XB .U2U8 no. lUU-61 1909-10 »>j.V r ^,-v. if... vWi->;-*.L BULLETINS OF AL.ABAMA Agricultural Experiment Station AUBURN I N D EIX VOL. XVII. BUI_L_E:"riNS 144-148 AND 22!ND ANNUAL RE:P0R"T AN D Circular No. 3 January to December, 1909. List of Available Bulletins, June, 1910 Opelika. Ala. Po«t Publishing Company 1910 CONTENTS. Bulletins: 144. The San Jose Scale and Lime-Sulfur Wash .February, 1909 145. Local FertiHzer Experiments With Cotton in 1905-6-7-8 ...February, 1909 146. Facing the Boll Weevil Problem in Alabama . .June, '1909 147. Crimson Clover August, 1909 148. Raising Lambs in Alabama. Maintenance Rations for Ewes. Feeding Cotton Seed Meal to Pregnant Ewes October, 1909 Circ. No. 3. Insecticide Materials and Spraying Apparatus. Addresses of Dealers and Manufacturers . . February, 1909 Annual Report, Twenty-Second 1909 I U <^ ^ /^^^ ^^ ' 'j INDEX Acting Horticulturest, report of R. 22 : 25 Addresses of dealers and manufacturers B. 144: 20 and Circ. 3: 3 Addi'esses of insecticide manufacturers and dealers B. 144 : 21 and Circ. 3 : 4 Addresses of lime works B. 144 : 20 Addresses of seed dealers B. 147 : 128 Addresses of spraying machinery manufacturers B. 144: 20 and Circ. 3: 3 Agriculturist, report of R. 22 : 7 Alexander, J. L., experiment of B. 145 : 44 Amount of feed required to maintain a ewe before and after lambing (Table 2) B. 148: 142 Anderson, J. T. report of R. 22 : 15 Animal Husbandman, report of R. 22 : 23 Ai'tificial inoculating material or pure cultures ....B. 147: 113 Atkenson, Thomas Z., experiment of B. 145: 71 Autauga county, experiment in B. 145 : 51 Barbour county, experiment in B. 145: 69 Benefits of inoculation to crimson clover B. 147: 112 Betts, R. H., experiment of B. 145 : 76 Best method of treatment for San Jose scale B. 144: 7 Bibliography of boll weevil B. 146: 100 Blount county, experiment in B. 145 : 40 Boll weevil and its stages, plate 1 B. 146 : 80 Boll weevil, description of B. 146 : 89 bibliography of B. 146: 100 how successfully controlled B. 146: 95 quarantine regulations against .B. 146: 86 recognition of • B. 146 : 93 insects often mistaken for B. 146: 100 Botanist, report of R- 22 : 21 Bullock county, experiment in B. 145 : 68 Burleson, J. 0. experiment of B. 145 : 36 Caf fey, G. H. experiment of B. 145 : 50 Cary, C. A. report of • . . R. 22 : 13 Caution in using crimson clover hay B. 147: 120 Chemicals needed, estimate of quantities for spraying for scale B. 144: 10 Chemist of soils and crop investigations, report of . . R. 22 : 15 "Chemist, report of • R. 22 : 11 Chilton county, experiment in : . . . . B. 145 : 50 Conecuh county, report of experiment in .....: B. 145: 76 162 Cope, A. M. experiment of B. 145 : 68 Covington, W. F. report of B. 145 : 75 Cox, T. W. experiment of B. 145 : 58 Crimson clover, as fertilizer B. 147 : 115 benefits of inoculation to B. 147 : 112 how it improves the soil B. 147: 107 caution against use B, 147 : 120 definition of B. 147 : 106 plants to grow with B. 147 : 12& preparation for sowing B. 147: 121 liming B. 147: 12a Crimson clover stubble versus entire growth of crimson clover B. 147: 118 Crimson clover, summary of B. 147 : 105 varieties of B. 147: 12B Cullman county, experiment in B. 145 : 37-41 Danger from San Jose scale B. 144 : S Description of boll weevil B. 146 : 8^ Determination oi specimens of boll weevils, etc B. 144: 19 Directions for seeding crimson clover B. 147: 120 Directions for inoculating soil or seed B. 147: 110 Director, report of R. 22 : 7 Duggar, J. F. report of R. 22 : 7 Effect of weevil work on cotton B. 146 : 92 Entomologist, report of R. 22 : 18 Estimation of qualities of chemicals needed for scale B. 144. Hf Ewes, winter feeding of B. 148 : 138 Experience of two Alabama sheep farmers .B. 148: 147 Fealy, L. A. experiment of B. 145 : 41 Fayette county, experiment in B. 145 : 45 Feeding cotton seed meal to' sheep B. 148 : 152 Feeding the milking ewes B. 148 : 14a Fertilizer for crimson clover B. 147: 122 Fertilizer, crimson clover as B. 147 : 115 Floyd, R. S. and A. B., experiment of B. 145: 66 Franklin county, experiment in B. 145 : 29 General usefulness of lime-sulphur wash . . , B. 144: 18 Geneva county, experiment in B. 145 : 70 Gibson, J. B. experiment of B. 145: 45 Gray, D. T. report of R. 22 : 2S Greene county, experiment in B. 145 : 46 Haddock, J. W. experiment of B, 145 : 32 Handling and feeding the lambs B. 148: 143 Hare, C. L. report of R. 22 : 17 Henry county, experiment in B. 145 : 71-73 How crimson clover improves the soil B. 147: 105 How legumes add nitrogen to the soil B. 147 : 107 163 How the boll weevil may be successfully controlled ..B. 146: 95 How the old flock is handled B. 148 : 137 How to secure inoculating soil near home B. 147: 109 Injury by scale, nature of B. 144 : 6 Inoculation B. 147 : 108 Inoculation, benefits of crimson clover B. 147: 112 Inoculation experiments on crimson clover using "Nitragin", results of B. 147: 114 Inoculation, soil or seed, directions for B. 147: 110 Inoculating soil, how to secure near home B. 147: 109 Inoculating soil, where to secure B. 147: 129 Inoculation, what soils do not need B. 147: 112 Insecticide manufacturers and dealers, addresses of B. 144 : 21 and Circ. 3 : 4 Insecticide material and spraying apparatus B. 144: 20 and Circ. S: 3 Insects often mistaken for the boll weevil, plate II . .B. 146: 100 Introduction and spread of scale pest B. 144: 5 Jackson, E. B. experiment of B. 145 : 63 Jones, Wesley N. and Sons, experiment of B. 145: 54 Jackson, John, experiment of B. 145 : 57 Jackson, S. C. experiment of B. 145 : 64 Lambs, handling and feeding of B. 148: 113 Lambs, raising in Alabama B. 148 : 133 Lauderdale county, experiment in B. 145: 31-32 Lawrence county, experiment in B. 145 : 3 > Lee county, experiment in B. 145 : 57-58 Lime, properties of B. 144 : 11 Lime works, addresses of B. 144 : 20 Lime-sulphur wash — ^best season for making application B. 144: 7 and Circ. 3- 3 Lime-sulphur wash, general usefulness of B. 144: 18 Lime-sulphur treatment for scale B. 144 : 9 Lime-sulphur wash and San Jase scale B. 144: 3 Liming crimson clover B. 147 : lo^ Lloyd, F. E. report of R- 22 : 21 Macon county, experiment in B. 145 : 64-65 Madison county, experiment in . : B. 145 : 33 Making application of lime-sulphur wash, best season for B. 144: 7 Marengo county, experiment in B. 145 : 53 Marion county, experiment in B. 145 : 42 Metcalf, M. P., experiment of B. 145: 70 Mexican cotton boll weevil and some of the insects mistaken for it B. 146 : 101 Milking ewes, feeding of B. 148 : 140 Montgomery county, experiment in B. 145 : 54-56 164 Morgan county, experiment in B. 145: 36 Morgan, W. M., experiment of B. 145 : 46 McKnight, W. C, experiment of B. 145 : 53 Nealy, F. T. experiment of B. 145 : 35 Necessity for treatment of orchard B. 144: 6 Nature of injury by scale B. 144 : 6 Nitrogen, how legumes add it to the soil B. 147: 107 •Occurrence of scale in Alabama B. 144: 5 Oliver, Thomas W., experiment of B. 145 : 56 Omary, W. M., experiment of B. 145 : 43 Orchard treatment, preparation of B. 144: 8 Orchard, necessity of treatment B. 144: 6 Outfit, for spraying B. 144 : 14 Parker, J. W., experiment of ' B. 145 : 62 Parker, M. E., experiment of B. 145 : 59 Parrish, W. A., experiment of B. 145 : 31 Physiological chemist, report of R. 22 : 17 Plants to grow with crimson clover B. 147: 126 Present known distribution of San Jose scale in Ala. ..B. 144: 4 Preparation of orchard for treatment i . . .B. 144: 8 Preparation for sowing crimson clover B. 147: 121 Preparation of wash for scale B. 147: 12 Properties of lime B. 144 : 11 Pure cultures or artificial inoculating material ....B. 147: 113 •Quarantine regulations against the boll weevil B. 146: 86 Raising lambs in Alabama B. 148 : 133 Raising lambs, objects of, experiments in B. 148: 135 Results of inoculation experiments on crimson clover using "Nitragin" B. 147: 114 Recognition of the boll weevil B. 146 : 93 Ross, B. B., report of R- 22 : 11 Roberts, 0. G., experiments of , B. 145: 37 Salt fed to sheep B. 148: 145 San Jose scale in Alabama, present known distribution B. 144: 4 San Jose scale, introduction and spread of pest B. 144: 5 San Jose scale, danger from B. 144 : 3 San Jose scale and lime-sulphur wash B. 144: 3 San Jose scale, best method of treatment B. 144: 7 Scale in Alabama, occurrence of B. 144: 5 Scale, definition of B. 144: 5 Scale, San Jose and lime-sulphur wash B. 144 : 3 Season for making application of Hme-sulphur wash . .B. 144: 7 Securing inoculating soil near home B. 147: 10^ Seed dealers, addresses of B. 147 : 128 Seeding crimson clover, directions for B. 147: 120 Sheep, feeding cotton seed meal to B. 148: 152 .Sixth District Agricultural School, experiment of . . B. 145 : 42 165 Soils B. 147 : 120'' Specimens of the boll weevil, determination of and special advice B. 144 : 19- Spraying suggestions for San Jose scale B. 144: 17 Spraying machinery, manufacturers, addresses of ....Circ. 3: 3- Spraying outfit for San Jose scale B. 144: 14 Spraying machinery, addresses of B. 144: 20 Steps in the culture of cotton for the control of the boll weevil B. 146: 97 Staaib, John W., experiment of B. 145: 40 Suggestions for spraying San Jose scale B. 144: 17 Sulphur, properties of B. 144 : 11 Summary of crimson clover B. 147 : 105 Swearington, Yancey, experiment of B. 145: 65- Tallapoosa county, experiment in B. 145: 59-63 Treatment, best method of for scale B. 144: 7 Treatment of orchards, preparation for B. 144: 8 Treatment, lime-sulphur B. 144 : 9' Treatment, necessity for B. 144 : 6 Two Alabama Sneep farmers, experiment of B. 148.: 147 Varieties of crimson clover B. 147 : 123 Veal, J. D. experiment of B. 145 : 69 Veterinarian, repox-t of B,. 22 : 13 Wales, H. D. N., experiment of B. 145: 33 Walker county, experiment in B. 145 : 44 Weevil, when will it reach Alabama B. 146: 85 Weevil work, effect on cotton B. 146 : 92 What soils do not need inoculation B. 147: 112 When the weevil will reach Alabama B, 146: 85 Where to get inoculating soil B. 147: 129 What the San Jose scale is B. 144 : 5 Wholesale sulphur dealers, addresses of B. 144: 20 and Circ. 3: 3 Willis, T. J., experiment of B. 145 : 29 Willough'by, J. H., experiment of B. 145: 47 Williams, P. F., report of R- 22 : 25 Winston county, experiment in B. 145 : 43 Winter feeding of ewes B. 148 : 138 Young, J. W., experiment of ■ B. 145 : 51 166 LIST OF AVAILABLE BULLETINS JULY, 1910. 80. — A preliminary list of Alabama fungi. 87. — Soil inoculation for Leguminous Plants. 112. — Orchard notes. 113. — ^Co-operative fertilizer experiments with cotton, 1899-1900. 114. — Feeding experiments with dairy cows. 115. — 'Commercial fertilizers. 117. — Orchard notes. 131. — Co-operative fertilizer experiments with cotton, 1901-2-3-4. 133. — The manufacture of cane syrup. 134. — Corn culture. 135. — 'Diseases of sweet potatoes in Alabama. 136. — Chicken pox or sorehead in poultry. 137. — Experiments with oats. 139. — Injurious insects and their control. 141. — Texas or tick fever. 142. — Corn breeding in Alabama. 144. — The San Jose scale and lime-sulphur wash. 145. — Local fertilizer experiments with cotton in 1905-6-7-8. 146. — Facing the boll weevil problem in Alabama. 147. — ^Crimson clover. 148. — Raising lambs in Alabama. Maintenance ration for ewes. Feeding cotton seed meal to pregnant ewes. 149. — Tests of varieties of cotton in 1909. BULLETIN HO. 144 FEBRUARY, 1909 ALABAMA Agricultural Experiment Station OF THE Alabama Polytechnic Institute ^^^^oi*c AUBURN. oaR"^^- THE SAN JOSE SCALE AND LIME-SULFUR WASH BY W. E. HINDS, Entomolosrist Opelika, Ala.: The Post Publishing- Company, 1909 COMMITEE OF TRUSTEES ON EXPERIMENT STATION. Hon. H. L. Martin Ozark Hon. Tancred BeTts Huotsville Hon. a. W. Bell Anniston STATION COUNCIL. €. C. Thach President J . F . DuGGAR Director and Agriculturist B . B . Ross Chemist C A. Gary Veterinarian F. E. Lloyd Botanist R. S. Mackintosh Horticulturist J. T. Anderson Chemist, Soil and Croj) Investig-ations D. T. Gray Animal Industry W. E. Hinds Entomologist C. L. Hare Chemist A. McB. Ransom Associate Chemist ASSISTANTS. T. Bragg First Assistant Chemist L. N. Duncan Assistant in Agriculture E. F. CauThen Farm Superintendent and Recorder J. W. RiDGEWAY . Assistant in Animal Industrj' P. F. Williams Assistant in Horticulture N. E. Bell Second Assistant Chemist I. S. McAdory \ssistant in Veterinary Science W. F. Turner Assistant in Entomology L. A. Case Assistant in Bacferiolog'y 0 . H . Sellers Stenographer and Mailing Clerk PLATE I. THE SAN JOSE SCALE AND LIME-SULFUR WASH BY W. E. Hinds, Ph. D. Entomologist to Alabama Experiment Station. Orchard Interests of Alabama. — The culture of or- chard fruits, particularly peach, plum, pear and apple, is already a very important factor in the agricultural prosperity of Alabama. As nearly as we are able to es- timate from the data available there are about 8,000,000 trees of these four kinds now growing in this State. Soil climate and market conditions are exceedingly favorable to a large increase in the growth of these fruits. The extension of the present important movement for the production of a greater diversity of crops, the substitu- tion, of other, and more profitable, crops for cotton and the adoption of improved methods for the culture of all crops grown will undoubtedly result in a great increase in fruit growing within the next few years. The growth of these fruits for wholesale commercial shipments and for the supply of the home markets as well, should in- crease largely as a profitable business proposition. Danger From San Jose Scale. — The principal difficul- ty to be met in maintaining present and in increasing fu- ture fruit culture is the necessity for controlling the in- sect enemies which, if left uncontrolled, may partially, or entirely, destroy the crops of fruit or even the life of the trees themselves. The most important insect affect- ing the four species of trees mentioned is the San Jose scale (pronounced "San Hosay") known scientifically as Asjndiotus perniciosus Comst. This is the most deadly enemy of fruit-growing known. The name itself means "most injurious scale" and it was well chosen. / c o L B e: I^T |F R A N K !_ i h -. Fig. 1. Present known distribution of Sati Jose Scale in Alahama. Introduction and Spread op the Pest. — This insect is not a native of the United States but appears to have been brought here from China where it occurs commonly upon native food plants. It was introduced into the San Jose Valley, California, about 1870 and the name of that locality where it was first found has been adopted as the common name of the scale. From California the species was brought on nursery stock into the eastern states shortly before 1893. It has since been spread by nursery stock shipments until it now occurs in nearly every State in the Union. During recent years, however, most of the States have passed strict laws requiring the inspec- tion of nurseries for the occurrence of the scale and the fumigation of stock so as to kill any scales which might possibly exist there before the stock can be legally sold and distributed. The nurserymen have co-operated heartily in this effort to prevent the further spread of the pest so that now the buyer of fruit trees is very ef- fectually protected against the planting of already in- fested trees. Orchards may be started today much more safely than they could ten years ago. Occurrence of the Scale in Alabama. — The known extent of its occurrence in this State is indicated upon the accompanying map (Fig. 1.). Without doubt it ex- ists in many other places from which it has not yet been reported. Very frequently its presence in an orchard is not detected until some of the trees begin to die where- upon the cause of their death is sought for. A character- istic type of peach tree dying from this scale is shown in Plate I, fig. 1. The dying of the trees does not usually begin until some two or three years after the actual in- troduction of the scale and it has thus an opportunity to spread unchecked through the orchard. What is the Scale. — The San Jose scale is a minute, inconspicuous insect which does not, to the untrained ob- server, appear to be a living creature. The body of the living insect is concealed beneath the circular, waxen scale which it forms for its protection. The largest scales are smaller than an ordinary pin-head in diameter and are quite flat (See PI. I, figs. 2 and 3). The scales are hardly more than 1-25 inch across and many of them are smaller still. Beneath the scale the body of the insect may be found as a small, immovable, yellow body (if still alive) which if crushed seems to be filled with a rather thin, yellow, oily liquid. The young of this species are born alive and their powers of reproduction are so re- markable that a tree bearing but few live scales in the Spring may become quite heavily infested by Fall and will then be liable to severe injury during the following sea- son unless some method of destroying the scales is used during the winter. Close observation with the naked eye shows that the scales are marked with rings of light and dark gray around a nearly black center. When very abundant they give a general ashy-gray appearance to the entire bark which is noticeable at some distance from the tree. Nature of the Injury. — On living infested branch- es, especially on growth two or more years old, the sur- face becomes irregularly pitted or has depressions in spots where the scales are most abundant. The injury is of two kinds. Much sap is abstracted by the myriads of sucking insects, but more important than this is the ef- fect which these scales have of causing a thickening of the cell walls which are penetrated by their slender mouth parts. This thickening checks the flow of sap in the branches, and this means the ultimate starvation of the parts of the branch beyond. The San Jose produces a distinctive red stain around the point of attack, either upon infested fruit or just under the scale in the bark. This appears upon lightly scraping off the outer bark. Necessity for Treatment. — So serious is the injury of which this scale is capable that untreated, infested trees are certain to be killed within a very few years. The LIFE OF THE ORCHARD IS AT STAKE and the plain conclusion is evident that it is far more expensive to allow the trees to be destroyed than it would be to con- trol the scale which can positively be done so as to con- tinue the life of the orchard and the production of profit- able crops. The average annual cost per tree for treat- ment depends mainly upon its size and ranges, for peach trees, from one-half cent to three cents, averaging be- tween one and two cents. The man who will allow his total investment in trees, land and labor through three or four years to be absolutely destroyed for lack of an additional expense of a cent or two per tree each year, cannot be considered as conducting his work upon any- thing like business principles. Best Method of Treatment. — The fight against the San Jose scale has developed several methods of treat- ment which are of positive value. Three points require consideration in determining which of these methods is best and should therefore be used. 1. Safety. 