SOUTH DAKOTA,, 155 



SOUTH DAKOTA. 



South Dakota Agi'icultural Experiment Station, lirookUiys. 



Department of South Dakota Agricultural College. 



J. W. Wilson, M. S. A., Director. 



Plant Ijreeding, animal breeding, and feeding problems have con- 

 tinued to be the dominant interests at the South Dakota Station. 

 Tests of about forty varieties of durum wheat as to their usefulness 

 for bread making and macaroni have showed great variations and 

 have resulted in the retention of several of the more promising 

 types. It has been established in these investigations that the durum 

 wheats are especially adapted to arid localities unsuitable for the 

 ordinary sorts. Selection experiments with grasses indicate that 

 the slender wheat grass {Agropyron tenerum) and the western 

 Avheat grass {A. spkatum) are of considerable merit. Encouraging 

 progress has been made in the introduction of rust-resistant strains 

 of alfalfa, millet, sorghimi, clover, and other forage crops, and seed 

 of some of the more promising sorts has been distributed at a nominal 

 price. 



Cattle feeding has been conducted mainly to determine the value 

 of emmer. This has proved well-adapted to South Dakota condi- 

 tions and has been found to be a promising substitute for corn in 

 the production of baby beef. The value of various proprietary 

 stock foods is being tested with pigs, and digestion experiments with 

 sheep are being undertaken with the principal forage crops and 

 grains of the State. In animal l)reeding reciprocal crosses of York- 

 shire and Poland Chinas are being made, together with attempts to 

 improve the quality of range cattle and both the mutton and wool 

 types of sheep. 



Rotation experiments are being carried on as formerly, and there 

 is considerable study of plant diseases. Some very marked physio- 

 logical results have followed the injection of chemicals into trees 

 for the control of diseases, but as yet no pathological benefits have 

 been noted. Breeding experiments with native wild species of fruits 

 and importations from northern Europe and Asia have been con- 

 tinued on an extensive scale. A hardy raspberry of good quality* 

 has been developed, and the possibility of securing graft hybrids 

 is being studied. Much of the work with grains and fruits has been 

 carried on at the Highmore substation. 



A test of dips for the prevention of sheep scab is proceeding, and 

 studies of lumpy jaw are contemplated. A building for the use of 

 the veterinarian is to be erected. 



