210 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



ing some of the more recent work in regard to the thermal death point 

 of tubercle bacilli; investigations of an outbreak of anthrax traceable 

 to tannery refuse, and experiments to test the value of formaldehyde 

 in destroying the anthrax bacillus; a stud}' of the influence of the right 

 amount and the right distribution of water in crop production, includ- 

 ing culture and irrigation experiments; a series of experiments to 

 determine the extent and character of unavoidable losses in the pro- 

 duction of silage; tests of the relative effectiveness of various potash 

 salts on black-marsh soils; studies of the influence of tillage, season, 

 and cropping on the total amounts, relative proportions, and distribu- 

 tion of nitric nitrogen and soluable salts in soils; data for tests of 35 

 varieties of oats, 15 of barley, 10 of spring wheat, 6 of peas, 2 of spelt, 

 and 1 of spring rye; analyses of sugar beets, and variety and fertilizer 

 tests; analyses of 7 samples of commercial fertilizers; tables for use in 

 K jeldahl method for determination of nitrogen ; investigations on the 

 origin and development of flower buds, especially those of the peach 

 and strawberry; experiments in pinching raspberry shoots; observa- 

 tions on the resumption of root growth in the spring; experiments to 

 study, the effects of using immature seed corn and tomato seed; studies 

 on duration of the growth period in fruit trees ; a description of rooms 

 for cheese making and curing recently provided at the station; a record 

 of the university dairy herd, kept partly for the purpose of comparing 

 the milk and butter production of cows of the special-purpose dairy 

 type and cows of the dual-purpose type; and the text of the Wisconsin 

 fertilizer law. o 



GENERAL OUTLOOK. 



The Wisconsin Station has only recently inaugurated experiments 

 in agronomy, and at present is confining this work largely to cereals 

 and forage plants. Important investigations regarding the composi- 

 tion and treatment of muck soils have been continued. An interesting 

 feeding experiment with cows was conducted indicating that the con- 

 stituents in different crops have a different effect on the animal. Long- 

 continued feeding of salt to cows showed a marked beneficial effect. 

 The feeding value of sorghum for cows was found to be better than 

 that of corn fodder, and mature rape fed to cows in quantities as large 

 as 40 to 60 pounds per day did not perceptibly affect the flavor of the 

 milk. Investigations with succulent green corn v. mature corn for 

 silage have shown that a sweeter silage is obtained from mature corn. 

 In the cheese-ripening studies about 100 cheeses were cured at tem- 

 peratures varying from below zero to above 70° F. The results show 

 the great advantages of low-temperature curing in point of safety and 

 greater control of the process, and demonstrate conclusively that 

 cheese of excellent quality can be produced under such conditions of 

 curing. The most notable result of the work of the past year has 