2. Ef- ficiency. 3. Economy. The method which has been shown to best fulfill these conditions is "A WINTER SPRAYING WITH LIME-SULFUR WASH." In spite of numerous eflforts to replace this Lime-Sulfur with some other material more easily prepared or less objectionable to handle in application, the fact remains that this is conceded by the great majority of orchardists, as well as by entomologists, to be the best treatment yet found. It may be applied with safety at any time while the trees are in a dormant condition. A single thorough spraying with a properly prepared wash insures the con- trol, if not the extermination, of the scale and is safer and more reliable than is any other treatment. The cost of treatment, varying in localities and with numbe>' of trees to be treated, need not exceed from one to thii\, cents per tree according to their kind and size Season for Making the Application. — The safest and most effective time for treating trees for scale is dur- ing the dormant period, that is, between the time the leaves drop in the fall and the time the buds start in the spring. Experimental work has shown that a single treatment with Lime-Sulfur made in November or De- 8 cember is less effective than is a single treatment made in February or March, and that two treatments, one in the Fall and another just before the buds start, are but slightly more effective than is the later treatment alone. The exact time for spraying after January 1st may be decided by convenience as related to other work and by the continuance of the dormant condition of the buds. A solution strong enough to kill the scale may be ap- plied to the bark v ^thout injury at any time during the summer. It may be applied by painting or swabbing it onto the trunks and largest branches to check the sum- mer development of the scale, but such a solution will destroy all foliage touched by it, and cannot therefore be sprayed on as in winter. At about one-fifth of the strength recommended, how- ever, it is thought by some that Lime-Sulfur can be sprayed upon even peach foliage which is fairly matured as at fruiting time, and that at that strength it will be a very effective agent in the prevention and control of the brown rot of peaches which is now one of the most .serious problems in peach production in Alabama. Preparation on the Orchard for Treatment. — This is a matter of considerable importance and the exact measures to be applied to each tree depend largely upon the degree of its infestation. Slightly infested trees should be pruned before being treated as is best for their fruiting regardless of the presence of the scale. With heavily infested and badly injured trees, the pruning should be much more thorough. Trees which are nearly dead should be cut out and, in a "^ung orchard, replaced if desired by new ones. All dead ^ranches should be removed. Branches still alive but which have made very little growth during the preced- ing season should be strongly cut back, in some cases leav- ing them as mere "stubs" a foot or two long from the main trunk. If the cuts are more than three-fourths of an inch in diameter their surfaces should be painted over with White Lead. If there is still life enough in the tree 9 a new top may be formed out of several of the best and most vigorous shoots thrown out from these "stubs." In many cases it may be possible to control the scale and to thus renew the top of badly injured trees, so as to have them again of good size and bearing more fruit in two or three years than would young trees if put in their places. This is entirely a question of orchard management for the quickest and best production of fruit. It is certain that the scale may be controlled so the age and condition of the tree, etc., must decide the question whether it should be pruned and kept or cut out. It is advisable to burn removed trees and branches to get them out of the way and to prevent further spread of insect pests from them to living trees. The scale is not liable to spread if the trees and prunings are not burned but other injurious insects which may breed in the dead wood may spread from them, particularly to scale injured trees and thus cause the death of trees which might otherwise be saved from the scale. Adjacent thickets or trees of wild plums or cherry, etc., should be cut and burned. Beside the trees mentioned many others are liable to attack by this scale. The fol- lowing are some of those occurring commonly: Crab apple, apricot, persimmon, several kinds of walnut and of poplar, osage orange, chestnut, sumac, catalpa, cedar, several of the willows, ash, elm, pecan, orange, lemon, strawberry, gooseberry, currant, etc. The Lime-Sulfur Treatment. — This wash has been very extensively used in California during the past twenty years. In the eastern United States since about 1900 it has been recognized as the best agent for destroy- ing San Jose scale. Its effectiveness depends upon a chemical combination of the lime and sulfur which is brought about practically only under high temperatures. In a general way, if the chemicals are pure, we may reckon upon using practically equal portions of lime and of sulfur. In practice, however, it has been found better to use a somewhat larger quantity of lime, since commer- 10 cial rock lime varies somewhat in purity and is cheap. The excess of lime simply forms a whitewash which shows plainly the trees that have been treated. An excess of sulfur would remain undissolved in the solution. While this would do no harm, its presence would do no good and it might be considered as a needless item of waste. Both lime and sulfur are effective for some in- sects and fungi when used separately, but when combined they act far more efficiently. The principal object in making the wash is to produce economically a safe and thoroughly effective spraying solution. In planning for making and using this wash a number of practical points require consideration for best results. Estimation of Quantities of Chemicals Needed. — Naturally this is a difficult matter for the man who has never used anything of the kind. The first consideration is the number and the average size of the trees to be treated. If the scale is known to occur anywhere in an orchard, the only safe thing to do is to spray all trees in it, and the treatment should include at least all of our fruit trees which shed their leaves in the Fall. The amount of spray required will obviously depend directlj'' upon the size of the tree. We may take average three to four-year-old peach trees as our standard and eistimate that such trees will require about one-half gallon of spray each for thorough work, and no other kind of work is worth while. Each gallon of spray solution will therefore ti'eat two medium-sized trees, while large trees may require two gallons each. In this way an approximate estimate may be made of the number of gallons of spraying solution to oe prepared. The question of formula must be next considered. As a result of a vast amount of experimental and practical work, it appears that the following formula is safe, effi- cient and economical : Rock lime 20 lbs. Flowers of Sulfur or Sulfur Flour ...15 lbs. Water to make 50 gallons 11 In ordering our chemicals therefore we reckon upon 20 lbs. of lime and 15 lbs. of sulfur for every 50 gallons of spraying solution which we have estimated to be need- ed. Emphasis should be laid upon the ultimate economy of using only the best and purest chemicals obtainable, regardless of their slightly greater initial cost. Lime. — This means always freshly burned rock lime or quick lime. The test of quality is the slaking. Good limes should not contain more than ten per cent of impuri- ties. Poor limes may contain 25 per cent of impurities. It is partly on account of these varying percentages of impurities that more lime than sulfur is used in the for- mula given. A good lime will slake readily and form an even creamy solution with little sediment or coarse matter which is waste. Much first-class lime is produced in Alabama, partic- ularly that made in the vicinity of Calera. The addresses of several manufacturers may be found in the Appendix on page S'O, The best grade of lime is shipped and handled in bar- rels. This is the best form in which to buy it, and the cost should not exceed about $1.00 per barrel or Ic per pound for our spray formula. In nearly every town may be found someone who handles a good grade of lime. Sulfur. — The sulfur used must be very finely pow- dered to combine readily and completely with the lime in the making of the wash. Two forms of sulfur to be found on the market are perfectly pure and answer this need equally well. The "Flowers of Sulfur" is the finest form and is largely used, but may cost slightly more than does "Sulfur Flour" or "Flour Sulfur" as it is called. The choice between these two depends upon availability and price. Either should be obtainable at about five cents per pound in lots of fifteen pounds or more. If not obtaina- ble at a satisfactory price through local druggists, sulfur may be secured through the wholesale drug firms listed in the Appendix page 20, and from other firms probably as well. Crystalline Sulfur should not be used under any 12 circumstances, since it is so coarse that it will not com- bine completely with the lime even with prolonged boil- ing. The result is a direct waste of sulfur and a wash solution that is liable to contain too little sulfur to be effi- cient, thus wasting all the chemicals, the labor of applica- tion and possibly, too, the life of the trees through inef- fective treatment. Preparation of the Wash. — For this work some fa- cility for boiling the solution is essential. Where it is to be made on a small scale, and even in the treatment of several thousand trees where only one barrel pump is to be supplied, the cooking may be done quite conveniently in two large cast iron kettles, one of which may hold about 20 to 25 gallons, while the other should hold 40 gallons. The smaller kettle can be used in heating water while the lime and sulfur are being boiled in the larger one. For treatment of from 5,000 to 10,000 trees it is better to have larger kettles holding 75 to 80 gallons and mounted in a brick frame work or furnace. The cooking should be done when possible near a convenient water supply, but it is better to haul the water than the wash. For more than 10,000 trees it will be far better to cook the wash by steam supplied directly from a portable boil- er or some such source, the cooking may then be done in barrels placed side by side and preferably upon an elevated platform. The essential point is that the boiler supply about one horse power for each barrel to be boiled with about 30% surplus power for the pumping and heat- ing of water, etc. Wherever possible the water supply and the cooking barrels should be elevated sufficiently to utilize gravity in the flow of the liquids into the cooking barrels and from them into the spray tanks. The kettle method of preparation will be described par- ticularly as it may be more commonly employed in this State. Much latitude is permissible in the details of the preparation for the cooking. The essential points are to secure the complete and rapid slaking of the lime and the mixture of the sulfur with the lime solution without the 13 lumping of the sulfur. To avoid this the sulfur should always be mixed to a thin paste with hot water before being poured into the large boiling kettle. If this be done it makes little difference in the final result whether it be added before, after or during the slaking of the lime. The following method is as good as any and easy to fol- low : For each 50-gallon lot of spray solution to be prepared mix 15 lbs. of fine sulfur to a thin paste in hot water in some convenient receptacle. Heat about 12 to 15 gallons of water in the 40-gallon kettle and while it is heating add the sulfur paste taking care to break up any lumps that may exist. Then add, lump by lump, the 20 lbs. of best rock lime. By the time the lime is all slaked the solution should be boiling hot. Add about 10 gallons more of hot water and continue the boiling steadily for about one hour. During this time the mixture must be stirred al- most constantly to keep it from burning and to insure the complete solution of the sulfur. When properly prepared there should be no residue of sulfur after this cooking. The wash will appear as a rather thick, reddish brown, or dark orange-colored liquid. It gives off a strong odor of sulfur and is caustic in its action. Impurities in the lime may vary the color of the liquid, as does also the excess amount of lime but a variation in color need not affect its efficiency if the wash has been properly stirred and boiled. From the boiling kettle the wash goes to the spraying barrel into which it should be strained through a brass strainer having about 20 meshes per inch. See fig, 2. This may be purchased or made at home. The strain, er should remove all impurities which might clog the nozzles and delay the work in spraying. Never strain the wash through burlap bagging as the lint from the bagging will soon clog the pump. In the barrel the wash may be finally diluted with cold, but preferably with hot, water to make the required 50 gallons of spraying solu- tion. The amounts of lime and sulfur may be varied, 14 still keeping the proportion between them, in preparing larger or smaller quantities of the wash as may be needed. In general it is better to spray the wash while it is still Fig. 2. warm or quite hot. It works easier in the pump and by the time the spray reaches the tree it is cooled so that there is no danger of its doing injury. It is generally con- sidered as desirable to use the wash upon the day it is prepared but this does not seem to be absolutely neces- sary. Undiluted wash standing till cold will crystalize jut the crystals may be again dissolved by reheating thoroughly and the wash is then probably just as good for use as ever. Spraying Outfit. — While it is possible to apply the wash by painting or swabbing it onto the trunks and lar- ger branches, the smaller branches and twigs cannot be thoroughly treated in this way and this method of appli- cation is so wasteful of time and materials that it will be found more economical as well as efficient to do the work with a "bucket pump" such as may be bought for about $6.00. This may serve fairly for the treatment of from 25 to 50 trees if they are small but for large trees, 15 or more of them, every orchardist should have a "barrel pump," These may be had in different sizes and full de- Fig. 3. scriptions may be found in the catalogs of the various dealers whose addresses are given in the Appendix on page 20-21. In selecting an outfit for Lime-Sulfur work it is essen- tial that all of the working parts of the pump be of brass and that there be no leather packings or valves. The caustic action of the wash soon corrodes copper and de- stroys leather but affects brass only slowly. The best ap- paratus is the cheapest in this case. The most economi- cal outfit for the average orchardist is a barrel pump that is powerful enough to carry two lines of hose with strong pressure for four nozzles, (See fig. 3). The barrel in which the pump is mounted may well be an ordinary 50-gallon oil barrel such as may be obtained in any town and the mounting of the pump is a simple 36 operation. The hose should be one-half inch in diameter, inside measure, and of at least four-ply stock. Such hose may be secured of some of the firms mentioned at from 12 to 15 cents per foot. The best hose is not liable to burst under the pressure from the pump and will last much longer than cheaper grades. The length of hose usually furnished by manufacturers with their pumps is too short for satisfactory use. About 25 feet is a good working length for each line as it allows the sprayers more range and insures more rapid and more thorough work which more than offsets the slight extra cost for the longer hose. Each line should be provided with an ex- tension rod from 6 to 12 feet long according to the size of the trees to be treated. There should be two "cut- offs" for each line of hose : one between the pump and the hose and the other between the hose and the extension rod. These save time and liquid and it is more economical to have them than to work without them. The kind of nozzle to be used is a very important mat- ter. That throwing the best spray is known as the "dou- ble Vermorel." There are several types of this nozzle made by various manufacturers which accomplish very similar results. One of these is shown in fig. 4. The Fig. 4. nozzle should be provided with plungers to clean them when they become clogged as is liable to happen occasion- ally even if the wash has been properly strained. The nozzle caps for Lime-Sulfur work should have an open- ing of 1-16 inch and extra caps should be kept on hand to replace old ones when they become worn so that they throw too coarse a spray. The pressure from the pump should be kept strong and especially when four nozzles 17 are being supplied care must be exercised to see that the pumper does not take his work too easily. The barrel outfit may be carried through the orchard in any kind of a one-horse wagon or on a drag. The driver does the pumping while a man is needed on the ground for each line of hose. A thoroughly good outfit such as has been described will cost about $25.00 and with proper care it should last for a number of years. It will serve equally well in the application of all arsenical poisons for leaf and fruit feed- ing insects or for those attacking many of the garden or field crops. It may also be used for whitewashing. Al- together such an outfit is one of the most profitable pieces of equipment that any orchardist can own. Its intelli- gent use will go farther toward the production of profits with almost any crop than can any equal expenditure made in other ways without the spraying. Information regarding "power sprayers" may be had from the catalogs of manufacturers and suggestions re- garding them will be gladly given anyone upon applica- tion to the Entomologist, Alabama Experiment Station, Auburn, Ala. Spraying Suggestions. — While much in regard to spraying can be learned only from experience, there are many suggestions that may be of aid to the beginner. Only the most careful work is worth doing at all. Care should be taken to cover the twigs and small branches as thoroughly as the larger branches and trunks. If the tree is completely dormant, heavy drenching with the wash will not injure it and it is better to use more spray than is really needed than to use too little to 5.o the work thor- oughly. Do not undertake to spray when the prospects are for an immediate storm or severe cold spell since if these should occur before the wash has dried thoroughly on the trees the work will have to be repeated to be effec- tive. Good work cannot be done when a strong wind is blowing. Select fair, calm weather for the work when- ever possible or else make a second