CRANBERRY INSECTS The cooperative work undertaken in 1908 between this station and the United States Bureau of Entomology on the subject of cranberry insects has been continued the past year at our cranberry station near Grand Rapids, as additional data were desired on the life history of some of the insects studied. The results of these investigations are now being published by the United States Department of Agriculture. HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OF AGRICULTURE The Agricultural Economics department has continued to cooperate with the Carnegie Institute of Washington, D. C., in a historical and geographical study of farm tenures, and the organization of agricultural production in the United States since 1840. Bulletin 198, on The Methods of Renting Farm Lands in Wisconsin, covering one phase of these studies, has been published. FARM ACCOUNTING INVESTIGATIONS Cost accounting has been carried on during the past year on fourteen Wisconsin farms under the supervision of Prof. Taylor of the Agricultural Economics department, and in cooperation with the United States Bureau of Plant Industry. The investigations include the making of inventories and financial statements, and the keeping of man labor and horse-labor records on each farm. Through such a system of accounts the farmer obtains a complete record of the year's operations, which will show him just where his profits or losses occurred, and which of various competing crops proved most profitable. IMPROVEMENT OF CITY MILK SUPPLIES Advisory relations have been maintained between the College and the Child Welfare Commission this past year on questions relating to the improvement of the city milk supply of the City of Milwaukee. Efforts have been made by the departments concerned to study the economic as well as the hygienic aspects of this problem, in order to throw some light on practicable methods of improvement that can be put into operation. PUBLICATIONS The plan adopted in 1909-1910 of separating the publications of the Station into different classes for different types of readers has proven very satisfactory. The Bulletins give the results of experimental work of the Station which is of such character as to be directly applicable to the needs of the farmer, and are sent free to all applicants. The Research Bulletins contain the more strictly scientific and technical results and are prepared, not for the practical man, but for the scientific investigator, and are also sent to the agricultural press. In case the results are of such a nature as to be immediately applicable to practice, the subject is likewise presented in more popular form in the bulletin series. A third series of publications, known as Circulars of Information, present information of direct practical value to the farmer, but these publications may contain no new experimental material that has been obtained at this Station. In such cases, effort is made to bring together in summary form the results of best practices that are known on the general problem treated, as applied to Wisconsin conditions. The circular also includes the report of the various lines of inspection and control work that are of especial benefit to Wisconsin farmers only. The results of investigations of members of the station staff are in some cases also published in various scientific journals of recognized standing, so as to bring the theoretical and technical work more prominently before investigators in general who are not associated with experiment station work. The following articles have been contributed by the several members of the staff: The Relation of Plant Pathology to Other Branches of Botanical Science L. R. Jones, Phytopathology, 1, 39. Pectinase, the Cytolitic Enzyme Produced by Bacillus Carotovorus and Certain Other Soft Rot Organisms-L. R. Jones, Part II of Bul. 147 of the Vermont Exp. Sta., also issued as Technical Bulletin No. 11 of the Geneva Exp. Sta. The Sulphur Requirements of Farm Crops in Relation to the Soil and Air Supply-E. B. Hart and W. H. Peterson, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 33, April 1911. Improvement of the Wiley Method for Determining the Melting Point of Fats-H. Steenbock, Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 2, Nov. 1911. Use of Spices and Preservatives-Conrad Hoffmann and Alice C. Evans, Journal of Home Economics and Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, in press. Recent Methods for the Diagnosis of Glanders F. B. Hadley, American Veterinary Review, in press. The Tsetse Fly and Sleeping Sickness; and Other Insect Carriers of Disease—A. C. Burrill, Wisconsin Medical Journal, 9, 8, pp. 458-477. DIGESTS OF STATION PUBLICATIONS BULLETINS 196. Opportunities for Profitable Farming in Northern Wisconsin. (Delwiche) About 10,000,000 acres of the uncleared land in Northern Wisconsin are suitable for farms. This bulletin discusses the cost of clearing the land, the soils, climate, and rainfall of the region, and the crops especially suited to it. 197. Methods of Paying for Milk at Cheese Factories. (Babcock, Farrington, Hart) Investigations reported show that the fat content alone is not a true measure of the capacity of milk for cheese production. Payment for milk for cheesemaking can be based justly only on the content of both fat and casein, equal values being assigned to each constituent. Therefore, the Hart casein test should be used in all cheese factories, especially since the use of this test is not expensive. 