130 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



animnls luTotoforo. The investifrnlion of stable ventilation -was con- 

 tinued with improved ecjuipnient. 



In addition to the Adams fund work, numerous other investiga- 

 tions were carried on by the different departments of the station. 

 The agriculturist Avorked on the origination of varieties of cereals 

 and forage plants by selection and hybridization and of disease- 

 resistant strains by selection from disease infected plants. Obser- 

 vations were made to determine the time required for varieties to 

 come true to type. The study of the etl'ect of rotations and of single 

 crops on the fertility of soil started in 1894 was continued as w^as 

 also the work on the cost of crop production begun in 1002. 



The division of chemistrj'^ studied the manufacture of denatured 

 alcohol and of the economy of the use of heat in the preparation of 

 foods. 



The division of agricultural engineering and physics, officially 

 organized August 1, 1908, planned and supervised the construction 

 of underdrains at the state fruit farm, inade plans for the drainage 

 of the Northeast Experiment Farm at Grand Rapids, conducted an 

 irrigation experiment in cooperation wnth this Office, and gave assist- 

 ance to drainage improvements throughout the State. The grati- 

 fying support given this new division by the State will soon enable 

 it to broaden the scope of its work. 



The work in animal husbandry consisted of feeding trials of sheep 

 and swine and investigations in beef f)roduction. The dairy division 

 com'pleted experiments in feeding for milk production, in which 

 gravimetric analyses of milkings and periodical analyses of all feed- 

 ing stuffs consumed were made. The entomologist conducted experi- 

 ments to determine the least number of spraA-ings wdtli arsenate of 

 lead upon jolums to control the ravages of the plum curculio and to 

 determine the possibility of poisoning fruit trees by the usual proc- 

 ess of arsenical sprayings used by orchardists. Among other w'ork 

 scientific and economic studies were made of the genus Papaipema, 

 or stalk borer. 



The division of horticulture and forestry carried on variety, fer- 

 tilizer, spraj^ing, and breeding experiments with potatoes in addi- 

 tion to crossing experiments with plums, strawberries, raspberries, 

 blackberries, and the treatment of conifer seed for the prevention of 

 the damping off disease. Little advantage was derived from the 

 use of fungicides for the prevention of late blight in potatoes at the 

 station. The fruit breeding work of the station has aroused great 

 interest. Private parties have taken up the work and a number of 

 promising new varieties of fruits have been originated. While there 

 has been no increase in the funds available for horticultural work, 

 the State made a larger appropriation for experimental work in 

 connection with forestry and it is now planned to establish an experi- 