treatment when it is 18 calm or when the wind is blowing from the opposite di- rection to that during the first spraying. The spray so- lution must be continually agitated during the spraying and a properly constructed pump will accomplish this. The disagreeable effects of getting the wash on the skin may be reduced by rubbing the hands and face with vas- eline before spraying. Rubber coats and gloves are, of course, the best protection for the sprayers but if not available old clothes should be worn so that they may be discarded after the work is finished. Cheap canvas work gloves are a satisfactory protection for the hands. The mules, or horses, and the harness may well be protected by blankets made of old burlap sacks. After the days work is over the remaining solution should be drawn or emptied out and clear water run through the pump, hose and nozzles to leave them in clean condition and reduce the corrosive injury to the outfit which would otherwise be as great through a night of standing as through a day of use. This cleaning should be particularly thorough at the end of each seasons work or when the apparatus is to be stored for any length of time. All working parts should be kept thoroughly oiled. These measures of care will reduce the expenses for re- pairs and improve the ease and quality of the work done. General Usefulness of Lime-Sulfur Wash. — Its su- perior power of controlling the San Jose scale is but one of the many advantages of this wash. It adheres to the trees for a long time and its good effects are continued through several months after the application. It acts both as an insecticide and also as a fungicide. As an insecticide it is effective for nearly all of the scale insects oscurring upon fruit trees. It destroys the winter eggs of the plant lice which attack the leaves and twigs of apple so abundantly in the Spring. It also controls the "pear-tree Psylla" and the "pear-leaf blister mite" as well as the , 'silvering mite" of the peach and the "peach-twig borer." At the same time as a fungicide it is exceedingly effec- 19 tive against the "peach-leaf curl" and the "brown rot,"^ also for the "apple scab" and "pear scab" and other fun- gous diseases of fruits. These fruit pests cannot all be reached at the same time with any other of the numerous methods of treat- ment which are sometimes substituted for the Lime-Sul- fur for controlling the San Jose scale. No other insec- titude now known can equal in range of usefulness and in economy a single thorough application of Lime-Sulfur wash to fruit trees just before the buds start in the Spring. Manifestly these important considerations in favor of Lime-Sulfur far outweigh all contrary ones based upon the inconvenience in its preparation and the disagreeable- ness of handling and applying it. To obviate the objec- tions to the preparation of the wash any one who desires may now buy it in a concentrated solution ready to dilute directly with water for spraying. It is sold by several of the manufacturers of insecticides whose addresses are given in the Appendix on page 21-22. This might be partic- ularly desirable for the man who needs but little of the wash. The commercial article has shown up favorably in experimental tests but apparently has no superiority in effect over the home-made article which, of course, costs somewhat less. Determination of Specimens and Special Advice. — Specimens suspected of being San Jose scale, and any other insects attacking fruits, trees, garden and field crops, etc., may be submitted to the Entomologist, Ala- bama Experiment Station, Auburn, Ala., for determina- tion. They should be mailed in a tight, strong box bear- ing plainly on the outside the name and address of the sender and separate from the letter of advice which should describe as fully as possible the nature and extent of the injury which the insect seems to be doing. The Entomologist will gladly and freely give any suggestions possible'for combating insect pests thus brought to his at- tention. APPENDIX INSECTICIDE MATERIALS AND SPRAYING APPA- RATUS: ADDRESSES OF DEALERS AND MANUFACTURERS. Believing that much of the failure to adopt recommen- dations for spraying treatment for insect and fungus pests is due to a lack of definite knowledge as to just where reliable materials and equipment may be secured, we give below the addresses of some of the many firms manufacturing or dealing in insecticide materials and ap- paratus. In doing this we do not mean to imply that other dealers do not make or handle just as reliable and satisfactory goods. Those listed may be depended upon and are as accessible as possible to the people of Alabama. Lime Works. Newala Lime Works, Calera, Ala. Calera Lime Works, Calera, Ala. Keystone Lime Works, Calera, Ala. Longview Lime Works, Calera, Ala. Wholesale Sulfur Dealers. Durr Drug Co., Montgomery, Ala. Greil Bros., Montgomery, Ala. Jacob's Pharmacy, Wholesale Department, Atlanta, Ga. Mobile Drug Co., Mobile, Ala. Spraying Machinery. Morrill and Morley, Benton Harbor, Mich. (Local agency G. W. Barnett Hardware Co., Montgomery, Ala.) 21 Goulds Mfg. Co., Seneca Falls, N. Y. (Goods handled by Beck & Gregg Hardware Co., Atlanta, Ga. ; Alabama Machinery & Supply Co., Montgomery, Ala.) The Deming Co., Salem, Ohio. (No local agency so far as we know.) Frost Insecticide Co., Arlington, Mass. (No local agen- cy.) Dayton Supply Co., Dayton, Ohio. (Agency with Ma- con Implement Co., Macon, Ga. ; Alabama agencies are being established also.) F. E. Myers & Bro., Ashland, Ohio. (Agencies with Barney-Cavenaugh Hardware Co., Mobile, Ala.; Selma Hardware Co., Selma, Ala.; and Alabama Machinery & Supply Co., Montgomery, Ala.) Insecticide Manufacturers and Dealers. Graselli Chemical Co., Birmingham, Ala. (Make and sell Lime-Sulfur solution. Arsenate of Lead, Bordeaux mixture, etc.) Bowker Insecticide Co., 43 Chatham St., Boston, Mass. (Sell a number of kinds of specially prepared insecti- cides.) Frost Insecticide Co., Arlington, Mass. Rex Co., Omaha, Nebraska. (Sell Lime-Sulfur solu- tion and Arsenate of Lead particularly.) Thomsen Chemical Co., Baltimore, Md. (Sell Lime- Sulfur solution.) Fred. L. Lavanburg, 100 William St., New York, N. Y. (For Paris Green and Arsenate of Lead particularly.) Merrimac Chemical Co., 33 Broad St., Boston, Mass. (Makers of Swift's Arsenate of Lead.) Adler Color & Chemical Co., New York, N. Y. (Make Paris Green, Arsenate of Lead, etc.) Acme Color Works, 100 William Sreet, New York, N. Y. (Paris Green, etc.) A. B. Ansbacher & Co., New York, N. Y. (Paris Green, etc.) 22 F. W. Devoe & Co., New York, N. Y. (Paris Green, etc.) Leggett & Brother, New York, N. Y. (Various insec- ticides.) Sherwin-Williams Co., Newark, N. J. (Paris Green.) American Horticultural Distributing Co., Martinsburg, W. Va. ("Target Brand" insecticides.) B. G. Pratt Co., 11 Broadway, New York, N. Y. (Scalecide.) BULLETIN NO. 145 FEBRUARY, 1909 ALABAMA Agricultural Experiment Station OF THE Alabama Polytechnic Institute .ibrary ^EW YORK mTaNICaL AUBURN. i.KOEN. Local Fertilizer Experiments With Cotton in 1895, 1&^ la^^and 1898 ^i X,9Q^^ 1906, 1907, AND 1^04. BY J. F. DUGGAR, Director. Opelika, Ala.: The Post Publishing Company, 1909 COMMITTEE OF TRUSTEES ON EXPERIMENT STATION. Hon. H. L. Martin Ozark Hon. Tancred Betts Huntsville Hon. a. W. Bell Anniston STATION COUNCIL. ^. C. Thach President J. F. DuGGAR "■. . .Director and Agriculturist B. B. Ross Chemist and State Chemist C. A. Cary Veterinarian and Director Farmer's Institutes F. E. Lloyd Botanist R. S. Mackintosh Horticulturist J. T. Anderson Chemist, Soil and Crop Investigation D. T. Gray Animal Industry W. E. Hinds • • Entomologist C. L. Hare • Chemist A. McB Ransom Associate Chemist ASSISTANTS. T. Bragg First Assistant Chemist L. N. Duncan Assistant in Agriculture E. F. Cauthen Farm Superintendent and Recorder J. W. Ridgeway Assistant in Animal Industry P. F. Williams .Assistant in Horticulture N. E. Bell Second Assistant Chemist I S. McAdory Assistant in Veterinary Science W. F. Turner Assistant in Entomology L. A. Case Assistant in Bacteriology O. H. Sellers Stenographer and Mailing Clerk LOCAL FERTILlZFJi EXPERIMENTS WITH COTTON: IN 1905, 1906, 1907, AND 1908. By J. F. DuGGAK. For a number of years this Station has conducted numer- ous local fertilizer experiments, furnishing material and in- structions to farmers agreeing to make the tests. The number of local fertilizer experiments with cotton, of which reports were received, was as follows: In 1905, ten; in 1906, thirteen ; in 1907, ten ; and in 1908, twenty-two. This does not include a number of experiments begun and not successfully completed. In all of these years fertilizer experiments were also made on corn and other crops, the re- sults of which will be published later. The chief object of these local fertilizer experiments or soil tests has been to ascertain the besit fertilizer or combi- nation of fertilizers for cotton, growing on each of the prin- cipal soils of Alabama. Small lots of carefully weighed and mixed fertilizers were ■supplied to each experimenter. Detailed instructions as to how to conduct the experiments and blank forms for report- ing results, were also furnished. The following list gives the name and address of each experimen- ter vfho has reported the results of fertilizer experiments made under our direction during the past four years, with page of this bulletin where the results may be found. County. Post Office Name. Date. Page Autaug-a ..Praltville J. W. Young 1905-6 49-52 Barbour . ..Louisville J. D. Veal 1906 69 Blount ....Tidmore Jno. W. Staab 1905 39-42 Bullock Union Spr'gs F. B Haynes 1908,.. 78 Bullock... Three Notch. .A. M. Cope 1906 68-69 Bullock ...Suspension .. .O. M.Hill 1906 78 Chambers .Fredonia E. W. Smartt 1905 78 Chilton ....Verbena G. H. Caffey 1907-8 49-50 Chilton ...Verbena J. H. Willoug-hby ..1905-6-8 47-49 Conecuh . . Betts R. H. Belts 1905-6-7 75-76 Cullman ...Cullman L. A Fealy 1906 39-42 Cullman . . .Joppa O. G. Roberts 1906-7-8 39 40 Fayette Newtonville. . .J. B. Gibson 1906-7-8... .45-47,78 Franklin . Russeilville ... T. J. Willis 1905-6 29-30 Geneva Geneva M P. Metcalf .. 1905 69-70 Greene ... Eutaw W. W. Morgan 1908 48 Henrv Headland W. F. Covington ..1907-8 73 Henry Columbia T. Z. Atkesou 1908 71-73 26 Page ...30-31 ...30-32 ... 35 ... 59 County Post Office Name Datb LauderdaleFlorence W. A. Parish 1905-6... LauderdaleFlorence . . J. W. Haddock 1907-8 . . . Lawrence Hillsboro F. T. Nealy.. 1905 Lee Auburn Ala. Expt. Station.. 1905-6 .. Lee ...... .Auburn Jno Jackson 1908 .57-58 Lee Bee Hive T. W. Cox 1905-6 58 Macon .... Notasulga . . . S. C. Jackson 1905 >. 61-64 Macon... Shorter Y. Swearington . . . 1906 61-65 Macon Society Hill ..Robt. Floyd 1806-7 66 Macon Hurtsboro A. R. Floyd 1908 66 Madison .. Huntsville .. H. D N. Wales. . . 1905 33-35 Mareng-o.. .Faundsdale. . . W. C. McNight 1905 53-54 Marion Hamilton 6th Dist. Agr. School. 1906 39-42 Morgan Hartselle J. O Burleson l>-07-8 35-36 Montgom'ry Montgomery Montgom'ry Montgomery Montgom'ry Naftel Pickens Gordon . Tallapoosa Notasulga Tallapoosa Notasulga Tallap.osa Notasulga Walker ... .Cordova. . Winston ...Nauvoo . . J M. Jones 190(^-7 54 .T. M. Oliver .... 1907 52-56 . W. C. Naftel 1905 78 D.W.Davis 190ti 78 M. E Parker 1907 59 E. B Jackson 1907.. 61-63 J. W. Parker 1907 61-62 J. L. Alexander 1908 39-44 .W. M Omary. 1908 39-43 The directions stated that land employed for this test should be level and uniform, not manured in recent years, not in cowpeas th? rsreceding year, and that it should be representative oi large soil areas in its vicinity. The need of perfect uniformity of standard treatment for all plots (except as to kind of fertilizer used) was emphasized. Fertilizers were applied in the usual manner — that is, drilled be- fore planting. The Rainpalt,. The following data are taken from the records of the Alabama section of the Weather Bureau, and show the average rainfall fov the state: INr.HES RAINFALL. 1905 1906 1907 1908 January February March April May June July August September October November December Average Average 3'earl3' normal 5.26 7.24 3.70 3.69 5.51 4.56 4.56 5.30 2.51 4.39 1.78 6.46 55 38 4.66 2.39 9.26 1.03 4.63 3.45 8.50 3.78 8.44 3 54 2.50 4.19 56 56 2.20 4.28 5.04 6.30 2 94 4.77 6.26 584 7.94 5.34 2.85 2.75 5.00 4.72 3.50 3.44 5.50 2.42 1.44 1.76 6.15 1.52 6 01 5.02 54.66 48.16 51 27 The Fertilizers Used. The following prices are used, as representing approxi- mately the average cash price in local markets during the last few years : Per Ton. Acid phosphate (14 per cent, available) |14.00 Cotton seed meal 25.00 Kainit 15.00 Prices naturally vary in different localities. Any one can substitute the cost of fertilizers in his locality for the price given above. In each experiment two plots were kft unfertilized, these being plots 3 and 8. When these yields differed widely the experiment was classed as inconclusive. The increase on plots 4 to 7 is calculated on the assumption that the gradu- ation in fertility is uniform from plot 3 to ])lot 8. The fol- lowing table shows what kinds and amounts of fertilizers were used on certain ])lots; the number of pounds of nitro- gen, phosphoric acid, and potash supplied per acre by each fertilizer mixture; and the percentage composition and cost per ton of each mixture, the latter being given in order that these mixtures may be readily compared with va- rious brands of prepared guanos. Price Assumed for Seed Cotton. The price assumed is -f 14.00 per ton for seed, and 10 cents per pound for lint, a price found by averaging prices of 9, 11, 11, and 9 cents per pound i-especitively, for the crops of 1904, '5, 'G, '7, and '8. This is equal to 3.8 cents per pound of seed cotton turning out 33 ^3 per cent, of lint. Deduct- ing J>^ cents per pound as the average cost of picking and ginning, and we have left 3.2 cents as the net value per pound of the increase of seed cotton due to f^n'tilizers. This latter is the figure used in all financial calculations. 28 Pounds per acre of fertilizers, nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash used and composition of each mixture^ o o 1 2 4 V\ 10 FERTILILERS u o rt u V a .4-' c 3 O a < Lbs. 200 240 200 200 240 200 200 240 200 200 240 200 200 240 100 KIND MIXTURE CONTAINS a a> o u Lbs. 13.58 6.79 Cotton seed meal .... In 100 lbs. c. s. meal: Acid phospha'e In 100 lbs. acid phos. Kainit In 100 lbs. kainit. Cotton seed meal \ \ ^^ ^ Acid phosphate f In 100 lbs above mixt. Cotton seed meal ) Kainit ; ) In 100 lbs. above mixt. Acid phosphate \ Kainit \ In 100 lbs. above mtxt Cotton seed meal . . . . i Acid phosphate ,- Kainit ) In 100 lbs above jnixt. Cotton seed meal . . . . i Acid phosphate ,- Kainit ) In 100 lbs above mixt. (A O (D "5 5.76 2.88 36.12 15.05 o (1. Lbs. 3.54\ 1.77/ 8 3.09 13.58 3.39 13.58 2.12 13.58 2.59 41.88 9.52 5.76 1.44 8.21 41.88 6.54 41.88 7.75 COST OF FERTIL- IZERS n o u 24.60 } 12.30 S 3.54 .80 28.14 \ 7.03 \ ( 5.59 ( 1 28.14 ) 4.39 S 15.84 I 2.93 \ '$25.00 14.00 15.00 18.99 19.50 14.45 i 17.81 18.24 o 03 u J2.50 1.68. 1.50 4.28 4.00 3.18 5.68 5.93 able. *Averag'e of many analysis. fCounting all the phosphoric acid in cotton seed meal as avail- Tliose farmers who are more accustomed to tlie word am- monia than to the term nitrogen, can change the figures for nitrogen into their ammonia equivalents by multiplying by 1/14 29 Franklin County, 5 Miles North-west of Russellville. T. J. Willis. 1905-6, (See Table, p. 30.) Dark gray sandy soil, icitli light colored clay snhsoil. These tests were made on a hilltop which had been in cul- tivation about 10 years. The forest growth was hardwoods. It is evident that this soil responded freely to every fer- tilizer, whether applied singly, by twos, or all three together. In both years a complete fertilizer (plots 9 or 10) was the most profitable application, closely followed in yield and profit by a mixture of acid phosphate and cotton seed meal. On plot 9 the complete fertilizer increased the yield by 1000 and by 792 pounds of seed cotton. After deducting the cost of the fertilizer (p 29) this left profits of |26.32 and |19.G6 per acre. Phosphate was most effective, cotton seed meal next, and kainit lenst. luit still useful. 1905 1906 Lbs. Lbs Average yield of seed cotton, unfertilized 352 376 Increase of seed cotton when cotton seed meal was added : To unfertilized plot 192 24 To acid phosphate plot 172 120 To kainit plot 204 144 To acid phosphate and kainit plot 167 176 Average increase with cotton seed meaJ 184 116 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: To unfertilized plot 664 456 To cotton seed meal plot 644 552 To kainit plot 739 600 To cotton seed meal and kainit plot 702 632 Average increase with acid phosphate 687 560 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot 94 16 To cotton seed meal plot 106 136 To acid phosphate plot 169 160 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot 164 216 Average increase with kainit 133 132 30 1 00 J. W. Haddock J. W. Haddock Florence Florence 1907 1908 ;oid pszi^i^jsjan Lhs. 460 200 34u" 1080 530 • O : § O X 6 ■Si 1 =3 3B0B jsd ao;:ioo P93S JO ppiA w o o o o ^ ^ lO lO C) ~ ON O ^ X o o LO O 5 S 8 T-1 1 ON ^o^d pazii!:>a9jnn a9AO 9SH9J0ai :3 ^ :x X X X rj X fN) ri ON ro 9aoB jgd no;;oo p99S JO PI9IA CO* fS Ol C -* ^ l^ ro o r l-~l r-l i-H C \D ^ to X ri O X X o CI X Oh 0[d p9ziii^i9jan J9AO 9SH9aoai M ri M • O^ 00 ro >0 i~0 a. • l> ro to ro • X ON • fO X ro 9J0E J9d noj;oo P99S JO ppiA CO X 00 vo ri •O o ^O t> ir ^q ■«1- ro t-i r<" O M vO O ^ ■* tH lO X jo|d pazitiuajnu J9AO 9SB9a9ai 60 O n • K ►O rO ON • C 1 yn o X vO o\ • X ro • O 9J0E J9d no^ijoo P99S P191A 09 X •* M OC lO o O 1> c K^ sD -c n vc ^ o X o t-H ON O X \o n o .-< On T X CI X • a i-r;=; J-' ^ \o fe -- o ^ ^ UO t-) U) ;ojd p9ziyi;j9jun a9AO 9SE9J0UJ 03 •* m3 • \C o f-J "2 ■ ■r- ^ -^ : ^ o >0 • M —. . ON \0 . tr~ o CI 9aoH jgd uoj^oo P99S JO ptaiA CO O N vO D ^ O rr> l^ O- pj -^ X ro r<- C-1 \o On 'O rN) vo X ON ro i-H X 1 10|d p9ziii;a9jan a9AO 9SB9I0UI 03 M -* • ■* "^ 00 ►O O vO • On ro On ij t-i O • 00 r^ ro • O ro • O X • o ro o 1-t 9aOE J9d UO^JOO P99S JO P19IA ^ ri ON ri r<- ■^ lO ON ro t 1-^ 00 lO o ^ ^o n ro 1-0 I-I I-i f— 1 CO fa 0 V M N ^^^ ^^^ ^^^ -^3 ^^ cjgo 350 Kainit ) Acid phosphate ....} ^^^ ^^ ^^^ 319 632 1 900 391 ivdinit ) No fertilizer 376 240 624 490 Cotton seed meal • • • / Acid phosphate ....\ 744 504 864 240 1070 580 Kainit ) Cotton seed meal . . . ) Acid phosphate \ 616 376 752 128 1010 520 Kainit 1 Lawrence CouNTy_, 1 Mile East of Hillsboro, F. T. Nealy, 1905. (See Table above.) Gray sandy loam soil, with y;llow suhs.il. This field had been cleared about 70 years of its growth of hardwoods. It had grown up in weeds during the four years preceding this experiment. Rains were almost con- tinuous throughout the season, making cultivation almost impossible. Under these unfavorable conditions a complete fertilizer was the most effective and profitable. 