140 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



department of agronomy, whidi is also caiiyiny on variety, culture, 

 rotation, and irrigation tests with various crops, making j)Iant 

 hybrid and individual plant selections, and testing the moisture 

 conserving efficiency of mulches. Several lines of investigation are 

 carried on in cooperation with this Department. 



A 3-year test and record of the milking machine made by the dairy 

 department indicated that under certain conditions the machine 

 may be economically and successfully operated. This Dej^artment 

 also studies the eti'ect on calves fed on milk treated with foinialde- 

 hyde. the elFect of acidity on character and content of germs in 

 milk and on digestibility, and the effect of age of cream on the 

 melting point of butter as related to the use of the hand separator. 



The department of chemistry made experiments with reference to 

 the treatment of alkali soils, buffalo wallows, and gumbo soils, to- 

 gether with pot experiments on the use of gypsum either alone or 

 with manure and lime. 



In animal husbandry the experiments in beef production were con- 

 tinued, different amounts of corn being fed with reference to the 

 profitable length of the feeding period, the degree of ripeness in 

 relation to shipping, the finish obtained with different feeds as 

 related to percentage of dressed meat, and like factors. The data on 

 some 20 experiments with pigs fed on grain and forage were ready 

 for publication, as was also a bulletin on the feeding of different 

 amounts of grain to steers. 



The work of the botanist included studies on plum pocket, poplar 

 canker, poplar blight, and potato dry rot. The station entomologist 

 acts as state entomologist and in this connection secures much ma- 

 terial for miscellaneous studies under this fund. 



The horticulturist at the time of his resignation had prepared a 

 bulletin on apple grow-ing in Montana and on experiments with orna- 

 mentals, and had on hand material for a bulletin on vegetables. The 

 horticultural work is largely carried on at the substation in the Bitter 

 Root Valley. 



W. J. Taylor was placed in charge of the department of veterinary 

 medicine, but his work will be largely for the college. 



The station is carrying on cooperative work with this Department 

 along the line of crop rotations, varietal tests of grains and forage 

 crops, and methods of crop management for dry farming conditions, 

 the water losses from irrigated land with various depths of mulches 

 or without mulch, the life history of the tick and its relation to 

 spotted fever, and with the principal railroads of the State in con- 

 nection with 11 substations, essentially demonstration farms, for the 

 Study of dry farming conditions. 



The farmers' institute work of the station consists in Avork con- 

 nected with meetings on the demonstration farms to call attention 



