Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-03-10
THE EXPERIMENT STATION.
Its Annual Report Just Issued and
Sent to the Governor.

ssnS eiieu..uio al 1ApefiInent olatlOn mas
Just issued its annual report to the gov
ernor OF the State, the Secretary of Agri-
culture, the Secretary of the Treasury and
the other stations throughout the country,
Although 1t is very tardy-being for the
year lSJO--it contains much new and in
tterestlng matter of interest to agricultur-
lists. The plan Of 1890 was to carry out
tests which seemed likely to promise re-
suits OF immediate practical value to the
farmers of the State and a detailed report
OF each experiment is given in the report,
Wnlch covers l76 pages and is illustrated by
cuts, photographs, &c. But as these ex-
perlments and results We're reported fully
IN EVERY EVENING at the time they were
made and when they were claiming the
interest of those for whom they were
mace there IS now no need to 60 over the
ground again.
For the year closing June 3Oth, 1890 the
financial report shows the full appropria-
hon OF $4,000 from the government to
nave been expended, some of the chief
Items Of which are as follows: Salaries.
Ss,OS3.49; grounds and preparation, S9i4. SO;
labor, Ss40l3; field experiments, s62i.59;
apparatus, 10; supplies, S46S.02 print
lng and publishing Sl,1l6.41 fittings,
S57569. - 'Ni'SN''
The work as described in the report is
summarized as follyws: /. Studies Of soils
and OF crops to lead If possible to a more
national and economical use Of fertilizers,
:. Field trials of forage and other special
purpose plants. 3. Theoretical inyestira-
lions and practical treatment of fungus
diseases of cultivated fruits and crops.
4. Studies of the life histories of insect
pests and practical tests of methods and
means for combating them. 5. A thor
ough chemical study of the creamery in
terest as II exists at present and prelimin-
airy study of methods and machinery
which were supposed to be about to revolii.
tionlze this industry. 8. Tests of varieties
OF large and small fruits, etc 7. General
analytical work in the chemical laboratory
on tne storage OF poisonous compounds in
pants, and analytical work on the com
position lchemicaD of such flingicides and
Insecticides as are known TO be in every
DAY use in farming communities. S. Nc
neurological records.
twenty pages of the report are devoted
20 IN elaborate report of the experiments
~ tne creamery business, its processes and
lts apparatus conducted during the mast
year by the chemist of the station, Charles
l., fenny. This is the only thing particu-
larry new IN the report and the results
cannot but be valuable to dairymen. Prof.
l,ennys experiments and ANALYSIS both in
the creamery and the laboratory have been
tiiuer way Tor over a year and are conse-
yuehtly exhaustive and to large degree
conclusive. The sour-cream and sweet
cream processes of making butter were
accurately tested and that wonderful little
machine, the Swedish butter EXTRACTOR
described some time ago in EVERY EVEN
ING.was thoroughly tested many times
Tor the dairy interests of the State. This
illaciiihe was purchased about two years
ago Dy the station At considerable expense
ana was one of the first of the machines
DtlI IN ODnTntinn fhis IA
swedish invention designed to separate
tile cream from the milk and to make
butter al the same time. in other words
new mix poured into one side of this
iittle machine running $500 revolutions to
me minute came out butter at the other
eha, process that promised toreyolulion-
ne the creamery business.
In December, 1889, a study of the cream.
cry business was begun, but was not car
rleu lar enough TO warrant more than a
partlai report in that year. This work has
since Deen completed. The object in view
was 10 ascertain the net yield, or efficiency
81 the processes employed in butter max,
ing, TO locate and estimate wastes or other
cullses OF loss, to see if any notable in
crease IN yield is practicable and to com
Pure any new process of butter making
win those now Ill use. The creamery nj
Whlch all studies were made was that II
Dawson Bros, in Newark. The nIant and
equipment are substantially the same as
are found IN most creameries, viz; steam
poiler and engine. De Laval separator with
steam turbine, common churn and butter
water. Sfi'tiS
As to the butter extractor the Weld and
quality tests were quite conclusive. Thev
showed That the machine wonderful as II Il
rs q piece OF mechanism and I,romisir,e, ne II
L " inc way of future developments 4 NOT
at present an economical machine. The
report concludes:
hh,ltnough the extractor appears unfayor-
aply IN comparison with a much older
method IT can not but be regarded ms n mar.
Ncl oI inventive and mechanical skill The
surprise is i'll the first instance thar II
siould 90 Its work at all and then even
though II be found wanting that il shonld
40 us work SO well. 1t Is brought ~ Tho
start INTO competition with a highly ner-
iueseu machine and method thoroughly
understood from many years Of cXpnri
ence. Its shortcoming under the sevore
.est 10 whlch 1t is obliged 10 submit ought
hpt 70 pc cause of disappointment, there is
nlohl rather Tor announcement BECAUSE
" mas done so much Its future develon.
ilent is probably question of the relative
merits OF sweet-creain butter and sour-
cIealn Dltter' II experience and an edu-
Gated taste shall finally favor the former
t1e extractor may be expected TO take the
place OF the separator and the churn. Riff
unless the decision shall fall in that ,iirec-
tlon 1t Is doubtful ii the new device ever
comes into general use.
IN the subject Of the danger Of poison
iag arising from eating grapes On which
s.4lper has been sprayed 10 protect them
from Insects, the chemist Of the station
has this TO say.
destinations Of copper on grapes were
again niade, as formerly, TO test whether
the application Of a certain copper mixture
g the vines Affects the Fruit, or makes it
unsafe rs tood. lnasinuch as the results
" ms WORK, with full discussion Of
thelr bearing on the question under ex.
pertinent in another department are
published in the report of that Department
adetalied statement is here uli,ecessnrv
y may hg remarked, however. that one
sample 81 irtit was covered in spots win
| copper SAT- m great abundance So that III
TASTE was distinctly and disnereeobIv
| metallic Doubtless either the aptIeararce
gr the taste Of the fruit would have con
deinned 1t oil the market. Annlve;s
showed 70 be present about fortv-seven
parts o. copper per million, less than h,ls
petn found ~ some articles of food adj
nIiilted TO he healthful, as beef liver
irllee y seems reasonable to regard as
w III feSlleet 10 the poisonous action of
| copper salts, any sample of fruit trnoted
with the mixture in question. nrovidad ~
TASTE IS not markedly and disagrecahlv
Hetaillc. IN other words, the tongue IL :,
shlllcient safeguard against eating fruit
quantities. r''7o't'''S
| ---7----sn-------
Run Down by Train.
| Charles johnson aolorn1 dr;,,a. .