36 Lbs. Average yield of seed cotton per acre, unfertilized 232 Increase of seed cotton when cotton seed meal was added: To unfertilized plot 48 7o acid phosphate plot 225 To kainit plot 161 To acid phosphate and kainit plot 285 Average increase with cotton seed meal ISO Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: To unfertilized plot 40 To cotton seed meal plot 217 To kainit plot 198 To cotton seed meal and kainit plot 314 Average increase with acid phosphate 192 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot 21 To cotton seed meal plot 142 To acid phosphate plot 179 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot 239 Average increase with kainit 145 Morgan County, 4 Miles West of Hartselle. J. O. Burleson, 1907-8. (See Table, p. 35.) In 1907, soil, red, lime table land; Suhsoil, red. The orig- inal growth was hickory^ removed about 80 years before. The soil was the ordinary lime soil of the Tennessee Val- ley Eegion. A complete fertilizer afforded the largest yield. Apparently the greatest need was for nitrogen. Ill 1908, typical sandy mountain land, dark gray soil ivith red subsoil. The original growth was shortleaf pine and hardwoods, and the land had been in cultivation about 10 years. The largest increase was afforded by a mixture of cotton seed meal and acid phosphate. The chemical chiefly needed by this soil was acid phosphate. 37 Lbs. Lbs. Average yield of seed cotton per arre, unfertilized 640 530 Increase of seed cotton when cotton seed meal was added: To unfertilized plot 112 210 To acid phosphate plot — 20 402 To kainit plot — 20 — 20 To acid phosphate and kainit plot 239 230 Average increase tvith cotton seed meal 78 206 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added; To unfertilized plot 120 370 To cotton seed meal plot — 12 462 To kainit plot —93 268 To cotton seed meal and kainit plot 166 230 Average increase with acid phosphate 45 333 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot 94 126 To cotton seed meal plot — 38 140 To acid phosphate plot — 119 21 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot 140 — 92 Average increase ivith kainit 19 50 Cullman County^ 2 Miles South west of Joppa. O. G. Roberts, 1906-7-8. (See Table, p. 39.) Gray sandy upland with yelloio clay suhsoil. The original growth was short leaf pines and hardwoods, characteristic of the Mountain Plateau Region. This field had been cleared for about 24 years. In all three years the largest profit was made on plot 5 by using a mixture of cotton seed meal and acid phosphate. In every case there was no advantage in adding kainit to the other two chemicals. This inefficiency of potash in these tests is further borne out by the fact that, of the two com- plete fertilizers, the one with the smaller amount of potash each year afforded the larger yield. These results also agree with the results of Mr. Burleson's tests on similar gray pla- teau soil. 38 1906. 1907. 190S. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Average yield of seed cotton per acre unfertilized ..248 360 312 Increase in seed cotton when cotton seed meal was added: To unfertilized plot 200 22 144 To acid phosphate plot 174 218 132 To kainit plot 190 58 166 To acid phosphate and kainit p'ot — 17 43 164 Average increase with cotton seed meal 137 So 152 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: To unfertilized plot 288 174 292 To cotton seed meal plot 262 370 280 To kainit plot 342 121 112 To cotton seed meal and kainit plot 135 114 110 Average increase with acid phosphate 257 195 199 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot 75 182 156 To cotton seed meal plot 65 210 178 To acid phosphate plot : 129 129 —24 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot — 62 — 46 8 Average increase with kaiyiit 52 119 80 39 CO a «0 .§ "a O tJ: > O 00 loid paziii^Jajan • — o 2 Ol r-i . CI -+ LO o o jaAo asKaaoui ij "^ "* •-H ro ^ ro s a o 1 1 3J0B J3d UOl^OD I cc g 3 ? 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A CI ro ro O C4 l^ l^ joid paziKJiSjun o oo jaAO 3ST?3J3ni CI CJ X r<5 ro ro X ajOE J9d U01J03 ro O o p^as JO piaiA •" 'i- LC Th LO t^ lO nC ro NO NO ;otd p9Zijij-i9jun ,• ~ X • 'O f 1 Sex • I> NO NO ^ o ^ a9AO 9SH9J0UI -O CI CI • ^ CI Tt ^ ^ aaoB -idd nojioo • nC •^ nC. T T 2 ^ o — o nd o bo Cl ^ X o " X ri ■-! p99s JO ppiA ■^ ^ lO M rO O 1/3 NO M NO t^ , . . . . ^, , — ■ — ^ A Qd ij XJ V ■I-' V if s- ■ a S "i p ^ s ct E rt E re : Q x: u - JZ J= U jr ^ . S3 ^ ■a D. 0) TO a. •a & OJ TJ & -a a • HH (U !« N 0; !/i V (A M w t/i 0) (fl • 1— 1 i> o ;i; a> o • o ^ c M o ■«■ o 1 ca ^^ — ' o rH .-1 CI ro -^ r ir> N 40 # Blount County^ 2 Miles North op Tidmoke. John W. Staab, 1905. (See Table, p. 39.) Alulatto, fine sandy loam, with reddish yellow subsoil. rhe rainfall was heavy. Apparently plot 1 Avas on richer land than the other plots. The chief need was for nitrogen. Phosphate and kainit were of little value. On the other hand, in a similar experiment made by Mr. Staab the preceding year on apparently the same charac- ter of land, the increase in yield of seed cotton per acre av- eraged for cotton seed meal 215 pounds, for acid phosphat*; 282 pounds, and for kainit 77 pounds. Lbs. Average yield of seed cotton, unfertilized 190 Increase of seed cotton when cotton seed meal was added: To unfertilized plot To acid phosphate plot 108 To kainit plot 116 To acid phosphate and kainit plot 155 Avej'age increase with cotton seed meal 126 Increase of seed cotton per acre when aeid phosphate was added: To unfertilized plot 80 To cotton seed meal plot To kainit plot —37 To cotton seed meal and kainit plot 2 Average increase ivith acid phosphate 15 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot 70 To cotton seed meal plot To acid phosphate plot — 47 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot 00 Average increase with kainit 8 41 • Cullman County, 1 Mile South of Cullman. _ L. A. Fealy, 1906. (See Table, p. 39.) (Jraij sandij loam, u-ifh yellow loam suhsoil. On this upland field, long in cnltivation, a mixture of ac- id phosphate and cotton seed meal gave the largest yield; but this result may have been due to the fact that this plot occupied the lowest position in the field. On this account it is impossible to determine whether potash was needed on this soil. In 1904 on similar land Mr. Fealy made a test in which the average increase from cotton seed meal was 180 pounds, from acid phosphate 176 pounds, and from kainit 98 pounds. Lbs. Average yield of seed cotton, unfertilized 452 Increase of seed cotton per acre when cotton seed meal was ad- ded: To unfertilized plot 152 To acid phosphate plot 268 To kainit plot 232 To acid phosphate and kainit plot 48 Average increase with cotton seed meal 175 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: To unfertilized plot 196 To cotton seed meal plot 312 To kainit plot 176 To cotton seed meal and kainit plot — 8 Average increase ivith acid phosphate 169 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot 136 To cotton seed meal plot 216 To acid phosphate jlot 116 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot — 104 Average increase with kainit 91 42 Marion County^ Hamiltoon. Sixth District Agricultural School, 1906. (Table, p. 30.) Sandy land loith yellow clay suhsoil. For 3 or 4 years preceeding the experiment this land had been uncultivated and occupied by weeds. The largest and most profitable yield was afforded by plot 5, fertilized with cotton seed meal and acid phosphate. A test made on the same farm in 1903 (Ala. Station Bul- letin No. 131) showed a need for a complete fertilizer, in which, however, potash was less effective than either nitro- gen or phosphate. Lbs. Average yield of seed cotton per acre, unfertilized 272 Increase of seed cotton when cotton seed meal was added: To unfertilized plot 32 To acid phosphate plot 298 To kainit plot 131 To acid phosphate and kainit plot 42 Average increase with cotton seed meal 126 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: To unfertilized plot : 64 To cotton seed meal plot 330 To kainit plot 213 To cotton seed meal and kainit plot 124 Average increase with acid phosphate 133 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: Averge yield of seed cotton per acre, unfertilized 397 To unfertilized plot 49 To cotton seed meal plot 148 To acid phosphate plot 198 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot — 58 Average increase with kainit 84 43 Winston County, 3 Miles North East of Nauvoo, W. M. Omary, 1908. (See Table, p. 39.) Gray sandy soil icitli a reddish clay subsoil; "coal land.'' This field had been in cultivation only about 6 years; the original growth is stated to have been short leaf pine. While a complete fertilizer afforded the largest yield, yet the increase on plot 5, receiving only cotton seed meal and phosphate, was almost as large and the profit on plot 5 was even greater than on plot 9. Lbs. Average yield of seed cotton per acre, unfertilized 397 Increase of seed cotton where cotton seed meal was added: To unfertilized plot 90 To acid phosphate plot 197 To kainit plot 127 To acid phosphate and kainit plot S'/l Average increase with cotton seed meal 171 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: To unfertilized plot 195 To cotton seed meal plot 302 To kainit plot 73 To cotton seed meal and kainit plot 217 Average increase with acid phosphate 197 Incraese of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot • • 81 To cotton seed meal plot 118 To acid phosphate plot — 41 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot 33 Average increase with kainit 48 44 Walker County, 3 Miles South of Cordova. G. L. Alexander, 1908. (See Table, p. 39.) Gray sandy upland with red clay sulsoil. This field had been cleared for about 40 years. Evidently the land had been kept in a high state of fertility. The stand was nniform. It is clear that the chief need of this soil was for acid phosphate. There was no need for potash. The figures for nitrogen are confusing, probably due to the relatively pro- ductive condition of this land. Apparently plot 10 was on richer soil than the otlier plots. Average yield of seed cotton per acre, unfertilized 1165 Increase of seed cotton when cotton seed meal was added: To unfertilized plot 320 To acid phosphate plot — 80 To acid phosphate and kainit plot — &0 Average increase rvith cotton seed meal 54 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added : To unfertilized plot 420 To cotton seed meal plot 20 To kainit plot 330 Average increase with acid phosphate 257 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot • 120 To acid phosphate plot 30 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot 30 Average increase v'tiJi kaivi'-. 60 45 Fayette County, 1 1-2 Mii.ics West of Xewtonville. J. B. Gibson, 1906-7. (See Table, p. 46.) Dark sandy soil with red clay suhsoiL This level upland field, on which the oriiiinal growth was oak and short leaf pine, has been cleared about 18 years. There was an increase with either cotton seed meal, acid phosphate, or kainit, whether these were used separately or in every possible combination. Apparently the greatest need was for acid phosphate. 1906. 1907. Lbs. Lbs. Average yield of seed cotton, unfertilized 560 34S Increase of seed cotton when cotton seed meal was added: To unfertilized plot 784 576 To acid phosphate plot 24 86 To kainit plot 72 54 To acid phosphate and kainit plot 216 92 Average increase ivith cotton seed meal 274 202 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added : To unfertilized plot 880 640 To cotton seed meal plot 120 150 To kainit plot 128 129 To cotton seed meal and kainit plot 268 167 Average increase ivith acid phosphate 349 272 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot 720. 611 To cotton seed meal plot 8 89 To acid phosphate plot — 32 100 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot 160 106 Average increase with kainit - • 214 22 1 46 Fertilizer Experiments in Fayette and Greene Counties. o O 1 2 3 4 FERTILIZER Newton- VILI.K 1906 Newton- VILLK 1907 ICXINT'N I 19C8 o S-. 01 & o E < Lbs. 200 240 KIND -M -8 = 1 l-H 3 a; -4-" O o >^8 M 200 c ( ' 200 ^ I 240 I 200 ^ L 201 7 I 240 ' t ' 200 8 .... { 2iC 9<; 240 t 200 f , 2C0 240 100 10 I Cotton seed meal Acid phosphate No fertilizer Kainit Cotton seed meMl . . . . ] Acid phosphate I Cotton Seed meal . . . . | Kainit J Acid phospha'e ) Kainit I No fertilizer Cotton seed meal .... | Acid phosphate \ Kainit i Cottcn seed meal . . . . ^ Acid phosphate \- Kainit J Lbs. 1304 1400 520 1256 1456 1360 1432 600 Lbs 784 880 "720 904 Lbs. Lbs. 912 S'ib 976 640 336 952 611 1072 726 Lbs. 768 760 624 672 792 1016 665 687 U V 1—1 3 Lbs. 144 136 49 08 848 1096 360 740 622 14 616 ... . 1664 1064 1192 832 680 64 16':-0 1000 1272 912 704 88 Greene County^ G Miles North or Clinton. W. M. Morgan, 1908. (See Table above.) Darlc soil unth clay foundation. The original growth, consisting chiefly of short leaf pine, was removed about nine years before the test was made. The two crops preceding the experiment consisted of cotton. No fertilizer very greatly increased the yield. From Mr. 3Iorgan's notes it may be inferred that the land is in poor mechanical condition, much inclined to bake, and that on all plots there was much shedding of forms, but no rust. 47 Lbs. Average yield of seed cotton per acre, tmferti ized 620 Increase of seed cotton when catton seed meal was added: To unfertilized plot 144 To acid phosphate plot — 62 To kainit plot 19 To acid phosp'^ate and kainit plot 50 Average increase tvith cotton seed meal '. 38 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: To unfertilized plot 136 To cotton seed meal plot — 70 To kainit plot — 35 To cotton seed meal and kainit plot — 4 Average increase ivith acid 'phosphate 7 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot 49 To cotton seed meal p'ot — 76 To acid phosphate plot — 122 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot — 10 Average increase with kainit — 40 (?HiLTON County^ 2 Miles West of Verbena. J. H. WiLi.ouGHBY, 1905-G-7-8. .(See Table, p. 49.) Gray mndy soil irith a red suJjsoil. Every year this test was made on soil that had been long in cnltivation. In each of the fonr years the complete ferti- lizer (plot 9) afforded a larger yield than the mixture of any two fertilizers. In every test the complete fertilizer afford- ed the largest net profit. AVhen the chemicals were used separatelv or by twos their effect was variable, but when all 3 were combined each chemical in this mixture increased the yield more than enough to pay its cost. 48 1905 1906 1907 1908 Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Average yield of seed cotton per acre unfer- tilized 40S 256 &58 550 Increase of seed cotton when cotton seed meal was added: To unfertilized plot 38.4 101 64 230 To acid phosphate plot 104 85 60 142 To kainit plot 96 21 —36 —18 To acid phosphate and kainit plot 272 62 279 256 Average increase with cotton seed meal 214 68 60 153 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: To unfertilized plot 168 128 32 50 To cotton seed meal plot —112 109 156 —38 To kainit plot 16 36—101—142 To cotton seed meal and kainit plot 192 77 214 132 Average increase with acid phosphate 66 87 75 1 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot 136 206 158 186 To cotton seed meal plot —152 123 186—62 To acid phosphate plot —16 114 25 —6 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot . .152 91 244 108 Average increase with kainit 30 133 153 57 49 ^ ^ ^ I I I ?3 •7 X a:; . < y X W OS » -I 1^ — -^ pa -H as . ~ Ov 33 '^ r^^ z o a 0^ 35 —I PC! J3AO asTjajoaj aaoE Jod U0J40-.) J3AO 3SB3.I0a| a lOB .i9d uoj^oo paas JO piaiA )oid paziiuaajcm j3,\o asBajouj 3JOT3 J9d UO^^OO paas JO ppiA ;oid paziiijjajan JSAO 3SH3.I0ni 3J0E aad uojjoo paas JO P19IA lo^d pazijijjajan 9J0H J9d uo);oo P39S JO PI9!J^ ;o,d p9Z[[!JJ9jan J9AO 9SE9J0ni 9J0E J9d nojjoo P99S JO PI9TJ^ o c c rr o c C o C J^ i-H -; i^ 1^ \C vC O 1- rH o l^ .O '^ CN ON 1^ •^ rH I-t 1— < f^ X rr; 't -1- X r.^^ X ■<1- o ■^ ►-; X vC l^ On X Co ^ — ' ^^ X o ttj o o c o c ^ f^l ^T o^ v^ \r^ 2 X vo ir; t^ ;^ cc' -rri X r-i f/ C vc ■* ri vo J5 ^ C C ri ri 12 ro TT ri ^ Lbs. 384 168 ri CO* ri ^C X ^ <-C ro vO LO f-1 re D II o O lO 1- o o lO lO ri IT) 1/2 o X X X X r) ri X ^ X X 'J- f I X O r^ , O rt a c- W a.-t: 2.5 o j:: a.- o re p re •- " j= N (U (fl • - tn j^ o X o o o o X f) o f-H o l/J X X ri lO ON o ON X 5 VD ID X o X X X o to O E« aj o "re 9J9H J?d lUnOLUV -So? ■ON loid ' o o o o o c o ■ o c -* o o ^ o ■ n ri o) n c) CM M o o o ^ o o ^ • or o 3 o c - O 'I- oo ^ o • ri ri o n ci rH .-1 M ro •* lO vO X On 50 Chilton County^ 1-2 Mile tSouxH of Verbena. G. H. Caffby, 1907-S. (See Table, p. 4J9.) Rather stiff, dark, sandy soil, ivith a red clay sahsoll. This piece of high upland was cleared 60 or 70 years ago of its original growth of longleaf pine, oak, hickory, and dog- wood. The results for the two years suggest that the fer- tilizer which pays best one season is not necessarily the one most effective in a different season. In 1907 there Avas need for a complete fertilizer, in which the most effective con- stituent was nitrogen, closely followed by potash; phosphate was also helpful when used in combination, with hoth of the other constituents. In 1908, on the contrary, kainit was of practically no value nitrogen being most important, followed by phosphate. A mixture of cotton seed meal anfl "'-ospliate gave the greatest profit. In 1907 the complete fertilizer on plot 9, costing |o.6S pei' acre, increased the yield of seed cotton by 464 pounds per acre, worth at 3.2 cents. $14.85. This leaves a net profit of S8.17 due to the complete fertilizer. Likewise in 1908 the increase on plot 5. with meal and phosphate costing $4.28, afforded a net profit of $5.96. 1907 1908 Lbs. Lbs. Average yield of seed cotton unfertilized ^•5'^ 580 Increase of seed cotton when cotton seed meal was added: to unfertilized plot 144 160 To acid phosphate plot 2^8 240 To kainit plot 18 130 To acid phosphate and kainit plot 861 200 Average increase with cotton seed meal 198 183 51 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: To unfertilized plot — 91 80 To cotton seed meal plot 33 160 To kainit plot — 93 90 To cotton seed meal and kainit plot 250 160 Average increase with acid phosphate 25 123 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot 196 40 To cotton seed meal plot 70 10 To acid phosphate plot 194 50 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot 287 10 Average increase tvith kainit 187 28 Autauga County^ 2 Miles East of Prattville. J. W. YouxG. 1005-6-7. (See Table, p. 52.) Reddish sandy soil tvith a red clay subsoil. The stand eacli year was jjood and uniform. Results were somewhat obscured by unfavorable weather conditi-Jns in 1905 and by the September storm and the occurrence of early frost in 1006. Evidently the chief need of the soil, long in cultivation, was for nitrogen. Phosphoric acid was also needed. A mixture of cotton seed meal and acid phos- phate, (plot 5). in all cases gave a profitable increase. In a complete fertilizer in 1005 and 1006 kainit increased the yield to the extent of 112 and 77 pounds of seed cotton respectively; but when used alone or in combination with either one of the other fertilizers, kainit was usually un- profitable, and it was also without eifect in the complete fertilizer in 1907. Autauga and Montgomery {Sandy Land) Experiments. Pratt- ; Pratt- Pratt- MoNT- FERTILIZER ville villa vi le GOMRRY Red 1904 1 1905 1906 sandy O V 4-* o o V o 6 o u OJ ■4-' n 3 o S KIND "1 4) re >^8 ■" a o OJ •- ^8 > -a O (U 4, .2 4) •- o *- K. O O 1) 1— 1 3 5 re u a (.1 ^ > • ■ No fertilizer 552 ....672 812 560 .... '■! 