Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station New Haven, Connertirut Report of the Director For the Year Ending October 31, 1924 The Bulletins of this Station are mailed free to citizens of Connecticut who apply for them, and to other applicants as far as the editions permit. OFFICERS AND STAFF As of October 31, 1924. BOARD OF CONTROL. His Excellency, Charles A. Templeton, ex-officio, President. Charles R. Treat, Vice President. George A. Hopson, Secretary.. Wm. L. Slate, Jr., Director and Treasure r.. Joseph W. Alsop... Elijah Rogers.. Edward C. Schneider. Francis F. Lincoln.. Orange Mount Carmel ..New Haven ...Avon .Southington Middletown ..Cheshire Administration. Chemistry. STAFF. E. H. JENKINS, PH.D., Director Emeritus. Wm. L. SLATE, JR., B.Sc., Director and Treasurer. WILLIAM VEITCH, In charge of Buildings and Grounds. E. M. BAILEY, PH.D., Chemist in Charge. Analytical Laboratory. R. E. ANDREW, M.A. C. E. SHEPARD OWEN L. NOLAN Assistant Chemists. HARRY J. FISHER, A.B. Biochemical Botany. Entomology. Forestry. Plant Breeding. Soil Research. Tobacco Sub-station at Windsor W. T. MATHIS FRANK C. SHELDON, Laboratory Assistant. V. L. CHURCHILL, Sampling Agent. MISS MABEL BACON, Stenographer. T. B. OSBORNE, PH.D., Sc.D., Chemist in Charge. G. P. CLINTON, SC.D., Botanist in Charge. E. M. STODDARD, B.S., Pomologist. MISS FLORENCE A. MCCORMICK, PH.D., Pathologist. WILLIS R. HUNT, M.S., Graduate Assistant. G. E. GRAHAM, General_Assistant. MRS. W. W. KELSEY, Secretary. W. E. BRITTON, PH.D., Entomologist in Charge; State Entomologist. ROGER B. FRIEND, B.S., Graduate Assistant. JOHN T. ASHWORTH, Deputy in Charge of Gipsy Moth Work. THE WILSON H. LEE Co. Report of the Director FOR THE YEAR ENDING OCTOBER 31, 1924. To the Board of Control of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station: The year under review has been one of satisfactory progress. Detailed reports on all departmental work are presented in later pages. Here follows a very brief mention of the most outstanding accomplishments of the year. "DEFENSE" (CONTROL) WORK. In protecting the people of the State by analyzing fertilizers, foods, drugs and insecticides, the analytical laboratory renders one Fig. 1. Gipsy Moth Control-Creosoting Egg Mass. of the most valuable services that the Station offers. Although that not spectacular the work of the chemist is a highly important factor in the agricultural life of the State and in the protection of public health. In 1924, 880 samples of fertilizers, 352 samples of feeding stuffs and 1,800 samples of foods and drugs were examined in addition to many other materials collected or submitted. Seed testing is an important project of the Botany department as is also the plant disease survey, which aims to discover any new or old diseases as soon as they appear within our boundaries. The State entomologist, who is also the Station entomologist, is responsible for all work pertaining to insect pests. He has been able to prevent damage by the Gipsy Moth and predicts that, Fig. 2. Burning Weeds and Rubbish that might harbor the European Corn Borer. within a few years, liberated parasites will automatically hold this pest in check. Like the botanist, he attempts to scout the State constantly for new insects or outbreaks of old, thus giving the citizen warning and protection. The latest invasion is by the European Corn Borer which we hope to control at the outset. THE VEGETABLE PROTEINS. For many years Dr. Osborne and his associates have intensively studied the nature of these complex substances and many contributions to our knowledge of their nutritive value have resulted. In collaboration with Dr. L. B. Mendel and other members of the Yale faculty, studies are now being conducted on the effect of various diets on growth, reproduction and on the occurrence of rickets. Rickets in rats can be induced or cured at will by suitable adjustment in the diet. This study is important not only in relation to rickets in children but to leg weakness in chickens, for it has recently been demonstrated that this poultry disease is a form of rickets which can be cured by the same methods demonstrated to be successful on the albino rat. It has heretofore been thought that too much protein in the ration injures the kidney. This, however, has not been confirmed by the experimental feeding of rats within the periods of time thus far studied. The kidneys, although enlarged, are not otherwise abnormal. It has also been found that a diet may be entirely adequate for vigorous growth over long periods, but still be deficient in some factor which determines fertility. This fact may become important in the feeding of farm animals since it may later be discovered that the feeding of highly concentrated rations to high bred stock may be responsible for their lack of fertility. In connection with this brief summary of biochemical investigations mention must be made of the development of methods for preparing pure protein substances in large quantities which has been the basis of past experimentation. In feeding these products to animals it has been shown conclusively that some proteins are inadequate for proper growth and development, while others possessing known or unknown characteristics are amply sufficient. The ability to prepare large amounts of pure proteins provides a sure foundation for further investigation in this field. SPRAYING VS. DUSTING. In recent years there has been considerable controversy on the merits of the two methods. Experiments begun in 1920 have failed to show any sound reason for abandoning the spray programs. A combination of dust and spray applications did not give great promise in 1924, but will be continued. ROOT AND EAR ROTS OF SWEET CORN. Steady progress is being made in developing disease-free seed by selection, the selected strain yielding 173 bushels as against 154 for the unselected seed. In the selected seed the per cent of disease has fallen from 51 to 18 in four years. THE CHEMISTRY OF SPRAY MIXTURES. In spite of our long experience with sprays, much is yet to be learned, especially because of the frequent addition of new materials to the mixtures. The Entomology department is engaged in a detailed study of this whole problem. |