12 Director's Report of the 



tions of apparatus are made, these laboratories may be regarded 

 as among the most convenient and eflScient of any in the country. 

 As much could not properly be claimed for the scientific equip- 

 ment for biological investigation as it existed on July first. This 

 should be of the best. Microscopes, section cutters and other 

 pieces of apparatus of the most approved forms necessary to 

 botanical and entomological research should be available. It is 

 a waste of means to associate good men and poor apparatus. 

 As will be seen later, this condition of things is being gradu- 

 ally remedied. 



Fruit plant. — In one direction the Station is exceptionally well 

 provided with the means of observation and experiment. Refer- 

 ence is made to the collection of fruits that are now being grown 

 on the Station grounds. This nDw includes 3,088 varieties, and 

 constitutes a notable opportunity for horticultural study. As 

 the value of what is known as " variety testing " is called in 

 question by many, special reference is made further on to this 

 department of Station work. ' 



Dairy animals. — It is very well known that the Station is in 

 possession of cows from several breeds which for some years 

 have been used in what is known as the breed test. It cannot be 

 claimed that these animals are in all respects satisfactory as 

 good specimens of the breeds which they represent, although 

 they include some individuals of excellent quality. It is prob- 

 able that as a breed test alone, it would not be profitable to con- 

 tinue longer the collection of data such as has been recorded 

 during the past four or five years. Any additional figures will 

 be essentially a repetition of those we now have. But as we 

 need a herd of cows to use in an experimental way, it will be 

 be possible to keep up a breed classification of the records with 

 but little expense, and it is certainly desirable to complete, if 

 possible, the life-history of some of the animals. 



The Distribution of Information by the Station. 

 The bulletins. — These are published by means of a special state 

 appropriation made for that purpose. The present edition of 

 each bulletin is 27,000. This covers the mailing list and leaves 



