a rotation of crops. It has also been shown that the manure from an animal, while being fed with clubbed turnips, becomes a vehicle for the introduction of the disease into the land. Clean soil that received the pulp and water of boiled clubbed turnips did not produce diseased roots, while the same quality of soil which received the uncooked turnips, gave turnips all of which were clubbed. Nearly all of a large number of the members of the turnip series produced roots that were clubbed, and therefore any mustard-like weed may be treated as a possible enemy to the turnip crop.

The experiments for the scab of white potatoes have again shown the great value of sulphur as a remedy, and also that good results have been obtained with kainit.

The experiments with sweet potatoes upon four different fields in the portions of the State where the crop is an important one, confirm the results of last year, that sulphur will reduce the amount of the soil rot and in badly-infested land the use of it can be advocated. Kainit was also beneficial as a check upon the disease, and hence a mixture of 300 pounds of sulphur and an equal amount of kainit per acre can be confidently recommended as a fertilizer-fungicide, for both the scab of the round potato and the soil rot of the sweet potato.

The experiments with beans and tomatoes show that the diseases of these plants, although encouraged by continuous cropping, may be kept down by spraying with fungicides; those with egg-plants and cucumbers were, however, less satisfactory.

The season having been a fairly moist one, the experiments in irrigation have not shown the good effects that were obtained last year, when a drought prevailed. It has been shown, however, that when an excess of water is employed the various fungous enemies abound; thus there was a larger amount of scab upon the irrigated belts of potatoes, and of bacterial blight and anthracnose upon the watered beans. The same is true of the tomatoes and egg-plants.

A study of different fungicides has been made with all of the crops before mentioned, and also upon beets and several ornamental plants. Bordeaux was taken as a standard with which three other compounds have been compared, the lime in each case being replaced with soda, potash or ammonia, and the mixtures called soda-bordeaux, potashbordeaux and ammonia-bordeaux, the last being the old Eau Celeste with a difference in the formula to make it comparable with bordeaux. While it is too soon to make a final comparison, the results of the

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excess.

present year indicate strongly that all three are excellent fungicides. The ammonia-bordeaux requires the greatest caution in its mixing and use, and when properly prepared is very efficient. An objection to the soda-bordeaux is the dark color it assumes when the alkali is in Best of all, as regards the care required in mixing the ingredients, stability of color, adhesiveness of the compound and cheapness, is the potash-bordeaux. It is classed among the clear fungicides, and is thoroughly efficient when placed alongside of and compared with bordeaux, as it was in all the crops. In this replacement of the lime with potash, there is no danger of clogging, the foliage or fruit is not disfigured, besides the potash in the material is worth nearly its first cost as a fertilizer.

In addition to these specific lines, a study of the peach gall, recently a very serious trouble, has been carried out in the Station greenhouse, and an experiment has been planned and is in progress in the house of a prominent rose-grower to study the soil and food requirements of this crop, which is a large industry in the State, and much difficulty has recently been experienced by the growers in meeting the requirements of the market.

The herbarium of the Station has been enlarged by a few hundred specimens, and the index of the host plants now includes more than 20,000 specimens.

Some work has also been done with weeds, and a new device constructed to assist in the detection of foul stuff in commercial seeds.

Since the last report Bulletin No. 115, "Irrigation of Garden Crops," has been published, and a circular concerning asparagus rust was prepared and sent to prominent growers, and to the press of this and adjoining States. Bulletins containing the more important results obtained this year are in course of preparation.

VI. ENTOMOLOGY.

The work of the entomological department has consisted mainly in a study of the San José Scale and its natural enemies. The introduction of this pest into New Jersey so seriously threatened our fruit interests that a special provision was made for this investigation by the Legislature of 1896. The Entomologist visited California and made as full an investigation of the situation there as his time would permit, particularly concerning the agents that were reported to be

responsible for the eradication of the scale in that State, chiefly parasites and predaceous insects that had been introduced from Australia. He also made arrangements to have colonies of these sent into New Jersey, and distributed under his supervision in a number of the worst-infected orchards of the State. Because of the necessity of prompt action, a preliminary report of his observations and studies, and suggestions as to remedial measures, was published in September, as Bulletin No. 116, and a more complete record of his studies is contained in the report of his department, though his final report along this line cannot be concluded until another season has afforded opportunity to study the effect produced by the colonies set free in the orchards here.

The report is interesting in showing that this scale in California is controlled not by the Australian lady-bird, as reported, but by welldirected efforts on the part of the fruit-growers, assisted by natural causes and by climatic conditions unfavorable for their spread; that dependence cannot be placed upon natural enemies for the control of the scale here, and that the means likely to prove successful is a continuous warfare with the remedies given in Bulletin No. 116.

The other lines of work in this department included a study of the army worm, which invaded certain sections of the State the past year; of the harlequin cabbage bug, an insect new in our State; and a further study of methods for reducing the ravages of the melon louse, which was particularly destructive the past season. A bulletin is now in course of preparation on this subject. The report also contains a record of further observations concerning the Hessian fly, cut worm, pear midge and other insects, which have been described in the past, and for which effective remedies have been recommended. It is very gratifying to note that the recommendations of the Entomologist are carefully observed by a constantly-increasing number of our farmers with the most satisfactory results.

FARMERS' MEETINGS.

The policy of the Stations in the past is still adhered to in reference to the attendance of the officers at farmers' meetings, though the increased number now held throughout the State requires much more time than formerly, both in the preparatiou of matter and in travel. The advantages of such work, both in increasing the efficiency of the institution by enabling the officers to more fully understand the needs

of the farmers and in carrying directly to them the results of our work is, however, believed to more than compensate for the time required.

CORRESPONDENCE.

The usefulness of the Station is not limited to its work of a scientific and practical character; it serves in addition as a bureau of information not only in matters pertaining to farming, but in many cases in matters only indirectly connected therewith but of interest to the general public. This work is constantly increasing, and the time required in handliug the correspondence is very great. In the departments of entomology, botany and chemistry, it requires on the average about two hours per day of the time of the chief officer in each department throughout the year to answer the letters of inquiry received. I mention the farmers' meetings and correspondence especially because I believe these lines to be a very valuable part of the work of the Station, and because discussions concerning them do not appear elsewhere in the report as a part of the work of the departments.

EQUIPMENT.

Aside from the addition of the farm and its equipment, the various departments are well supplied with needful scientific appliances and apparatus. In the departments of chemistry and horticulture much has been added the past year. In order to do advanced work many pieces of new apparatus are annually required, and it is the aim of the officers to keep well abreast of the times in this respect. The library is also well supplied with the important technical works and the standard periodicals and journals connected with the science of agriculture, and many additions are annually made. Much progress has also been made during the year in securing complete files of Station literature.