200 Cotton seed meal . ] 240 Acid phosphate . . 824 272 936 264 880 68 824 264 200 200 Kainit \ Cotton seed meal . ) 10 240 Acid phosphate . . ;• 768 216 856 184 800 12 840 280 / 100 Kainit ) 1905 1908 1907 Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. A verage yield of seed cotton, unfertilized 592 656 784 Increase of seed cotton when cotton sesd meal was added: To unfertilized plot 184 296 156 To acid phosphate plot 40 27 49 To kainit plot 144 67 90 To acid phosphate and kainit plot 96 234 151 Average increase with cotton seed meal 116 156 112 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phospahte was added : To unfertilized plot 120 160 60 To cotton seed meal plot —24—109 —47 To kainit plot , 152 —4—105 To cotton seed meal and kainit plot 104 163 — 34 Average increase with acid phosphate 88 53 — 32 53 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot 24 34 12 To cotton seed meal plot — 16 — 195 — 54 To acid phosphate plot 56 — 130^153 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot 112 77 — 41 Average increase with kainit 44 — 53 — 59 Marengo County, 2 Miles South of Faunsdale, W. C. McKnight, 1905. (See Table, p. 54.) YelloioisU, gravelly, prairie upland. The largest increase and the only plot showing any decid- ed profit from fertilizers was plot 10, which received 550 pounds of a complete fertilizer. Lbs. Average yield of seed cotton per acre, unfertilized 41i Increase of seed cotton when cotton seed meal was added: To unfertilized plot 62 To acid phosphate plot 170 To kainit plot 48 To acid phosphate and kainit plot 210 Average increase with cotton seed meal 122 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: To unfertilized plot —82 To cotton seed meal plot 56 To kainit plot —42 To cotton seed meal and kainit plot 120 Average increase with acid phosphate 13 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added : To unfertilized plot — 20 To cotton seed meal plot 56 To acid phosphate plot 20 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot 30 Average increase with kainit 21 54 Fertilizer Experiments in Marengo and Montgomery Counties on prairie or lime soils. FERTILIZER Fauns- dale MONT- gom'ry Prairie Mdnt- gom'ry Prairie MONT- gom'ry Prairie V u o re U ID -a 6 0^ re 11 re ^■a 0) re V re ir. ^ o (u X u o oj t« i- O IK 0) — •*- o <4-( 0) 0- O !^ ^ 3 1, l_ ■^ p re ^ 5 re -k- a; u s§ '- 0) *_■ U OJ U V Yie cott o IllC unf ■4^ o o Yie cott O a; N O; — re -*-» QJ c Lbs. 200 240 '266 200 240 . 3 200 ^ * ' 200 1 2 3 4 240 200 i f i'266 9 { I 240 t 200 fi 200 10! ' 240 L 100 Cotton -eed meal . Acid phosphate., No fertilizer Kainit Cotton seed meal Acid phosphate. Cotton se.d meal Kainit Acid phosphate.... I Kainit f No fertilizer Cotton seed meal. . . 1 Acid phosphate.... , Kainit I Cotton seed meal . . 'I Acid phosphate.... J Kainit I Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs 516 62 492 120 256 78 372 82 648 276 320 14 454 ... . 372 ... . 334 ... . 418 20 558 183 580 233 ■ 540 118 528 149 402 42 [ 434 28 528 146 694 322 328 62 648 268 690 306 374 ... . 388 ... . 396 ... . 522 148 694 310 672 276 638 264 726 338 618 220 643 483 498 590 578 663 593 363 853 143 15 119 134 246 203 490 723! 360 >!ONTGOMERY CoUNTY, 6 MiLES SoUTH EaST OF MONTGOMERY. Wesley N. Jones and Sons^ 1906-7-8. Blade prairie soil in 1906 ; reddish prairie soil in 1907 ; chocolate or ''mulatto^' prairie soil in 1908. In 1906 on black or dark gray prairie upland soil, the greatest increase, 338 ponnds of seed cotton per acre, and the largest profit, was afforded by the complete fertilizer ap- plied to plot 10. Apparently the chief need that year was for acid phosphate, though kainit was also helpful. In 1907 the greatest increase was afforde'd by a mixture of cotton seed meal and kainit, closely followed by the plot receiving acid phosphate and kainit. In this test kainit was the only profitable fertilizer and was effective whether used alone or in combination with either acid phosphate or 55 kaiuit. The poor results on plots 1 and 2 and 5 appear +0 be parti}' due to the slightly poorer stand on those plots. In 1908 a complete fertilizer was the most profitable; in this potash was most important, nitrogen next. Acid phos- phate was ineffective when used alone or with meal, but profitable when combined with, both kainit and meal, mak- ing a complete fertilizer. In the 3 tests on this typical prairie soil, the most profi- table fertilizer was in two cases a complete fertilizer and in one case kainit. 190^ 1907 19i)^ lbs Lb-. L!)s. •Average yield of seed cotton per acre, unfertilized .380 365 431 Increase of seed cotton when cotton seed meal was added: To unfertilized plot 120 78 145 To acid phosphate plot — 127 66 149 To kainit plot — 37 gg 127 To acid phosphate and kainit plot 42 — 30 187 Average increase with cotton seed meal — 1 12 152. Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added : To unfertilized plot 276 — 14 15 To cotton seed meal plot 29 120 — 11 To kainit plot 85 73 84 To cotton seed meal and kainit plot 164 — 46 144. Average increase tvith acid phosphate 130 33 50^ Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added : To unfertilized plot 183 233 113 To cotton seed meal plot 26 400 101 To acid phosphate plot — 8 320 218 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot 161 234 356 Average increase ivith kainit 91 297 199 5G Montgomery County, 7 Miles East of Montgo:\iery. Thos; W. Oliver, 1907. (See Table, p. 52.) Red sandy soil 4 to 0 in deep; red clay suhsoil. The field had bearance of the plants would suggest to the eye. Every one of the three constituents of the complete ferti - lizer was profitable in this mixture. Average yield of seed eotton, unfertilized 560 Increase of seed cotton when cotton seed meal was added: To unfertilized plot 1^^ To acid phosphate plot ^^ To kainit plot —140 To acid phosphate and kainit plot 320 Average increase tvith cotton seed meal 9o Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added. To unfertilized plot 100 To cotton seed meal plot °" To kainit plot — H^ To cotton seed meal and kainit plot 350 Average increase ivith acid pJcjspha'e "* 58 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot 290 To cotton seed meal plot — 40 To acid phosphate plot 80 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot 390 Average increase with kainit 180 Fertilizer Experiments in Lee County. -> "A a •4-> o o E CU < FERTILIZER Auburn J. Jackson Beehive Beehivb KIND +-» -a "3 ,3 33 ^ tfl u O (L> •" u tf) u •3^ o o- a: -i; 2§ -c n 2§ u h8 1— 1 3 I- & o > x; o oj t/j — U X 2 v£) x ON ^ ■O r*^ r/^ 'NJ r^ X ^0 ;o[d "szi[Tji3jnn ; eo" g S J3.\0 9SH9aDUI j"^'"" 3J0B jad nonoo pass JO piaiA g ^ C3 < ^ ^ 5 b . i: c^ 'G- 1 O ON loid paz!jn-'''Jnn jaAO asHa-ioaj a.iOH jad aojjo3 paas JO pi.-^!A ;oid paziipaajnn co a ^ ^1 -t ^ X VO ^ X w o ^ ^ •O VO 'O ~1" "~. LT- _§XvO ^1 C + X VD ^1 • fM vO Cv] vc 2 t^ lo ON <— "O ^M ^ .-c !M jaA-> asBaaoui "^ "-• 9 lOB Jad UOiJCD paas JO piaij^ '■'; C: ON o ^1 r^ -t vO .— ^1 ^1 ^j vD • O O vC ^) W ^1 X •— •— ~ LC -1- -t lO vC X X ~ VO X vC joid paz![u.i9jnn ; «, ;,j 5, javo asRaaaui 2 "" '^ rv] ON ^1 X On ON X a J OH I ad uoj;oo paas JO piai^ joid paziniJajnn ^OAO asHajoui J5S a, :s ^ •J a.ioH jad noj^oD paas JO P19IA ajOE jad ;nnouiv •ON ^oid • X O ^ in -+ ON O' ■c^r^XvOX ON X X g oTi vo -o ro eg ■J vD ON • O -t C X vC 2 -+ X '^i -t ON * X C^ in X X VO X ^1 X X ON X "0 'NI ON X VO VO VO X ^1 VD ON 'Nl wo VD Cv] tfl • • 0 ■^ t) 0 oj 0 ■ ■ jC (/)Xi tc j: • -1^ ^ "^ .:: ^ "^ •- i; - 'O .S ' c a-- o 'o O (U ^« 6 a, c o KIND 2§ O (u -1 N (U u O ^ o (u o — Si o v H ^^ o^i; « ^ o *+-• 2d :: " « D^ < >^8 c c l-H 3 >^8 C 0 s- o Lbs. Lbs. Los. Lbs. Lbs. L6s. Lbs. 1 200 Cotton seed meal . . . 512 160 472 168 420 30 "2 240 Acid phosphate .... 464 112 832 192 580 30 3 No fertilizer 352 640 450 4 200 Kainit 432 90 720 49 750 296 M 200 240 Cotton seed meal . 1 Acid phosphate . . ( 552 220 1112 410 520 62 ^1 200 200 Cotton seed meal. ) Kainit \ 448 125 728 -4 610 148 ^) 240 200 Acid phosphate . . ) Kainit ( 424 111 856 94 550 84 8 No fertilizer 304 792 470 ') 200 Cotton seed meal, j 240 Acid phosphate . . [• Kainit ) 616 312 1168 376 990 520 200 ( 200 Cotton seed meal . ) 10 240 Acid phosphate . . •■ 554 280 1224 432 900 430 \ 100 Kainit ) Macon County^ 5 Miles R. S. AND A, South West of Society Hill. B. Floyd, 1906-7-8. Soil in 1907 dark sandy loam; in 1906 and 1908 gray sandy soil; yelloiD suhsoil in all experiments. All these tests were made on land that had been lonj' in cultivation. The original growth is reported as probably short-leaf pine and hardwood. On gray sandy soil in 1906 and again in 1908 the com- G7 ♦ plete fertilizer was by far the most efifective and most pro- fitable application. In both of these years rust was pre- valent but least severe on the plots receiving kainia. On the other hand, in 1907, a year in which no rust troubled any plot, a mixture of cotton seed meal and phosphate on plot 5 gave the gi-eatest increase, kainit being practically with- out effect. In both years when rust prevailed, plot 10, receiving 200 pounds of kainit in its complete fertilizer, yielded more than plot 10, where only half as much kainit was used in the comjilete fertilizer. 1906 1907 1908 Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Average yield of seed cottov per acre, unfertilized 328 716 460 Increase of seed cotton when cotton seed meal was added: To unfertilized plot 160 168 30 To acid phosphate plot 108 218 32 To kainit plot 35 — 53 —148 To acid phosphate and kainit plot 201 282 436 Average increase with cotton seed meal 126 70 7^ Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added : To unfertilized plot 112 192 30 Tc cotton seed meal plot 60 578 92 To kainit plot 21 45 —212 To cotton seed meal and kainit p'ot 187 380 372 Average increase with acid phosphate 95 299 71 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added : To unfertilized plot 90 49 296 To cotton seed meal plot —35 164 178 To acid phosphate plot — 1 — 98 54 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot 92 ■ — 34 458 Average increase tvith kainit 37 20 247 <;.s Bullock County^ 9 Miles East op Union Springs. A. M. Cope, 1906. (See Table, p. 69.) Gray sandy soil ivith porous yellow sandy subsoil. The original growth of short-leaf pine had been cleared many years before. The stand of cotton was very uniform There was need of a complete fertilizer. Of the two com- plete fertilizers the one containing the larger amount of kainit per acre was more profitable. The need for nitrogen and for phosphate was somewhat greater than for potash. The increase from the complete fertilizer on plot 9 was 760 pounds per acre, thus affording a net profit of .flS.6t above the cost of fertilizer and above the cost of picking th>? increase. Indeed every fertilizer, whether used singly or in any combination whatsoever, gave a profitable increase. Lbs. Average yield of seed cotton per acre, unfertilized 240 Increase of seed cotton per acre when cotton seed meal was ad- ded: To unfertilized plot 256 To acid phosphate plot 232 To kainit plot 240 To acid phosphate and kainit plot 400 Average increase with cotton seed meal 282 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: -ro unfertilized plot 288 To cotton seed meal plot 264 To kainit plot 168 To cotton seed meal and kainit plot 328 Average increase with acid phosphate 262 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot 192 To cotton seed meal plot 176 To acid phosphate plot 72 To cotton seed meal and acid phosphate plot 240 Avrerage increase with kainit 170 GO Fertilizer Experiments in Bullock, Barbour and Geneva Counties. FERTILIZER Union Spers L „ A M Cope '^^'^^ Genkva o D u O u a D 3 o p KIND -t-^ +-' 1) O -u X t« u tn u o i^ m u o 0) — o -a S re ^ V U -o c 0) •- j2 — o U (1) o !- o O >-8 o o t-H 3 ^ 'i. "^ Z^ S*^ 3i- V a ■*-* a in u 0 v in u 0 w a! i_ 0 C O ^ "NI r'j ""^ >— I T— ( I— I T— X ^1 On X X jojd paziiijjajan jaAO asHajoui ajoB jad noj;oo paas JO ppij^ joyd pszijijjajnn aaAO asBaaonj aaoB jad uojjoo paas JO piaij^ to O '^^ O' o o o O lO X C -t I^ rTj I -)- lO '.D t^ C' c ;oid pazi^i^jajan ^^3^ jaAO asHajonj i^q ajOH jad nojjoo paas JO piaij^ Q ajoB jad ;nnoiuy •ON ^oid • X c^] rh vo X -^ p.*^ O I^ CM "^ X X t-:] X X x- X ^ ON o c o C X aj . rn o -t >0 <^ ^ rO Ti- ^ -%] rs) ^) fNI 'M ■M ^1 • en X — "M -t X o CC X hO '^l '^, ^ VO X ^ c ^ ^ r^ Csi eg ■* CM fri •^ X X ^1 X •^i VO DO VO VO •^ r— X X t— ' vi; 0^ :^ lO O^ ^ X X ^ a^ t^ T— ■ <^ o CM o '—' ^~ "" fr\ — ^ c _ _ _ ^^ _ rf^ CM X lO 'O O' •J^ r— ( •"^l »— 1 1— ( rH o a^ _ ^ vO "^I , •* — ^ VO CM O CM 1 T— 1 c o oooreo'Jo''*urto u<;2;t^c3ends also upon its ability to survive the winter climatic conditions in order to pass from the crop of one season to that of the next. The weevil has already shown that it can withstand successfully temperatures reaching nearly if not quite to Zero F. which is as low as is likely to occur anywhere in the cotton belt. The eastward spread of the weevil therefore promises to be as certain and as rapid as was its northward spread Ihrough Texas and Oklahoma until ultimatelv it shall infest cotton wherever grown commercially in the SoutheasterT^ States. Its spread may be accomplished in two general ways. In the first place the weevil will continue to spread by its own unaided flight which man is powerless to prevent. The entire area embraced within a line passing through the outermost points thus reached each year must be consider- ed as constituting the "area of general infestation" although the weevil may not occur at many of the places included within but near the outermost edge of this area. The line- referred to is "the line of general infestation" and this is what we reckon with in the annual spread of the boll weevil. It may be shown that this line has been steadily advanced through an average distance of about fifty miles each year. We may expect this rate to be maintained as the weevil' continues eastward to the Atlantic Coast. From this basis we may easily and quite certainly determine that in two seasons more, that is by November 1910. we may expect the line of general infestation to reach the Mississippi-Alabama boundary. It is quite likely that some of the western tier of 8r. cotrnties in this State may then become partially infested. It will require only about three years more for the weevil to spread over the entire State and to reach ^A^estern Geor- gia. Therefore we may consider it practically certain that throughout the western third of Alabama by the summer of 1911, through the central third by 1912, and through the eastern third by 1913, and in each case constantly after those dates, every cotton planter will have to reckon with the presence of the boll weevil and some degree of injury hj it. In the second place, we must consider that the boll weevil is liahle to be brought into the State at any time ahead of the general infestation by the various methods of trahspor- tation, principally by railroads, with persons, household goods, cotton and its products, or with any other articles which may contain or shelter them. This danger naturally Increases as the line of infestation approaches more closely In numerous instances in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and elsewhere it has been clearly established that the weevil has been carried long distances in shipments of cotton seed from infested areas although fortunately it has not yet happened an the direction of uninfested territory. Infested cotton rproduced in the edge of the infested area has been hauled considerable distances beyond for ginning and planters bringing their cotton from other directions have carried away weevil-infested seed with them. Tenants and cotton pickers moving from infested to uninfested territory are very liable to carry weevils with them and thus establish new centers of infestation. These are among the considera- tions which have made necessary the establishment and strict enforcement of quarantine measures to guard against the accidental introduction of the weevil. QUARANTINE REGULATIONS AGAINST THE BOLL WEEVIL. Alabanui passed such a lavr in 1903, and placed the en- forcement of the act in the hands of the State Board of Horticulture, as at that time there was no special Ent©- ST inologist connected with the State Experiment Station. Text of Alabama Boll Weevil Law. An Act to prevent and prohibit the importation of seed from CDtton affected with the Texas boll weevil. Section 1. Be it enacted by the legislature of Alabama, That no person shall import or bring into the State of Alabama any seed from cotton aflfected with what is known as the Texas boll weevil, nor the seed from any cotton from any place where the cotton has been affected with said boll weevil. Sec. 2. Any person who violates the provisions of section 1 o-f this Act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction shall be fined not less than ten dollars ($10.00) and not more than five hundred dollars (.$500.00). (H. 877, No. 559, approved Oct. 6, 1903.) In addition to the above, the State Board of Horticulture organized by Act of the Legislature No. 121, approved March .5. 