost warning? 

 may be sent to growers. There is also cooperation with the Bureau 

 of Animal Industry in methods of cheese manufacture, with the 

 State live-stock sanitary board in the suppression of bovine tuber- 

 culosis, with" the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Association 

 in cereal testing, and very largely directly with the farmers of the 

 State in tobacco growing, potato spraying, drainage, etc. (PI. VIII.) 



The publications of this station received during the year were: 

 Bulletins 127, The principles and practice of horse breeding; 128, 

 A Swiss cheese trouble caused by a gas- forming yeast; 129, Some 

 creamery })rol)lems; 130, Licensed connnercial feeding stuffs, 1905; 

 131, Ofticial tests of dairy cows, 190-1-5; 133, Distribution of tuber- 



