The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-02

to a study 81 the sikaIi soils. m uepn
was insugurated in los " c~nnJ0nB1o10
with Milton Whitney. professor IN charge
Of the soil investigations for the d<o1rt-
ment Of agriculture. Warrington. D. 4.
DIR. Traphaven realizes thai their n no<n-
ing Of more Importance thar this woeu-
"In qIste a fsrge arfa bfrbe state there
exist conditions which. II not count~racf-
cd. give promise Of great troubic TO The
owners Of lands. A. pore tHsinstaktuc
study Of the sugar beet from a CONNER
ciai stau0poim will axfsc BE made ~
present season.
Numerous plsts Of sugar beefs from
one-hah TO an acre in extent are being
grown in various sections NJ the state.
These plats will be accurately measured
and = true account kept of all labor en-
ployed in the production and harvesting
Of the crop. together Win ire Yields aud
analysis of the crop. and will tell the
story whether in these respective sections
the sugar beet can be proh.sbiy cultivated
or not. Other chemical work will he con-
tinued-snalysis OF cereals. forage plants.
soils and waters.
'Dr. Wilson will continue his investiga-
tions Of the poisonous plants found upon
the ranges of the state. A most valuable
bulletin. No. Il. Larkspur Poisoning OF
sheep. just issued by the station. is from
his pen. and should be In the hands Of ev-
cry stock owner in Montana. as this nox-
ious plant kills not only sheep. but cattle
AZ well. A splendid feature of this bulletin
IL an edition Of i.00 copies bound in heavy
manila paper as a text book for the mar
on the range In charge Of cattle or
sheep.
This bulletin is not content to state ef-
fects already well known. but. in addition.
prescribes treatment for poisoned animals.
Copies may he had free upon application
until the edition Is exhausted.
"Other lines attracting DIR. wilcox's At
tention are studies Of the air sac mite AZ
fecting poultry. and the grain aDhi2-
which heretofore has been found by mil
ions I'm the grain fields of the Gallatin
valley.
Some valusble and unknown discover
les have recently been made in this mat
ter by DIR. Wilcox. and no doubt win be
the subject Of a future bulletin
CONFORMITY with DIR. Wilcox. DR.. Jen-
nings. botanist. Is conducting in~vestiga-
lions as to the effects of unsessonably Sc
we're weather. such as has occurred In No
vember Of the past two years. upon fruit
trees. IL has long been known that fruit
trees suffered severely from such radical
changes. Just how the damage was done
was not so clear. IL Is believed that some
light will be thrown on this, a most inter-
esting subject to the fruitgrower.
Another Joint study OF Drs. Wilcox and
Jennings will he Investigations to deter
mine whether or no there Is a structural
difference in the composition OF the Diff
ferent varieties OF strawberries In respect
to resistance to the effects of frosts. This
is especially valuable TO the Gallatin val
ley. as all conditions exist here to a mark
ed degree to a successful propagation of
late ripening berries. The only existing
obstacle TO great success in strawberry
culture here is the loss frequently e<pe-
rienced in fruit blooms being destroyed by
the late spring frosts. which occur with
great regularity between the 10th Of May
and the 10th of June. a time when the
embryo fruit is most susceptible to frost.
Lieutenant George r. Ahern of the 9th
infantry. u. :. A. has been assigned in
college work to the professorship of mill
tary tactics. In addition TO this the fieu-
7 tenant H. an enthusiast upon the subject
of forestry. In the past IL years he has
collected more data relating to the for
eStry Of Montana while upon exploring
trips for the government than any other
! scientist hat has ever been In the state.
lie is now engaged In a very valuable line
of work. namely. that of collecting speci-
mems OF Montana timber for exhibition at
Omaha. Later this collection will revert to
the college and will be "A valuable nucleus
: TO other collections representative of the
natural resources OF Montana. Many pho
, tographs are being taken by him for the
same purpose On the silva of Montana.
A great work lies before the lieutenant.
I'm case of the cession to the college OF
the Middle creek reserve. as the facilities
Tor the study OF the FOREST tree III W Va
rious stages of development are here TO be
found of the best A very enthusiastic
college class Is also associated under his
leadership in this important study.
THE horticultural work of the station
will be somewhat broadened the present
season. A valuable addition to the equip
ment OF this department. a greenhouse.
has recently been completed. This. while
not large (a0xs0 feet inside MEASUREMENT
affords room for assembling the various
species OF plant life required by college
classes in the study Of botany; also for
starting vegetables which win later be
~transplanted in the open ground The
same is true with reference to hardy out
door plants. Spe-iefties I'm these are a.
tiers. pansies. petunias. verbenas. stocks.
chrysanthemums. carnations. sweet peas.
gersniums. m~arigolds. phlox. etc. These
are now grown In quantity to be used in
the decoration of the station and college
grounds and surplus plants will be for
sale at reasonable prices.
Perhaps no feature Of station work
has afforded the pleasure to visitors as
have the station flowers. This is made but
a small feature of experiment work in the
horticultural department. but IL never
fails TO please those visiting the station
There is nothing susceptible of so much
pleasure and enjoyment as Is the case
with flowers. and il Is believed 10 be prop
er TO officially countenance such endeavor
by a certain amount of experimenting
along this line. The greenhouse will also
he valuable In the propsgations from cut
tings of hardy shrubs and roses TO -
tify the grounds.
"investigations viii be continued in
onion growing. celery. tomatoes and po-
tatoes: in the line of fruits strawberry IN
vestigations will be the main feature. h
question of the varieties best adapted to
Montana. modes of cultivation. of fertfli-
zation. together with a determination of
-. III - AZ
lures OF the work. IL Is believed that the
orchard has wintered quite successfully
as well as the nursery of I and s-year-cid
trees. The ornamentals have also done
well.
Hereafter the United states depart
ment Of agriculture will be associated
with the station in the work Of forestry.
a ten-years contract having been made