1903. has established regulations governing the shipment into and through the State of cotton products, packing materials, household goods, etc. The text of the regulations which are at present in force is as follows: RULES AND REGULATIONS Governing the Importation of Articles Liable to Contain THE Mexican Cotton Boll Weevil- Rule 11. In accordance with an act of the Legislature of the State of Alabama entitled: An act to Further Protect Horticul- ture, Fruit Growing and Truck Gardening, and to Exclude Crop Pests of all kinds in the State of Alabama, approved March 5, 1903; the following rules and regulations relative to the Mexican Cotton Boll Weevil were adopted : (a) That in order to prevent the introduction of the Mexican Cotton Boll Weevil into the State of Alabama, a rigid quarantine is hereby declared against all infested localities in Texas or Louisiana, and of other sections that are or may hereafter become infested. (b) That cotton lint (loose, baled flat or compressed) cotton seed, seed cotton, hulls, seed cotton and cotton seed sacks (which have been used) and corn in the shuck, originating in cotton boll weevil infested localities, shall be excluded absolutely from the State of Alabama. (c) All shipments of household goods from Infested areas shall be prohibited unless the same is accompanied by an affidavit, at- tached to the way-bill stating that the shipment contains no cotton 8S lint, cotton seed, seed cotton, hulls, seed cotton and cotton seed sacks or corn in the shuck. (d) All shipments of quarantined articles, mentioned in section (h) above, through the State of Alabama shall be made in tight, closed cars. (e) No common carrier shall use for bedding, or feed for live stock, any of the quarantined articles when the shipments origi- nate in regions infested with the cotton boll weevil. (f) All railroads, steamboats, express companies and other common cariers, and all private vehicles, boats, etc., entering the State of Alabama from the states of Texas or Louisiana, or pass- ing through the State of Alabama from any of the infested dis- tricts of the States of Texas or Louisiana, are especially enjoined to comply with the requirements of this order and of laws of the State of Alabama governing the same. Rule 12. The State Horticulturist is hereby charged with the enforcement of the rules and regulations relative to the Mexican boll weevil. The form of affidavit accompanying the waybill with shipments of household goods should specify the prohibited articles as not included, as follows: State of , County of Before me Notary Public in and for said State and County, personally appeared who being duly sworn states on oath that the shipment of waybill of which this affidavit ac- companies, does not contain any cotton lint, cotton seed, hulls, seed cotton and cotton seed sacks or corn in shuck. Sworn to and subscribed before me this day of 190.. ( Seal) Notary Public. At the bottom of all law lies the general consideration that the safety and welfare of the public is more important than the convenience or interest of any private individual. It is certainly of public advantage that every possible pre- caution be taken to prevent needlessly hastening the spread of so dangerous an insect pest as this. The advance of the weevil will gradually transfer states, counties, and locali- ties from the uninfested to the infested territory and thus reduce the area in which quarantine measures apply. With- in five years, therefore, the boll weevil quarantine may be- come a thing of the pa.st in this State. In the meantime it 89 is of Iiighest importance that we be able to defiuitel}' es- tablish the limits of infestation and determine just where the application of the quarantine will do good instead of harm. Obviously no restriction of personal or commercial movement is justifiable or desirable if no protection or ben- efit ma}' result. We therefore urge upon all concerns or in- dividuals to whom the provisions of this quarantine may apply that they continue to give it their cheerful and com- plete support so long as may be necessary. More detailed information will be furnished all who may request it upon any specific points by the "Entomologist to the Experiment Station, Auburn, Ala." DESCEIFTIOX OF THE BOLL WEEVIL. It is of extreme importance that we learn of the presence of the weevil anywhere in the state as quickly as possible af- ter its arrival. For information on this point we must necessarily depend principally upon the reports of cotton planters and others directly interested in this subject. As a rule we cannot depend for this information upon news- paper reports, even when these are vouched for by some planter who "came from the boll weevil country". With the boll weevil, as with most other insects, the ordinary cas- ual observer fails to notice any but the most obvious charac- ters on account of their small size. Therefore the char- acters noted are more than likely to be only those which" are common to a group including hundreds of closely related species rather than those distinctive of a single species. By careful attention to the following brief description and to the illustrations given herewith we believe that the reader of average intelligence may be able to distinguish the boll wee- vil from the numerous other insects occurring on cotton, which are often mistaken for it (see appendix) and to rec- ognize its attack on the plant with a reasonable degree of certainty. In any case of doubt specimens should be sent immediately in a strong, tight, tin or wooden box, with a letter of explanation to the Entomologist, Alabama Experi- ment Station, Auburn, Ala. He will gladly determine 90 such specimens and report to the sender entirely free of cost. The boll weevil is a beetle belonging to a large group, all of which are characterized by having part of the head in front of the eyes greatly extende'd to form a long slender snout. There are many hundreds of species of these^ in- sects, all of which are commonly called "weevils", but the Mexican cotton boll weevil is the only one of these many species which is at all serious as an enemy of cotton. While other species may be found upon cotton plants, their occur- rence there is mainly accidental. Earely indeed does any other species breed upon cotton. The boll weevil breeds upon cotton and upon nothing else. Like all other beetles the boll weevil has four distinct stages in the development of each individual. These are the egg (PI. I, fig. 3), which is only about 1-30 of an inch long, white and delicate. This is always deposited in a cavity which the female eats in the square or boll and upon no other part of the plant. From the egg there hatches in a few days a white, legless grub or worm (PI. I, figs. 3-fi) which does not at all resemble the beetle which it may finally become. The grub of the boll weevil resembles very closely that of the "plum curculio*' which is so familiar a pest in peaches, plums, cherries, etc., working in the fruit and usually around the stone. The boll weevil grub grows steadily from its initial length of about 1-25 of an inch until it becomes fully grown and measures from 1-5 to 2-5 of an inch in length. The body is strongly curved in the form of a crescent, in this respect being more curved than the "worm" in peaches, etc. (PI. I. fig. 6.) In order to attain the beetle form the grub must pass through an intermediate "transformation stage" which is known as the "pupa." (PI. I, figs. 7 and 8.) In this stage no food is taken, and there is a complete change of the ap- pearance and of structure. The grub sheds its skin and in- stead of the legless, wingless, snoutless worm, the pupa ap- pears with all of these organs forming in sheaths closely ap- ])lied to the body. In this stage the insect is very delicate, 91 and perfectly helpless. It, as well as the egg and gi'ub stages, is passed wholly within the interior of the square or boll. These three constitute the immature stages in the life of the weevil, but are as characteristic of the insect as is the adult form. After a few days the pupa sheds its skin and becomes the fully formed adult weevil as shown in PI. I, figs. 1 and 2, having the legs and snout free and usable, as are also the wings, which are folded back, under and protected and hid- den by, the hard Aving-covers, which m^et in a straight line over the middle of the back of the beetle. For a few days the adult also remains protected within the square or boll while it becomes hardened and more able to care for itself. It then cuts a circular hole just the size of its body in the wall of its cell in the square, and through this opening makes its es- cape into the outer world, where from that time on it leads ^ free and active life. The adult weevil, therefore, is the form most commonly seen around infested cotton, and this stage needs a more de- tailed description. The full grown weevils vary considera- bly in size and in color. In length they range between 1-8 and 3-8 of an inch, while the breadth of the body is ap- proximately 1-3 of its length. The general color is uniform over the body and varies from a chocolate brown in the darkest specimens, which are usually below average size, to a grayish or yellowish brown in the lighter colored larger forms. The lighter colors are due to light colored scales or modified hairs which occur most abundantly in the larger specimens. If these are undeveloped or become rubbed off, then the dark brown ground color of the weevil appears. The slender snout is onlv slightlv curved and is about 1-2 as long as the length from the head to the tip of the body. Neither the size, nor the structure or general appearance of the weevil changes at all after its emergence from the square or boll in its adult form. The adults feed and mate and the females then deposit eggs. This completes the "Life Cycle" and starts another generation all- within a pe- riod of from three to four weeks. 92 THE EFFECT OF WEEVIL WORK ON COTTON. The recognition of the presence of the boll weevil may de- pend upon the identification of the adults or the immature stages in squares and bolls or just as certainly upon the recognition of its feeding injuries or the eflFect of its work upon the fruiting of the cotton, as these are also charac- teristic. No other insect produces at all similar injuries to cotton. The excrement deposited by the adult weevils on the squares upon which they work is of a bright orange color and so forms a conspicuous sign of boll weevil presence. The egg punctures, like those made for feeding, are eaten out but are only made large enough to receive the egg which is placed just inside of the floral coverings and usually near the base of the bud. The natural tendency of the green parts of plants to heal wounds in which decay does not oc- cur causes a gi'owth of plant cells to more than fiU the ca- nal leading to the egg cavity. The excess of this growtb bulges outward so that it forms a distinct ''wart". This '•wart" is therefore characteristic of a boll weevil egg punc ture. As the grub feeds and gTOws inside the bud it de- stroys the very heart of the square, until when about half grown its injury thereto becomes so great as to cause the destruction of that bud. The leaflets enclosing the bud spread apart, or "flare" as it is called, and the whole square turns yellow, wilts and is shed as are lea\'es when they can be of no further use to the plant. It is Nature's surgery in removing a diseased and useless member. TTpon the ground the development of the grub continues and its trans- formation through the pupal stage to the adult beetle takes place. Practically one-half of the developmental period is spent in the square on the plant and the other half in the •square after it has fallen to the ground. Badly infested cotton produces few, if any, blooms, while the infested squares shed by the plant as fast as they form are thickly scattered beneath it on the ground. Squares may be shed as a result of adverse cultural or climatic influences, but )3 when shed from such causes they show no signs of weevil or other insect injury such as have been described. KECOGNITION OF THE WEEVIL. We may summarize briefly the most important character- istics upon which we may depend for the prompt recogni- tion of the weevils' presence in Alabama : 1. The adult beetles (PI. I, figs. 1 and 2) probably found on cotton only, are about 1— t inch long, with slender, slightly curved snouts, of dark brown, ashy-gray, or yel- lowish brown color. 2. The crescentic grubs (PI. I, fig. 6) about 3-8 inch long and the pupal stages (PI. T, figs. 7 and 8) occur only in squares and in bolls. This is the only insect which breeds in this wav in cotton. 3. The occurrence of open cavities 1-16 to 1-20 inch in diameter and reaching down to larger excavations among the pollen sacs, the presence of "warts" marking the "egg punctures of the weevil, the occurrence of the orange-color- ed excrement on the buds, the abundant shedding of squares and the consequent scarcity of blooms without accompanying rain or cultural conditions to cause the shedding; these are among the most conspicuous signs of boll weevil presence and injury. Whenever any specimens of ^veevil or cot- ton squares or bolls showing weevil stages or the signs of their work are discovered any- w^here in Alabama in advance of the general infestation by the weevil, it is of the utmost importance that they be immediately submit- ted to the Entomologist, Auburn, for positive identification. We must depend upon the hearty co-operation of cotton planters in this w^ork, as upon the promptness with which the first occurrence of the weevil in a locality is discovered and reported to the Entomologist 94 depends entirely the possibility or advisability of undertaking any measures for the extermi- nation of the weevil Avhich might prevent the infliction of damage to that locality for several years before it v^ould necessarily occur through coming v^ithin the area of general in- festation. Undoubtedly during the next few years local newspapers, as well as the leading papers of the State, will frequently receive reports of the occurrence of the boll weevil in their vicinity. Editors, before publishing such items, should secure specimens and forward them to the Entomologist and await his report as to their genuineness. Published statements, if untrue, can only do harm among their readers, and for a time the harm will be as great as though they were true, as they will affect all agricultural and business interests. This is too serious a matter to permit of the creation of undue ex- citement through the circulation of misleading impressions. The situation should be faced calmly, intelligently and courageously to safeguard the best interests of all who may be affected by whatever effects the production and sale of cotton. If faced in this spirit there is absolutely no need for the existence in Ala- bama of the feeling of "panic" v^hich has heretofore accompanied the weevil during the first few years of its occupation of new terri- tory. 95 now TUF. BOLL WEI^VIL MAY BE SUCCESSFULLY CONTROLLED. The great diflficulty in fig^hting the boll weevil has arisen from the fact that the peculiar habits of the adult and the protection of the imniatui'e stages within the squares and bolls render it practically useless to attempt to destroy them by any usual methods of insecticidal treatment. Hun- dreds of remedies have been tested and found ineffective for the above reasons, if for no others. As in human warfare, one of the most effective measures of subduing an enemv consists in destroying their food supplies, so it is equally true in the case of an insect which is dependent upon one species of food i)lant as is the boll weevil. That the weevil can be effectively controlled and the culture of cotton con- tinued at fully as great profit as has usually been realized without the weevil, has been proven possible through the practical application in many thousands of cases in the weevil area of improved methods in cotton culture and in general agricultural practice. Some of these measures take advantage of and increase the effectiveness of certain factors of natural coiifrol. Most of them, however, are merely steps in a system of cotton culture which prepare the way for the ai>]ili('ntion of the one most ef- fective direct method of destroying immense numbers of weevils by cutting off their food supply at the only season of the year \vhen the destruction of cotton is possible, practicable and most effective in reducing the number of wee- vils. The final step is the complete destruction of all green cotton at least three or four weeks before the usual date for the occurence of the first killing frost in the fall. This has often been called the most important single step in the cul- tural system of controlling the boll weevil. It may seem to many that it cannot be successfully applied under the conditions existing In Alabama. That has been clnimod 96 also in Texas, Louisiana and elsewhere, but it has been found always that it is possible under almost all condi- tions if the necessary steps leading up to it are also employed. We must remember that the presence of the boll weevil inevitably produces a change in the conditions of cotton growth. Practically, there can never be "late cotton" in the Infested area. The only portion of the crop to escape the weevils and mature is that which develops early in the sea- son before the weevils have reached their maximum abun- dance. Therefore the very presence of the weevil tends to limit cotton i)roduction to the early crop and to clear the way for the proposed and necessary destruction of the f-'ialks. The effectiveness of this practice has been most positively established by the repeated experience of planters on large as well as upon small scales, and also through Nature's ob- ject lessons whenever through the effects of unusual climat- ic conditions or Avhen by the defoliation of the plants by the cotton leaf caterpillar or cotton worm there has resulted the practically complete destruction of cotton at an un- ■ usually early date in the fall. In every such case the fall destruction has been followed by larger crops, less weevil injury and a great increase of net profit in the crop of th'^ following year. We have not room in this paper to give details regarding any of these great demonstrations, but can merely state that in many cases where the work has been conducted most carefully with adequate checks the value of the in- crease in the crop on the area where stalks were destroyed has been from $15.00 to $20.00 per acre, as compared with the yield on the check areas on which the stalks were allow^ed to stand until the usual time of preparation for planting in the spring. In all other respects both areas received similar treatment and were grown under like condition?. 97 STEPS IN THE CULTURE OF COTITON FOR CON- TROLLING THE BOLL WEEVIL. 'The immediate adoption of such improved agricultural practices, as rotation and diversification of crops, bettor culture and more careful selection of seed for cotton as soon as the weevil is known to be within less than 100 miles of any locality. In order to practice earlv destruction of stalks it is essen- tial that part, at least, of the other steps be also adopted as thej^ are of prime importance in leading up to the early maturity of the crop. It is impossible for us here to at- tempt to describe these steps at all fully. Much more can be learned regarding them from a study of the publications referred to in the brief Bibliography on ]>age KX). If we begin this work for the control of the weevil in the fall, as is desirable for securing its greatest effectiveness, it may involve the sacrifice of a small amount of cotton from the late maturing bolls. It is not necessary to make this sacrifice until the first year that the weevil is likely to reach the locality. After that time the possible loss of a few pounds of "scrappings" should not be allowed to count as against the necessity for and larger benefits of early des- truction. ' Destruction of Stalks. — The best method of destroying the stalks is by uprooting and burning them. The roots, if cut, should be cut below the surface to prevent their putting out sprouts later. The plants should be thrown into windrows or piles while still green so that the leaves, squares and bolls may not be scattered but will remain on to assist in the early burning of the stalks and also because it is desired to destroy immediately the immature stages which may be present. Sometimes it will be found worth while to apply crude oil to faciliate the burning before the stalks have time to fully dry. Advantages of Early Burning. — 1. It stops absolutely the development of weevils late in the fall by destroying the immature stages then present in squares and bolls. 