CONVENTION OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES. 413 



equal to the imported article. Work has been taken up with the Penn- 

 sylvania filler tobacco, and it is believed that the Cuban type can be 

 approximated in parts of Pennsjdvania and more closely in Ohio. The 

 case rot, it was stated, causes a loss of about $1,000,000 annually in 

 Pennsyh'ania, which can be prevented by proper methods of handling, 

 and this matter is being* investigated. A soil survey is being made in 

 Pennsylvania and Ohio in order to determine the tobacco districts with 

 a view to selecting the best kinds to grow. In Florida, where the 

 finest type of cigar leaf tobacco in this country is being produced, the 

 quality varies greatly in adjacent localities. A soil survey will be 

 undertaken there to study this matter. Texas is believed to afford an 

 opportunity to develop the Cuban filler industry. A soil survey will 

 be made there also as a basis for this industry, as the regions especially 

 adapted are supposed to be limited. The tobacco exhibit at the Paris 

 Exposition, which was made under the supervision of the Division of 

 Soils, was described, together with the successful competition of the 

 American grown tobacco with the choice tobaccos of other countries. 



A paper, entitled What is available energy, was read by W. O. 

 Atwater, defining this term and describing the means by which this 

 value is determined. The subject was discussed by W. H. Jordan, 

 H. P. Armsby, and C. D. Woods, indicating some confusion in the 

 use of the terms available foods, available energy, actual available 

 energy, etc 



A paper by E. B. Voorhees on Cooperative field experiments, out- 

 lined the form which the cooperation with farmers should take and 

 the part to be performed by both the station and the farmer. A close 

 supervision over all the separate steps up to the weighing of the final 

 crop was advocated. He cited a number of evidences of the value 

 arid utility of cooperative fertilizer experiments in New Jersey. The 

 educational effect on the farmer himself was held to be one of the chief 

 elements of value. 



C. S. Phelps described the cooperation between the Connecticut 

 Storrs Station and farmers in testing dairy herds. This work has 

 been in progress for 7 years and has been carried on at 10 separate 

 farms. It was held to be of use to the farmers in improving their 

 rations and to the station in affording a means of testing narrow 

 rations. 



In a paper on Our new agricultural industry, I. P. Roberts described 

 the growth of the sugar-l)eet industry in this country and some lines 

 in which experimental work is still needed. 



SECTION ON HORTICULTURE AND BOTANY. 



A paper on Plant physiology in its relation to agriculture and hor- 

 ticulture, by A. F. Woods, outlined the requirements of the vegetable 

 physiologist, advocated more thorough training in this subject in 