198. Methods of Renting Farin Lands in Wisconsin. (Taylor). This bulle. tin emphasizes the importance of a definite understanding between landlord and tenant on all necessary subjects, and presents the points which a good lease should cover. The relative merits of share and cash tenancy are discussed. based upon the opinions of a large number both of landlords and of tenants in Wisconsin, and the distribution of cash and share tenants in the state in 1910 is shown by maps. 199. The Principles and Practice of Land Drainage. (Jones) Over 7,000.050 acres of Wisconsin land need drainage, one-third of the area consisting of muck and peat marshes, and the remainder of wet clays. The benefits of drainage are emphasized, and it is shown that the cost of draining these wet lands is in many cases very small compared with the benefits which result. The use of each of the four types of drains-protection ditches, outlet ditches, surface ditches, and covered under-drains, is discussed, and the location and construction of each type described. 200. The Selection of Feeds for Dairy Cows. (Woll and Humphrey) This bulletin emphasizes the fact that each farmer should feed each cow according to her capacity and production. The composition of the common feeding stuffs is discussed, feeding standards for cows of different sizes and productions are given, and the method of determining the most economical ration, clearly explained. 201. Planting the Commercial Orchard. (Moore) The importance of se lecting the proper site, as regards soil, elevation, and exposure, and also ob taining the right size and age of trees, is emphasized. A map shows the leading apple-growing districts of the state, lists of the varieties suitable for planting, and condensed instructions for planting trees and caring for them after they are planted. 202. The Management of Heavy Clay Soils. (Whitson and Delwiche) The soils of this type. when properly managed, are very productive, and adapted to a great variety of crops, but good management is especially neces sary for them. Experiments summarized show that drainage is most essential in securing the best crop yields. These soils should also be worked only when in proper condition, and crops and rotations must be chosen with especial regard to the character of the land. To maintain their fertility, it is necessary to add considerable vegetable matter and supply phosphate fertilizers. 203. Report of the Director, 1910. (Russell) In this, the twenty-seventh annual report of the Director of the Experiment Station, is presented in popular form a brief account of the work of the Station during the past year. Progress reports are given of the principal lines of research work, and also a report on the work of the Extension Service, a brief digest of each publication issued during the year, and the annual financial statement. 204. The Improvement of Sandy Soils. (Whitson and Sievers) The sandy soils in the state, of which there are nearly 5,000,000 acres, are easily cleared and have a number of advantages for certain crops, but require special treat ment for the best results. The necessity of adding vegetable matter to these soils is emphasized. 205. The Development of Marsh Soils. (Whitson and Sievers) Through proper drainage and soil management much of the 2,500,000 acres of marsh land of the state can be made productive. In the improvement of these marshes, drainage is the first step, followed by proper tillage to make a firm seed bed, and fertilization to correct the unbalanced composition of such soils. The bulletin outlines the treatment required by the marsh areas in the different sections of the state and mentions the crops best suited to each area. 206. Tobacco Culture in Wisconsin. (Johnson) Tobacco ranks sixth among the important crops of Wisconsin, the average annual crop being worth nearly $6,000,000. Detailed instructions are given in the bulletin for growing good healthy plants, preparing the field for planting, transplanting, cultivating the crop, topping and suckering, harvesting and curing in the shed. 207. The Management of a Bearing Orchard. (Moore) In this bulletin the methods of soil management both in the young orchard and in the bearing orchard are discussed, and the merits of the sod-mulch, the half-sod-mulch, and the clean-culture, cover-crop system, are considered. The proper method of pruning is explained and directions are given for spraying to control orchard pests, the most serious of which in this state are codling moth, aphis, scale, curculio, scab, and blight. 