2. By 98 the complete removal of their only food it forces the disper- sion and starvation of the weevils already adult. Obviously the longer the period between the destruction of all green cotton and the occurrence of the first killing frosts, at which time the weevils may go into winter quarters with most as- surance of survival, the more complete Avill be the destruc- tion of the adults. 3. It removes a large amount of rubbish within which those weevils which escape destruction would find the most favorable conditions for their successful hib- ernation. 4. It prevents the development of adults emerg- ing shortlv before frost. These are the weevils which or- dinarily stand the best chance of living through the winter. ^^llere one weevil nuiy live through the winter if stalks are destroyed by the loth to the 20th of October, there will be at least ten survivors if the destruction of stalks is delayed until the middle of November. There is a constant increase in the percentage of survival between these dates. Preparation of the Land for Cotton. — This should be more thorough than is usually given. On light soils fertilizers are needed for cotton, and those containing a relatively large percentage of phosphoric acid tend to pro- mote the early maturity of the crop. Planting. — Let this be done as soon as danger of frosts is passed. Early planted cotton invariably does better than even medium planted where the weevil occurs. It is desira- ble that the planting in a locality should be done as near the same date as possible, so that all of the cotton will be coming on together. The weevils thus have no chance to get a start upon any of the fields. Plant the rows at such dis- tance apart as has been found to give best yields in any field. Chopping. — Chop to a stand early, as this gives the plants that are left a better start. Space the plarts as has been *ound best for vield in anv field. Cultivation.— ^This should be frequent .'.nd shallow. Its first object is to keep the soil in favorable c*on/iition for pro- ducing a steady and rapid growth of the crop. The destruc- tion of weeds is accomplished incidentally. The surface 99 crust that may form after rains should be broken up as soon as possible. Harvesting.^ — Let this be done as quickly as the bulk of the crop is open. Every effort should be made to have ready the necessary labor supply for this work as soon as it may be done. Remember always the need for keeping a winter cover crop on the soil and for clearing the way for the early destruction of the stalks. The earlier these may be destro}'- cd the better. Their destruction constitutes the last step in dealing with the cotton crop each year where the boll weevil is present and is also the first step in preparation for the next crop of cotton, even though the cotton may occupy some other field through the system of rotation. CONCLUSION. We hope that we have made plain that the coming of the boll weevil is assured, and that we shall very soon have to reckon with it constantly in the culture of cotton. We hope also that what we have said may help the cotton plant- ers of the State to face this serious question more intelli- gentlv and more courageouslv than thev would otherwise have done. In spiie of the admittedly serious nature of the weevil as an enemy of cotton, there is no need for a "feel- ing of panic" if the recommendations given herewith are put into practice immediately. Their general application will improve the conditions of farai life, increase the value of farm property and multiply profits to both owners and ten- ants. In most sections where the weevil has already gone there have been heavy losses during the first two or three years of infestation because planters have been slow in adopting just the changes in cotton culture which have been outlined herein. They have thought at first that they were perfectly familiar with the best methods of raising cotton, and that no "scientists" could tell them anything about it. As a result, they have been finally forced to give up cotton altogether, or to adopt ]»art, at least, of the methods which 100 have been described. With the adoption of the improved practices the control of the boll weevil has ceased to be an exceptionally serious problem, and they have found that in this way it is entirely possible to raise as much, or even more, cotton per acre as they were accustomed to raise be- fore the coming of the weevil. The diversifying of crops has helped to make the farmers of the boll weevil area more in- dependent of cotton as a single crop, and in many sections the}^ are now more prosperous than ever before. In many respects the advent of this pest has resulted in greater final benefits than its injuries, and there has been brought about within five years a greater agricultural development than would have been likely to have come in two or more times as long but for the coming of the weevil. If it shall lead to the immediate application of many of the improvements herein recom- mended, then the coming of the boll weevil shall bring a blessing and not a curse to this State. May every agency be united in a help- ful co-operative campaign of progressive edu- cation that shall prepare us to best meet and to most effectively overcome the boll weevil in Alabama. BIBLIOGRAPHY. This is intended to be only a very partial list of the publications relating to the boll weevil, but to include those available which may be most useful to the planters of Alabama. Publications of United States Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Entomology, Washington, D . C . Bulletin No. 51. The Mexican Cotton Boll Weevil. Hunter & Hinds. 181 pp. Published 1905. (Write your Congressman for a free copy. ) Bulletin No. 74. Some Factors in the Natural Control of the Mexican Cotton Boll Weevil. Hinds. 79 pp. Published 1907. Farmers' Bulletins Nos. 47, 130, 163, 189, 209, 211, 216, 217, 223, and 344. (All of the above relate to cotton insects, the boll weevil or to cotton culture, and may be obtained free upon request to the Department. ) Publications of Louisiana Crop Pest Commission, Baton Rouge. La. Circulars 8 and 23. PLATE II. o - 4 INSECTS OFTEN MISTAKEN FOR THE BOLL WEEVIL. Fig. 1, Boll weevil (Anthononms grandis Boh.); fig. 2, rice weevil which breeds abundantly in corn (Calandra oryzae Linn.); fig. 3, plum curculio {Conotrachehis nenuphar Hbst.); fig. 4, white pine weevil (Pissodes strohi Peck.); fig. 5, transverse Baris {Baris transversa Say) ; fig. 6, a click beetle {Monocre- pidius vespertinus Fab.); fig. 7, cow pea pod weevil (Cluilcnder- mus aeneiis Boh.); fig. 8, Pales weevil (Hylobius pales Hbst.); fig. 9, an acorn weevil {Balaninus sp.); fig. 10, shai*pshooter (Homalodisea triqiictra Fab.). All enlarged about five diameter's. (Original. ) 1 01 APPENDIX The Mexican Cotton Boll Weevil and Some of the Insects Most Frequently Mistaken for it. For the sake of facilitating comparisons a figure of the boll weevil is included on Plate II. Fig. 1. All figures have been taken at the same magnification of approximately four diameters. In this list the "rice weevil," {Calanclra oryzae Linn). PI. IT, fijr. 2, has been included not so much because it has been, or may be, mistaken for the boll weevil, as because its size and general api)earance may be more familial to the general reader than any of the other species mentioned. A comparison of the adult insect with the illustration may aid in conveying a more correct conception of the other less familiar species. This weevil breeds very abundantly in corn, but does not injure cotton. The "plum curculio". {Conotrachchis ncnupliar Hbst.), PI. IT. fig. .'?, which attacks peaches, plums, etc., very com- monly, is about the size of the boll weevil but is much dark- er in color with markings of white or light colored scales on its back and legs. It has a shorter, more strongly curved snout and but a single tooth upon the thigh of the fore legs. It never attacks cotton. The "v.'hite pine vreevil", (Pissodcs strohi Peck.), PL TI. fig. 4. occurs in Alabama and must attack also some south- ern s])ecies of pine. The body is longer and more cylindri- cal, while the snout is relatively much shorter than in the boll weevil. Its wing-covers bear each a prominent white spot toward their tips. The "pales weevil", (HyloMiis pales Hbst.) PI. II, fig. 8, iS another species which attacks pine. It is a large species, being from 1-3 to 1-2 inch long. Its color is a dark brown with small spots of light colored scales scattered over the wing-covers. This species is very common in Alabama. The "cow -pea pod weevil," {Chalcodermus oencus Boh.), PI. II, fig. 7, is often taken on cotton following a crop of cow peas in the same field or near vicinity. It is the only one of the specie^ mentioned bereswith wjiicl^ niay do sora^ 102 eslight damage to cottou. It sometimes feeds on the young cotton plants, boring into the main stems or leaf stems and causing the death of leaves and tips, but there is only one record of its having bred in a cotton square. The adults are shining black in color, somewhat shorter and more stoutlv built than is the boll weevil, and the back of the bodv shows numerous small, circular pits arranged in several rows along the wnng-covers. The "transverse Baris", {Baris tarnsversa Say), PI. II, fig. 5, is a small, black weevil much shorter, broader pro- portionately and flatter than the boll weevil. Its snout is very short and strongly curved. This species breeds in the roots of cocklebur, and the adults occur accidentally upon cotton as may another closely related and similar appearing species that breeds in the roots of ragweed. There are several species of ''acorn weevils" belonging to the genus Balaninus. One of these is shown in PI. II, fig. 9. All have very long, slender snouts, sometimes even longer than the body. All breed in acorns, and are often attracted to lights, as the boll weevil never is. Some of the ''click beetles" have a habit of hiding during the day in cotton squares, and are therefore mistaken for the boU weevil, although they do not resemble it in the least. One of these (Mo7iocrcpidius vespertinus, Fab.), PI. II, fig. 6, is most commonly mistaken. In its early stages it lives on the roots of grasses in the cotton field, and the adult hides around the plant, but it does not attack coiton at all. These are all long, slender, flat-bodied beetles which, if turned over on their backs, will spring into the air with a "click" and thus regain their footing. The last species that we have space cu mention here is a bug belonging to a group of insects known as "leaf hojn pers". These insects have the habit of sucking sap from the stems of plants and may occur on cotton where they have sometimes been called "sharp-shooters". These are gro- tesque insects which do not resemble the boll weevil at all. One species, (Honioladisca triquetra Fab.), is shown in PI. IT, fig. 10. BULLTTIN So. 147 AUGUST, 1909 ALABAMA Agricultural Experiment Station OF THE Alabama Polytechnic Institute AUBURN LIBRARY NEW YOR BOTANICA QARDEN CRIMSON CLOVER Di REC The J. TOR BY F. DUGGAR, AN3 Agriculturist Opelika. Ala.: Post Publishing Company, COMMHTTEE OF TRUSTEES ON EXPERIMENT STATION. Ion . H . L . Martin '. Ozark Hon . Trancred Betts Huntsville Hon . A . W . Bell . Anniston STATION COUNCIL. C. C. Thach •■ President J . F. DuGGAR Director and Agriculturist B. B. Ross Chemist C . A . Cary '. . . Veterinarian P. F. Williams Acting Horticulturist J. T. Anderson Chemist, Soil and Crop Investigations D . T . Gray Animal Industry W . E . Hinds Entomologist F . E . Lloyd Botanist C. L. Hare Chemist ASSISTANTS. T . Bragg . • First Assistant Chemist E. F. Cauthen Farm Superintendent and Recorder J. W. RiDGEWAY ......Assistant in Animal Industry N . E . Bell Second Assistant Chemist I. S. McAdory Assistant in Veterinary Science; W. F. Turner Assistant in Entomology M . J . FUNCHESS Assistant in Agriculture C. S. RiDGWAY • • Assistant in Botany O. H. Sellers Stenographer and Mailing Clerk: CRIMSON CLOVER BY J. F. DUGGAR. SUMMARY. Crimson clover is an annual soil-improving plant. It suits most soils in Alabanui. The seed are sown in Septem- ber among the growing plants and covered. The plants in early bloom can be plowed under about ' A])ril 1, as a fertili/An* for cotton, corn, sweet potatoes, or other summe" crop; or the clover can be cut for hay \m the latter i)art of April and the stubble used as fertilizer. The yields of summer crops following the plowing in of either the entire growth, or merely the stubble, of crimson clover have been much greater than where no crimson clover has been -^own. The condition most essential to success in growing crim- son clover consists in inoculation. This is most certainly <^ffected by sowing with the seed as much as practicable of the soil front a spot where crimson clover, red clover, white clover, or annual white clover, has recejitly grown success- fully. The last mentioned occurs in nearly all jwirts of Alabama, bu: is not easy to find after :May, when its white heads turn brown and the ])lant dies. White clover and annual white clover can usually be found in old lawns and sjiots in ]iastures. Both are low- plants with wirite heads on the end of the short flower stem,, and both hav? leave;? consisting of three roundish or heart- shai>ed leaflets each about the size of the linger nail of one's little finger. Soil from lesjedeza (Japan clover) does not inoculate- crimson clover. Soil has been found to be a more reliable method of in- oculation than the use of artifical inoculating material^, called ])ure cultures. 106 INTRODl CTION. The iiKKSt urgent need of southern agritnltuie is the en- richment of the .soil. To improve southern soils the princi- pal additions needed are (1) vegetable matter and (2) nitrogen. Crimson clover adds both vegetable matter and nitrogen to the soil on which it grows. In fact, this method of improving the soil by the growing of crimson clover seems to be the most generally practicable method that can be put into immediate effect by southern farmers. This is partly because crimson clover is suited to a wide range of soils, because usually the seed are cheap, and because the seed can be sown in September among the gi-owing cotton plants without special preparation of the soil. During each of the last fourteen years numei-ous experi- ments have been made at Auburn, both on gray sandy soil (Norfolk sandy loam) and on reddish loam (Cecil series). In addition to these accurately conducted experiments, tests have been made by farmers throughout the State under the dir-ectioii otf the writer. Many of these local tests, especially during the past few years, have been made in co-operation with the Bureau of Plant Industrv of the U. S. Department of AgiM culture. Tlie conclusions here presented are based oliiefly on experiments at Auburn and on local tests in Alabama, full data for which would be too voluminous for recording in this bulletin- WHAT CRIMSON CLOVER IS. Crimson clover is also known as scarlet clover, and it?« botanical name is TrifoJinm hicaniatuni. Tt is an annual plant, making its growth between 'Se])teinber and May. The seed must be sown each year, for while this plant seeds freely here, yet these seed on dro])ping to the ground in May and June, germinate promptly, and the young plants are killed by the heat of summer. Crimson clover produces abundant crops of seed and farmers can save their owd «eed. To do this the seed must be flailed or threshed from the- plants, and the seed still in the chaff sown without re^ 107 Ciinison clover is a legumiuous plaut, or legume, aud is ranked with the other cultivated legumes, towpeas, velvet, jtieans, vetches, red clover, etc., as a soil-improving plant. HOW CRIMSON CLOVER IMPROVES THE SOIL. Criniisou clover improves the soil on which it grow.s bj the following means : (1> Since it grows during winter, its roots utilize any nitrates or other soluble plant food which would l>e washed or leached from the soil. (2); On account of its winter growth it decreases sur- face washing of the soil. (li). When either the stubble or the entire ]»lant is plowed under, vegetable matter of a kind that readily rots is added to the soil- (4). Trimsov: clover, like all the other .soil-improving legumes, is able, when properly grown, to take ' nitrogen from the air to add it to the soil. HOW LEGUMES ADD NITROGEN TO THE SOIL. Crimson clover, like cowpeas, when grown under proi^er conditions, adds much nitrogen to each acre of soil. It takes this nitrogen from the air. where it is unavailable to corn, cotton, and most other farm crops. The only cultiva- ted plants that e the free nitrogen of the air for their own growth and for subsequent soil enrichment- are the legumes, or leguminous plants, such as cowpeas, clovers, vetches, etc. Even these legumes cann8 element which costs 15 to IS ceuts a pound when bought as ■cotton seed meal, nitrate of soda, ammonated guano, etc. ^ INOCULATION. Tiie interior of these tubercles is swarming with micro- scopic life, called germs or bacteria. These bacteria, which IbeJong to the vegetable kingJom, may be regarded as the Avorkmen in these fertilizer factories. A tubercle does not develop on the roots of any legume unless the right kind of germ, suited to that particular kind of plant, is present on the seed sown or in the soil, ready to enter the tiny root. For example, the writer has examined scores of samples of crimson clover plants from all parts of Alabama that had Tio tubercles on the roots. These clover plants without tu))ercles, v\ere dwarfed, pale or yellowish, and showed the ^rop tlras grown without tubercles to be complete failures. Tlip greater [»art of several hundred failures with crimson clover which the writer has investigated have been found to be due to the absence of tubercles. (See Fig. 1.) Failures of this character need not occur. There is a simple, invariably remedy. It is called inoculation. Inocu- lation of this kind means the supplying of suitable germs to the seed to be sown or to the soil where crimson clover is to be gTOTSTi, so that these germs thus supplied may pene- trate the roots of the young plant and cause tubercles to develop. If the proper germ for causing tubercles on clover be present in the soil there will be no need of artificial in- oculation- iHowever, large numbers of local tests under our direc- ^fcion imade in almost every county in Alabama, lead to the conclusion that throughout most of Alabama the clover germ is not already present in the soil. But this germ is present in soils where any true clover has grown for several yr three JM(Ches of such soil. The true clovers may be 100 known by the fact that thev bear their seed in compact heads at the tij> of the tlower stem. This excludes Lesjie- deza, commonly called Japan clover, which in our tests has pnncd iinahle to inoculate crimson clover. SECURING INOCUI-ATINO SOIL NEAR HOME. Among the clovers, from spots of which the earth may be taken to inoculate crimson clover, are the following: mi -^ Fig. 1. On the left, inoculated plant with severed root, showing tubercles; on the right, an average plant from an adjacent plot, not inoculated; there are no tubercles on the smrialler plant. 