NEVADA. 129 



work along useful lines. It is growing in support and appreciation, 

 and is rendering increasingly valuable service to the agriculture of 

 the State. 



NEVADA. 

 Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Reno. 

 Department of Nevada State University. 

 J. E. Stubbs, D. D., LL. D., Director. 



There have been no material changes in the policy or the lines of 

 work at the Nevada Station other than a readjustment of duties 

 whereby a number of the staff are relieved of a portion of the teach- 

 ing. The consulting chemist, N. E. Wilson, has resigned after 

 fifteen years' service. AV. B. Mack, of the veterinary college of Cor- 

 nell University, has been given charge of a new department of bac- 

 teriology and veterinary science, and J. E. Church has been appointed 

 cooperative observer in climatology and meteorology. As hereto- 

 fore, the main lines of work have been agronomy, animal husbandry, 

 and horticulture, as modified by the peculiar climatic and economic 

 conditions of the region. Irrigation is essential to agriculture in 

 most of the State and forms the basis of all the work. The irrigation 

 investigations have been in cooperation with this Office, supple- 

 mented by a State appropriation, and include measurement of the 

 water used on the station farm and studies of the water requirements 

 of various cereals, sugar beets, alfalfa, and miscellaneous crops. 



The growing of forage crops, particularly alfalfa, has received at- 

 tention, especially as regards drought resistance in dry framing. A 

 comparison has been made of alfalfa grown in the usual way and 

 with oats, rye, and barley as nurse crops. 



The work in animal husbandry has consisted largely of studies of 

 the value of alfalfa for pasture, soiling, and hay in the production of 

 beef, mutton, and pork. A herd of Holstein cattle is being built up, 

 and an attempt is being made to improve the mutton quality of the 

 flock of sheep by introducing Dorset blood. 



The horticultural work is being developed with regard to the 

 adaptability and cultural management of fruits and vegetables suit- 

 able to the conditions. The station has now, besides its orchard, an 

 arboretum for the testing and growing of ornamental trees, and a 

 botanic garden. Studies of range conditions and of the digesti- 

 bility of range forage plants and native grasses, and also of the 

 poisonous properties and principles of range plants, have been con- 

 tinued. 



The work of the chemist on soils and waters of the State has been 

 practically completed. 



294b— 07 9 



