The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-12-13
ALONG MANY LTNEs.
The State school OF Agriculture Has
Developed Usefulness.

Developed Usefulness.
In the annual report of the state
school of agriculture, just being is
sued, a large amount of interesting
material in the way Of bulletins is pre-
scented.
Dean Liggett, director of the school,
presents summary Of the work Of the
institution. During the year there
have been issued four bulletins whose
combined publication pages number
1867. .0C0, showing something OF the
circulation which these publications
attain. For about twelve months end
ing June 30 the experiment station,
which is practically a part of the
school in so far as work is concerned,
expended a little over $45,000. The
substation at Crookston cost $780,
and the one at Grand Rapids $4,395.
The director discusses at length the
work which Is carried forward in the
various divisions. In agriculture, many
experiments have been made, particu-
larly in the line Of breeding new varie-
ties of wheat In horticulture, one of
the most interesting features is the
testing OF varieties Of apple trees sent
~
81, 600 prize offered by the Minnesota
State Horticultural society for seed
ling apple az hardy and prolific as the
Duchess, with fruit equal to the
Wealthy in size, quality and appear
ance. and that will keep as we'll as the
Malinda. Fifteen fruit growers have
already entered the contest and have
sent in scions for trial. The edition OF
10000 copies Of Prof. Green's Forestry
in Minnesota" issued by the Minneso-
la State Forestry association has been
exhausted and a revised edition has
been ordered by the board of regents.
In the division of entomology the
work of Prof. Lugger in stamping out
the grasshopper pest on its first ap-
peaTance in any part of the state IS
described. The need of small build
ing is needed where instruction in bee
keeping may be given. Prof Snyder,
in the division Of chemistry, has car
ried on many Investigations and ex-5
periments in determining the best pro-,
portion Of food for workingmen, test
ing the common foods---as milk, cheese,
bread, beans, butter and eggs. Many
analyses Of soils have been made for
the farmers of the state,
In the dairy division it has been
shown by Prof. Hecker that the or
dinary returns from dairy cows may
be increased by nearly 100 per cent
when scientific feeding is practiced.
It is shown that if the 100000 dairy
cows in Minnesota We're systematically
fed in accordance with the needs OF
the animal body for milk production.
there would be an additional net an
nual income to the dairymen OF the
state Of s11 100000.
Owing very largely to the. work OF
the veterinary division the losses from
hog cholera have been less than in
any years since 1896. The veterinary
section is cooperating with the bacteri--
ological laboratory Of the state board
Of health In studying some Of the new
and undescribed animal diseases prey
alent in the state. Investigation is
now under way In connection with in
| fectious cerebro-spinai meningitis and
malignant catarrh among animals, and
results Will be announced later.
In the division Of animal husbandry
many experiments have been carried
on in feEcing pasture crops for sheep;
| in growing soiling foods for sheep and
swine; in growing winter fodder for
sheep; in feeding steers In stalls and
| in the open sheds; in feeding pigs Of
various breeds and grades on the
| bacon plan; in changing the breeding
habits of sheep.
Poultry has attracted much attention
at the school during the year, and
Prof Drew has devoted much time to
| it, The farmers of the state, are
showing an Increased interest in poui-
! try. and this new department, or the
elaboration of the work of an old de-
partment, promises to do much for the
| farmers in producing better grades of
poultry than have yet been in use.
Experimental work of an interesting
character has been carried on at the
| farms at Crookston and Grand Rap
| ids. At the latter farm the value and
| importance of vegetable raising in the
| Red river valley are being emphasized
! by the experiments now under way.
At the Coteau farm a general study of
! field management has been in prog
ress. The value of the work has been
greatly enhanced by the use of an
electrical device invented by Prof.
Whitney, of the department of agri-
culture in Washington, by which rec
crds are kept of the amount of mois-
ture in plants Of soil differently treat
ed. Much valuable work has been
done in showing farmers how moisture
may be brought into the soil and re-
tanned by plowing, cultivating and
mulching under improved methods.
The school is now we'll into its new
year 1T is by far the most satisfac-
| tory year In the history of the institu-
ton. The attendance is fully 10 per
cent higher than in any previous year
at a corresponding period. In every
division the work is being pushed with
vigor.
The steady growth Of the institution
canEot better be shown than by the
following tabular statement, secured
through the courtesy of Secretary wye:
It shows the growth of the school by
| years:
1SSa-1SS9 .............-..... d
| 1sS9-1S90 ................. 1S
| 1S90-1S91 .........a...s....... .lo4
1891 1882 ................... .l0l
| 1892 1893 ............ .l14
1893 1894 ..... .l44