208. Crop Demonstrations on State and County Farms. (Norgord) During the past two years crop demonstrations have been conducted by the Agronomy department at twenty farms connected with various state and county institutions throughout the state. These demonstrations serve to adapt scientific methods to local conditions and also to stimulate farmers to practice these methods. To present the results to as many farmers as possible a demonstration picnic is held at each farm during the growing season. 209. The Prices of Farm Products. (Taylor) The farmer should understand the trend of prices in order that he may plan his crop rotations and his feeding operations with his eyes upon the market as well as upon the field. It is shown that fluctuations in the values of products from year to year are caused by variations in the quantity produced or in the quantity demanded. Charts are given in the bulletin showing the relation between the supply and the price of eggs, butter, potatoes, corn, and hogs, and the special factors influencing the price of each of these products are considered. 210. Progress of the Dairy Industry. (Taylor and Lee) This bulletin presents a survey of the progress of dairying, the most important industry in the state, during the period 1905 to 1910. The location of each creamery, cheese factory, and condensery is shown, and numerous other maps show the present status of the various branches of the dairy industry, and the changes which have occurred during this period. 211. Buttermilk Cheese Making at the Creamery. (Sammis) Buttermilk cheese is a new product obtained by curdling buttermilk, draining the curd, and adding salt. Full directions are given in this bulletin for making this cheese and properly packing it for market. Large amounts of buttermilk are wasted every year at creameries that should be made into this wholesome food, which is equal in food value, pound for pound, to lean beefsteak, and yet which can be sold profitably for half the price of meat. 212. Barley Vulture in Wisconsin. (Moore and Stone) Approximately 25,000,000 bushels of barley, or about one-eighth of the entire crop of the United States, are grown annually in Wisconsin, making this one of our most important money crops. The Oderbrucker, Manshury, Silver King, and Golden Queen, all six-rowed bearded varieties, gave the best returns in the state, but now the new pedigree strains of these varieties, developed at this Station, have proven superior to the old varieties. The culture of barley is discussed in this bulletin and emphasis is placed on careful seed testing, treatment of the seed with hot water to eradicate smut, and thorough preparation of the seed bed. RESEARCH BULLETINS 14. Sulphur Requirements of Farm Crops in Relation to the Soil and Air Supply. (Hart and Peterson) Hitherto no attention has been directed to this problem in America. The sulphur content of a number of common farm products was determined by the peroxide method, and the quantity found was markedly greater than found by Wolff in the ash from such products. The amount of sulphur removed by many crops is equal to or even greater than the amount of phosphorus removed by the same crops. It is shown that normal soils contain in the surface foot about the same quantity of sulphur as phosphorus, and more sulphur is probably lost in drainage waters than is brought to the land in the rainfall. Continued cropping without adequate fertilization tends to deplete the sulphur content of the soil, as is shown by analyses of virgin and cropped soils. From the data presented, it appears that for permanent and Increased production of farm crops, not only must nitrogen and phosphorus be supplied, but the question of sulphur supply must also be considered. 15. Experiments on Spore Germination and Infection in Certain Species of Comycetes. (Melhus) Investigations reported in this bulletin show that the spores of the white rust, Cystopus candidus, from the common radish, Raphanus sativus, germinate best at about 50° F, a strikingly low temperature, and that radish seedlings showed a greater infection with the rust when chilled. No marked difference was found in the susceptibility of twenty-two varieties of radish to the rust, and Raphanus caudatus, another species of the same genus, could be infected with spores from Raphanus sativus. Of several other members of the mustard family, all known to be hosts of the rust, only white mustard and cabbage could be infected with rust from the radish. 16. The Place of Economics in Agricultural Education and Research. (Taylor) In this bulletin, after a consideration of the general scope of agricultural economics, the economic forces and conditions which have to be taken into account in determining what to produce in a given locality, are discussed. Attention is also given to the question of the proper degree of intensity of culture for a given crop, the tenant problem, and the relations between the economic principles of production and the forces and conditions which determine value. The various methods used in the study of economic problems in agriculture are presented-the historical method, the geographical method, the statistical method, the accounting method, and the experimental |