134 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



Reports of the receipts and expenditures for the United States 

 funds have been rendered in accordance with the schedules pve- 

 seribed by this DeiDartment and have been approved. 



The work of these stations has made substantial growth during 

 the year in scientific efficiency and broad practical usefulness, exem- 

 plifying in an unusual degree the harmonious development of these 

 two essential elements of successful research in tlie interest of agri- 

 culture. 



NEW MEXICO. 



Agricultural Experiment Station of New Mexico, AuriciiHuntl College. 



Department of New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. 



LuTHEB Foster, M. S. A.. Director. 



The work of the Xew Mexico Station has been largely in continua- 

 tion of that of previous years. The extensive investigations on the 

 forage value of cacti and the nutritive value of the fruit have again 

 been a prominent feature. The results of feeding and digestion ex- 

 periments with cattle indicate that certain varieties are of consider- 

 able value as roughage, and the fruit is found to yield jellies and 

 other fruit j)roducts of excellent flavor. The grape crown-gall in- 

 vestigation and the phenological orchard fruit observations have 

 likewise been continued. 



The cooperative irrigation investigations with this Office have been 

 completed and the station is carrying on the work independently. 

 Thus far it has included tests of the cost of irrigating a number of 

 farm and garden crops, river water versus well water, temperature, 

 evaporation, and the efficiency of pumping plants in the Rio Grande. 

 A pumping plant with a capacity of about 1,500 gallons per minute 

 has been installed. It is planned to use the funds from the Adams 

 Act largely foi- the employment of an irrigation engineer and the 

 extension of the irrigation work. 



Horticnltural work on the land formerly used for his purpose has 

 been largely given up and an eifort is being made to develop a tract 

 recently })urc-hased. The soil is saiuly and wind swept, causing nuu-h 

 difficulty in preparing the land for irrigation and cultivation, and 

 the depredations of mice and rabbits have also made ditlicnlt the 

 securing of a good stand of plants. Nevertheless peach orchards and 

 a vineyard have been planted for the special purpose of testing addi- 

 tional varieties and comparing different methods of training, man- 

 agement, and marketing. Experiments have also been started with 

 Irish and sweet potatoes, tomatoes, onions, j^eanuts, celery, and 

 UH'lons, and a new i)lantati<)n lias been opened for forest and orna- 

 mental trees. 



