152 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



The poultry equipment has been considerably increased by the con- 

 struction of additional houses, yards, etc. 



The field and laboratory investigations on the relations of lime and 

 soda to plant growth have again been carried on in cooperation with 

 the Bureau of Soils, together with tests of the relative efficiency of 

 the paraffin wire-basket method, originated by the Bureau of Soils 

 for determining soil deficiencies, as compared with the Wagner 

 8-inch pot and actual field tests. Many farmers of the State are 

 also cooperating in soil studies. 



Among other lines of work taken up are studies of the improve- 

 ment of land by legumes grown with corn, variety tests of fiint corn, 

 rotation to })roduce grass and corn on worn-out land, mixtures of 

 grasses and legumes earlier than timothy and redtop for convenience 

 of cutting, the feeding power of different crops for phosphoric acid 

 in different forms, and the relative residual effect from these forms. 

 A quite extended investigation was made upon the turnip as a means 

 of indicating the phosphorus deficiencies in soils, and attention has 

 also been given to mixtures of grasses for polo and golf links, the 

 use of phosphoric acid as a supplement to seaweed, and of ferti- 

 lizers for basic and active manures. 



Plant breeding has been carried on with sweet corn to increase the 

 number of ears, with strawberries to retain the flavor of the wild 

 fruit, and with beans to secure resistance to frost. A State appro- 

 priation to the college has resulted in the erection of a new horti- 

 cultural building and greenhouses at a cost of $15,000, one wing of 

 which is to be for the use of the station. 



The publications of the station received during the year were as 

 follows: Bulletins 105, Commercial feeding stuff's; lOG, Concerning 

 the agricultural value of sodium salts; 107, The influence of soil treat- 

 ment in greenhouse culture; 108, Analyses of conmiercial fertilizers; 

 109, A comparison of results obtained by the method of cultures in 

 paraffined wire pots with field results on the same soil; 110, Com- 

 mercial fertilizers; and 111, Trial of varieties of potatoes; and the 

 Annual Report foi' 11)05. 



The income of the station during the past fiscal year was as follows: 



United Sliit«>s appropriation, Ilntch Act .fl.'), 000. 00 



United States .ipproin-iatioii. Adjiiiis Act ^ ">, (lOo. (M) 



Miscellaneous .'')8(i. Xi 



Balance for previous year 3,210.91 



Total 2.3,803.24 



Keports of the receipts and expenditures for the United States fund 

 have been rendered in accordance with the schedules i)rescril»eil hy 

 this Departuieiit and have been aj^proved. 



