Iron County register., 1899-08-10
THE EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS
Interesting Observations by Director
Allen During Prolonged Tour
of the Western States.

Washington, Aug. 7.-Dr. E. w. AL
len, assistant director of experiment.
! stations in the agricultural depart
ment, has just returned from pro-
longed tour of the west, made for the
purpose of inspecting the various sta
tions in that section.
Discoveries i'm Cheese Making.
He states that one of the most IN
| teresting lines of investigation whi III
| is being pursued in these stations is
| that with regard to cheese making.
| The station in Wisconsin is taking the
| lead in this especial work, and discos-
cries have been made there which rev.
olutionize the European theory that
the ripening of cheese is due to bac-
| terra. The American experiments DEM
onstrate beyond doubt that the prin-
cipai change in the albuminoids which
| takes place in the ripening process Is
| dependent upon a ferment which is
contained in the milk itself and not
| to the bacteria. It is believed this dis
covery will have an important bearing
upon cheese manufacture in the fu-
ture.
Excessive AIkaIi and Irrigation.
LII the SldtiOlS tAC SChit-
| arid region much attention is being
given to the investigation of excessive
alkali in the soil. In many sections,
| notably in California and Utah, there
are large regions of irrigated land
which are practically non-productive
on account of the presence of alkaH
Investigation makes it plain this is
due to irrigation, and in many in
stances to excessive irrigation. The
water applied to the soil brings the
salts to the surface when it rises. In
| some instances it has been found that
| the lower portion of streams had been
rendered very alkaline by the return
of these salts in the water from the
| irrigated fields.
Too Much Water Used.
The work of the experiment stations
in connection with this problem is to
| find remedy for the evil, and this
they are seeking to do by demonstrate
| ing that in most instances crops do not
require nearly so much water as is APP
piled to them. They are working along
practical lines in the solution of the
| problem and in some cases the more
| progressive farmers are cooperating
with them. Evidentally they hope TO
be able to show just what quantity is
| required for a given crop in given
| locality, and count, when able to do
! this, not only upon saving rom de-
struction much land already under
| ditch, but also upon extending the IL
rigable area by demonstrating that
more land can be supplied with water
| from the available supply than now is.
To Secure Suitable Forage Plants.
In Montana, Idaho and other semi
arid states there is much work look
| ing to securing forage plants adapted
| to the latitude and climate. In those
states most satisfactory results have
been secured with the COW pea, which
is generally planted with oats. Red
clover is also found to flourish in tilat
section even better than in the east
ern states.
In other regions much attention is
| given to the rotation of crops.
Regarded With Growing Favor.
DR.. Allen reports n growing friend
| ship towards the experiment stations
| on the part of the farmers. When the
stations were first established they
were regarded as an innovation, but in
| many instances the farmers have come
| now to depend on them and most of
them regard the stations with favor.