503 



"In every case wliere tlie soil in the bree<lin<i' caj^es was disturbed 

 after tlie insects had tianslbrmed the l)eeth3s perished in the soil. The 

 only way in whi(!h we have been able to rear active adults has been to 

 leave the soil in the breeding? caj;es undisturbed Ironi niidsunnner till 

 the foUowin^i;' spring. 



"This experience clearly indicates that by fall plowing we can destroy 

 the beetles in the soil, an<l thus prevent their maturing and depositing 

 eggs the following season." 



Report of AfiRicuLTURisT, EI. IT. Wing, B. Agti. (pp. 43, 44). — 

 A brief outline of the work of the year. Exi)orinients in the l)reeding 

 of pigs and in the breeding and feeding of poultry have been under- 

 taken. 



IvEPORT OF HOKTTOULTUKTST, L. TT. Batley, M. S, (pp. 45-54, illus- 

 trated). — An illustrated descrii)tion of the plant-houses, barn, planta- 

 tions, and garden herbarium of this division of the station, with notes 

 on the work in ])rogress. The experiments in crossing and hybridiza- 

 tion, the intluonce of electric light on the growth of plants, theefifectof 

 fertilizers on fruit-trees, and methods of propagating and forcing plants 

 are considered of special importance. The results of souse of these will 

 be published before long. 



Many secoudary investigations are under way, of which tho following may be 

 inention(!(l : au exporinient with the cnltivation of hnckleherries, both at the station 

 and n]ion a piece of land in the eastern part of the State; tests of edi1)le ])lants of 

 foreign eonntries to determine which ones give promise in this f>tatc; tests in tho 

 antomatic ventilation of greenhouses, and several other features of greenhouse con- 

 struction ; a largo experiment to determine the influence of food, chietly concentrated 

 fertilizers, upon tho variation of plants; a large experiment with hardy foreign and 

 domestic roses ; a systematic study of horse radish, with particular reference to prop- 

 agation an<l improvement ; and at all times the study of the s[)ecies and the variation 

 of plants under culture. In all our work photography is used freely as a means of 

 preserving accurate records. 



New York Cornell Station, Bulletin No. 25, December, 1890 (pp. 44). 



Milk, ]I. Snyder, B. S. (pp. 143-151). — Method of analysis.— The 

 gravimetric; asbestos method described by S. M. Babcock, is used at this 

 station, the tubes used being the fodder tnbes described by G. O. Cald- 

 well (See New York Cornell Station Bulletin No. 12, or Experiment Sta- 

 tion Kecord, YoL I, p. 278). The working of the method is desciibed. 



Comparison of the asbestos and paper methods. — Tiiree comparisons of 

 the Babcock asbestos method with the Adams method of drying the 

 milk on coils of filter paper are reported. The largest difference in solids 

 was 0.11 per cent in favor of the Adams, and in fat 0.08 per cent in 

 favor of the Babcock method. 



Asbestos appears to be superior to paper. Corrections are always necessary on 

 account of the ether-soluble matter in the paper coils. This is a v.ariable quantity, 

 and when a sample of milk has become acid the paper will give up a much larger 

 quantity of extract. With skim-uvilk or buttermilk this freijuontly amounts to a 

 third or a half of tlic total weight of fat obtained, and in case the skim-milk or butter- 



