6a .... PD. 3L 



with weeds of many different kinds, that many are now liabihties rather than 

 assets. On the Tillson Farm pasture, however, on land not plowed for a generation, 

 perhaps never, the natural vegetation of running cinquefoil, hairy cap moss and 

 other weeds has been absolutely replaced by a perfect carpet of white clover, 

 without plowing or reseeding. The application of these results to pastures in dif- 

 ferent parts of the State is still an open question. This work, coupled with demon- 

 strational work carried on over a period of several years by the department of 

 Agronomy of the Extension Service, gives a starting point for the improvement 

 of such of our permanent pastures as have not already degenerated into brush 

 lots or open woodlands. 



The year's work on onion diseases, carried on under the leadership of Dr. Ander- 

 son, concerned itself particularly with control of the onion smut through the use 

 of formaldehyde and other products. There was striking demonstration of the 

 value of repeated experiments. That formaldehyde properly applied prevents 

 smut, even on badly infested land, has long been known. That under certain 

 conditions the formaldehyde may injure germination is a comparatively recent 

 discovery. It therefore became necessary for the Station to determine conditions 

 under which injury from treatment might be more serious than benefit from the 

 use of formaldehyde. The season's work showed that moisture conditions at the 

 time of planting had a dominant effect; and that the formula of concentration 

 and rate of application must be varied on the basis of moisture conditions in the 

 soil at time of planting. 



CAPITALIZATION OF STATION WORK. 



These few scattered instances of some of the more significant results of the year's 

 work indicate the varied ways in which the State capitalizes the agricultural re- 

 search of its Experiment Station. A part goes directly to farmers and is used by 

 them. This is particularly true of that work which develops methods of controUing 

 injurious insects, and plant or animal diseases. In the case of the investigation of 

 the white diarrhoea of poultry, however, it was necessary to organize a State con- 

 trol in order that this research work might be made of service to practical poultry- 

 men. Again, it may be necessary to seek a commercial outlet. The plan for the 

 certification of nursery stock is a case in point. Much of the work of the Experi- 

 ment Station finds its first field of usefulness in contributing facts leading to the 

 solution of fundamental problems of agriculture and agricultural welfare. This is 

 particularly true of certain of the chemical and biological investigations of soil 

 fertility, carried on the past few years, and with certain types of economic studies. 

 With increasing separation of research and extension teaching, it is probable that 

 greater attention must be given to the capitalization of agricultural research in 

 those particular fields where it is found most valuable. 



CHANGES IN STATION STAFF, DECEMBER 1, 1922 TO DECEMBER 1, 



1923. 



During the year there were five resignations from the Station service. 



Mr. Raymond W. Swift, analyst in the Control Service, resigned to accept a 

 position with the Pennsylvania State Bureau of Animal Nutrition. This change 

 represented a distinct advance and increased opportunity for Mr. Swift. His 

 service here had been eminently satisfactory. 



Professor Webster S. Krout, assistant research professor of Botany, and in charge 

 of apple scab investigations in the eastern part of the State, submitted his resigna- 

 tion April 15, 1923, to enter the Extension Service of the Pennyslvania State Col- 

 lege. Mr. Krout first entered the service of the Experiment Station in April, 1917, 

 and during his six years of service with the Station made an enviable reputation 

 along research lines. He was particularly successful in organizing the co-operative 

 work on apple scab control in the eastern part of the State. It was with great 

 regret that his resignation was accepted. 



At the end of August, Miss Mildred H. Hollis, laboratory assistant in Poultry 

 Disease Elimination, submitted her resignation. While she had been with the 

 Station for but a year, her work had been highly satisfactory. 



Miss Doris Tower, Clerk in the department of Poultry Husbandry, resigned to 

 accept a position in the department of Poultry Husbandry, Kansas Agi-icultural 