110 Crimson clover, i-ed clover, white clover, and annual white or Carolina clover. Fortunately, careful search in April will usually be rewarded by finding the annual white clover in practically all parts of the State, in old lawns, old pas- tures, along roadsides, etc. Unfortunately, this clover dies in May, the white heads changing to brown and the plants soon disiappearing until the next winter, or showing only a mass of short, slender, dead stems against the ground under the Lespedeza, or other summer growth. White clover is not so widely distributed as the annual white clover, but the former may be found even up to mid- summer in some parts of the State in old lawns and in old pastures where the soil is rich and moist. DIRECTIONS FOR INOCULATING SOIL OR SEED. The details of inoculation may vary according to the amount of soil available. If there is an abundance of soil it is only necessary to sow, immediately after the sowing of the seed and before covering the latter, at least one ton per acre of the inoculating soil. This method of inocula- tion may be made even more effective by combining it with the following method : When there is only a limited amount of soil a gallon or more of it should be stirred into two or three times as much water; the seed should be thoroughly moistened with, or dipped into, this water and dried by mixing with another part of the very dry inoculating soil. Whatever soil remains should be sown broadcast beifore the seed are covered. This method is not well suited to seed as small as those of crimson clover. In this way a few pecks of suitable soil may partially inoculate the seed for an acre. A part of the seed would escape in- oculation and plants from these would be small ; the thin- ner stand of vigorous plants thus obtained would make the inoculated plants spi'ead out more and grow not so tall as they would in a thick stand with all plants bearing tuber- cles. If much lews thr.n a ton of pulverized inoculating soil is used, one need expect only a partial success with crimson Ill clover the prst fjear. By sowing seed a secoud vear iu succes- sion on sucli a partially inoculated soil, without further inoculation, the second crop should be thoroughly inocula- ted. START AT ONCE ON A SMALL SCALE. The importance of getting a start of a small area thoroughly inoculated is obvious when we remember that soil from such a spot will suffice the next fall to inoculate several hundred times as large an area. Those who find any difficulty in securing any considerable amount of soil from a spot of red, crimson, white, or annual white clover, should sow only a small area of crimson clover, say one quarter or one acre. No pains nor expense should be spared to get this thoroughly inoculated by using a liberal amount of inoculating soil. This area should be fenced against stock. It may even be lightly dressed with stable manure, after the jdants are well up, though this is not necessary nor practicable on large areas. This "starter" patch should not be located in an old garden spot, for fear of possible presence there of nut grass, root-knot organisms, or germs of plant diseases, which would thus be scattered over the entire farm in the soil from this spot used in future to inoculate larger areas. Especially avoid for this "starter" patch any spot where black-root, or wilt, of cot- ton occurs, or whei'e cowpeas die permaturely, or where there are root-knot swellings on the roots of cotton, tur- nips, etc. Too much care cannot be taken to ascertain that the spot selected for a "starter'' patch is free from all plant diseases. This does not entirely prohibit the growing of crimson clover where certain plant diseases occur, provided the soil from such spots be not carried elsewhere as inoculating material, r'rimson clover may again be sown the second fall on the area used the year before .as a starter, not re- peating the inoculation. Tn brief, start with an area so small that it can he thoroughly inoculated ; and, especially if it proves to be only 112 partially inoculated, again sow crimson clover tliere next season. After one crimson clover crop, ii-cll inoculated as shown by abundance of tubercles, grown for one season on the "starter" patch, use soil from this to inoculate larger areas. Or, the next April locate in pastures, etc., spots of annual white clover in bloom, and place stakes at each corner of such spots, so that inoculating soil from these spots can be used the following September when the annual white clover is dead. WHAT SOILS DO XOT NEED INOCULATION. To SOW crimson clover without inoculation means on most soils in Alabama complete failure. However, there are a few fields that do not require it. Such are fields wherie there have been, in the preceding year or two, success- iful growths of red, or crimson, or white, or other true clover, (not lespedeza). BENEFITS OF INOCULATION TO CRIMSON CLOVER CROP. There are two, viz., (1) increase in the yield of crimson clover, and (2), increased fertilizing effect of crimson clover, as shown in yields of subsequent crops of corn, sorghum, etc. All the experiments here mentioned were made on the Experiment Station Farm at Auburn. In all those mentioned iu this section the inoculating material was soil from an older crimson clover field, applied broad- cast at the rate of at least one ton per acre at the time of sowing the seed. In May. 1903, on reddish sandy upland loam soil (Cecil series), where a moderate dressing of stable manure had been used on the preceding crop of small grain, the yields of crimson clover hay were as follows : Inoculated 6100 lbs. per acre Not inoculated 000 lbs. per acre Gain from inoculation 6100 lbs. per acre 113 The inoculated plante were gieeu. tall, and their roots were abundantly supplied with tubercles. The plants not ino<'ulated were yellowish, not branched, two to four inches tall and there were no tubercles on the roots- There was not enough for cutting with scythe or sickle. Fig 1 shows the contrast between typical inoculated and non- inoculated plants. • In the fall of 1908, on poor, whitish, s?.ndy. up- land soil (Xopfilk randy loam), although too late for best success, a plot of crimson clover was inoculated with soil from an older crimson clover field, and another plot left without inoculation. These plots were not harvested, but the marked ditference in appearance were as follows : The inoculated plants were green, thrifty, about 14 to 16 inches tall, and their roots w^ere covered with tubercles; the yield was estimated at about one ton of hay per acre. The plants not inoculated had no tuber- cles, were yellowish, and had but on<^ or two stems per plant, and wv^re not tall enough to cut. most plants dying before blooming, or blooming at a height of only 2 to 6 inches. PURE CULTURES. OR ARTIFICIAL INOCULATING MATERIAL. In August, 1897. and in August 1898, the writer publish- ed results of inoculation of crimson clover by the use of pure cultures, or bottled material prepared in the lab- oratory. As these bulletins (Nos. 87 and 96 of the Ala- bama Experiment Station) are now out of print, some of the results of these earlier tests will we referred to here. In both of the following tests the pure cultures used was importfed from Germany under the name "Nitragin.'* 114 Results of inoculation experiments on vrinison clover, using ''Nitrag^in.'^ 0 ■D C e 1 u a Kind of Soil Hay, per Acre Date of Sowing Inoculated Yield Not Inoculated Yield Increase from Inoculation Fall 1896 In pots In pots In pots In pots || Sandy, 20 years ) ' in cotton \ j Sandy, 5 years \ \ since cleared . S ^A^oodland. sandv. . . Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Per cl. 71 Fall, 1896 Fall 1896 * 74 326 Fall, 1896 Sandy, after cowpe as 379 ] Fall, 1897 In field Sandy, worn 4057 761 3296 433 Thus, it may be seen that when attempted inoculation with pure cultures is effective, the increase in crop is highly satisfactoiy. In the experiments tabulated above, inoculation in several instances increased the yield more than three-fold. The above figures give the favorable side of inoculation with '^Nitragin.-' Its use was, however, found impracticable because so often the germs in it were dead and inoculation did not result. EXPERIENCE IN RECENT YEARS WITH PURE CULTURES OR ARTIFICAL INOCULATING MATERIAL. In recent years the United States Department of Agri- culture and a number of commercial firms have engaged in the manufacture of pure cultures, a special kind for the inoculation of each particular legume. At first these were sent out in the form of wisps of dried cotton, on Avhich the proper germrs were lodged. This Station had numerous tests of these cultures made on a great variety of soils. The result was a long list of failures, with few. if any, suc- cesses. A later improvement was the sending of the cultures in liquid form in sealed tubes. The experience of this Station with these was. on the whole, unsatisfactory. For example. 115 attempts to iiiociiltite triinsoii clover were made in the fall of 1UU8 with pure cultures from crimson clover, both from the Department and from a commercial firm. Parts of both plots were occupied by small pale plants without tubercles, and the spots that were inoculated may have accidentally secured their inoculation, by wind or surface water, from an adjacent check plot inoculated with soil. Both culture plots were distinctly inferior to the plot in- oculated with soil. Constant improvements are beinj^f made in the methods of manufacturing and distributing- the pure cultures made by the U. S. Dej)artment of Agriculture. The improvement and the successes sometimes reported give reason to hope that in due time this may become the best means of inocu- lating !egui!2es. Its advantages are convenience; economy of labor; avoidance of the danger that is inherent in the use of foil, namely, spreading disease germs, root-knot organisms, weed seeds, etc. The only objection to pure cultures is theii- frequent failures, at this and at other Ex- periment Station, to cause the formation of tubercles or the obvious fixation of nitrogen. Our experience compels us to advise that at ])resent pure cultures be not relied upon as a means of inoculation. Inoculation with soil has never, in our experience, failed; pure cultures have often done so. Still less advisable generally is the pur- chase, at additional cost, of seed said to be inoculated. CRIMSON Cr>0VER AS A FERTILIZER. When grown largely for fertiizer, crimson clover may be disposed of as follows : (1). It may be cut for hay, plowing under the stubble as a fertilizer. (2). The entire growth may be plowed under as fer- tilizer. (3). During the last few weeks of growth crimson clover may be grazed, probably without sacrificing a very birge part of its fertilizing value. 116 At Aubiu-n ci-inisou elover is in full bloom and neady to- be cut between April 15 and (^0. Observation has indica-- ted that at Auburn the first few days in April constitute' a suitable average date for plowing under crimson clover that is to be followed by a cotton crop. At this date it should be just begining to bloom and 12 to 15 inches high. By plowing the entire growth under at this time, and allowing the land to settle for about two weeks, before planting cotton near the middle of April, the yield of cotton has ranged as high as one and one-half bales per acre on gray sandy upland, naturally poor. The cotton^ crop following crimson clover receives its quota of com- mercial fertilizers, which in this case should be especially rich in phosphoric acid. By waiting until the clover should be in full bloom, say \pril 15, doubtless the amount of vegetable matter and nitrogen added to the soil would be greater than by plowing it under about the first of April, Not all the land intended for cotton could have its pre- paration delayed until this date, but crimson clover can be followed by late cotton, by corn, sweet potatoes, sorghum, etc. Where it becomes necessary to plow under crimson clover before April 1, its fertilizing effect is greatly reduced. Tf crimson clover is grown chiefly for fertilizer, with pasturage also as a consideration, the nearer it comes to the blooming stage before being pastured the greater the fertilizing efl'ect. The following tal)le gives the results of several exper- iments at Auburn, showing the increase in the next crop due to crimson clover or crimson clover stubble. Yield of sorghinit Ikii/ (jroimi after rriniso)i riorrr sfidthJe in 1001. Yie^d IncreaseJj Sorghum Hav Per Acre Lbs. % Yield ciimson clover hay 2900 Yielfl of sorghum hay after rye stubble ....■•.. 6460 Yield of sorghum hay after crimson clover stubble 12710 Increase due to clover stubble • • • • 6250 97 117 This shows tliat in 1001 on gray sandy hind after crim- son clover cut for liay, the yield of sorghum hay was prac- tically twice as much as where the preceding crop was ryo, used for hay. On another field, also in 1901, on poor gray sandy soil, Ihe results were as follows: Yield of Horglmm hay per acre grown after crimson clover and crimson clover stuhhle in 1901. Preceding crop as fertilizer Yield sorghum hay Inci-ease per acre Lbs. Lbs, 7o Rye stubble 5525 Crimson clover stubble 9750 4425 76 Crimson clover, entire . •-.... 10300 4775 86 This table shows that by plowing under crimson clover in April the yield of sorghum hay grown immediately after was nearly doubled. When the crimson clover was cut for hay the sorghum yield was increased by 76 percent. The yield of crimson clover hay on this stubble plot was 2741 ]>ounds ])er acre, and the increase in sorghum hay due fo the use of cloxei- stubble as a fertilizer, was 4225 pounds per acre. A third experiment on this line was made in 1903 on reddish loam soil wliich was naturally richer than the gray soil of the two experiments just mentioned. This i-eddi.,h loam had also been helped by a light applica- tion of stable manure applied to the crop of small grain which preceded the crimson clover. Under these favorable conditions the yield of crimson clover hay was 6100 pounds per acre. The adjacent plot had been treated exactly like the crimson clover plot as regards previous cropping and manuring. Yield of sorf/hutn liai/ per acre fjroivn after erimson clover in 1903. Preceding crop Yield sorghum hay Increase per acre. Lbs. Lbs. Winter and spring weeds ..•• 4400 Crimson clover as fertilizer (stubble) 13000 8600 Here we have an extreme or maximum fertilizing effect 118 of the crimson clover stubble of 8600 pounds of sorghum hay per acre. By adding to this the yield of clover hay, 6100 pounds, we have a total of 14700 pounds per acre of the two kinds of hay, as the measure of the advantage of sowing the land in crimson clover as compared with permitting it to grow up in winter weeds. Both the crimson clover hay and the sorghum hay when weighed were dry enough for safe storing in the barn. Even if we assume a shrinkage of 25 per cent in the barn we should have a total yield of more than 7 tons of hay per acre produced in one season and a gain of about 5 1-2 tens as the result of devoting the land to clover instead of to weeds. CRIMSON CLOVER STUBBLE VERSUS ENTIRE GROWTH OF CRIMSON CLOVER. In 1908 cotton was planted very late after oat stubble, after crimson clover stubble and after attempting to plow under the entire growth of mature and thoroughly dry crim- son clover. Only a part of the mature jilants were covered by the plow, so that the full effects as fertilizer were not obtained. The late planting, the period of extremely unfavorable weather in August, when this late cotton suffered especially, and the necessity of preparing these plots before frost for another crop, obscured the full fertilizing effect of the ci-imson clover. . In the part of the season for which re- cords were ke])t the yields of seed cotton per aci"e were as follows : : After oat stubble 342 lbs. After clover stubble 456 lbs. After clover, entire growth 528 lbs. The color and size of plants on these three plots gave promise of much larger yields and much greater differences, if the experiment could have been carried to a normal con- clusion. Measuivinents showed that the bolls were largest on the 119 plot where rlie entire growth of crimson clover was plowed under and smallest on the i)lants growing after oat stubble. In one of the experiments described above the yield of sorghum hay after plowing under the entire growth of crimson clover was only 550 pounds greater than after plowing under crimson clover stubble, on land where the yield of crimson clover hay was 2741 pounds per acre. In anothei- experiment the superiority of the entii-e growth of crimson clover as a fertilizer over the stubble alon«- was measured by an increase of only 800 pounds per acre 'in the yield of sorghum hay. Here the yield of clover hay ring-tooth one horse cultivator, a wide heel scrape, etc. ■>"» 12- It is not eiKsy to get a stand of criuison clover either on prepared or unprepared soil where there is a large amount of vegetation: hence, it is not usually easy to sow crimson clover seed in a corn field laid by early, nor on old pasture land, nor on weed land. A field where drilled or broadcast cowpeas have recently been cut for hay is probably, next to a clean cotton field, the best place for sowing crimson clover. Here it is better to prepare the surface by the use of a disk harrow than by the use of a turn plow. After disking, the seed should be sown, the inoculating soil and fertilizer sown, and all cover- ed with a spike-tooth harrow. FERTILIZER. Crimson clover, if thoroughly inoculated, adds con?iid- erable nitrogen to the soil. But it does not add phosphoric acid nor potash. If the soil be so poor as to require these two forms of plant food for the successful growth of crim- son clover, they should be applied at the same time that the seed are sown. A suitable amount of acid phosphate is 200 to 300 pounds per acre. If the clover is to be re- moved from the land as hay, it may pay, especially on the sandier soils, to employ at the same time either 40 pounds of muriate of potash, or 160 pounds of kainit per acre. In sowing the crimson clover among the standing cotton plants on soils in fair condition we have often used no fertilizer and yet obtained a satisfactory growth. In making a start with crimson clover it is advisable to fertilize it with acid phosphate. When it is especially important on small areas to secure a good gi^owth and thorough inoculation of the soil, it may even be advisable to apply stable manure, since stable manure will probably make a small amount of inoculating soil more eff'ective than if the small amount of inoculating soil were applied to a soil deficient in vegetable matter. Stable manure should not be relied upon as a substitute for inoculation nor as a means of inoculation. . lOO LIMING. Most clovers prefer a soil rich in lime. If the soil should be so deficient in lime as to be acid it is advisable to use slacked lime for crimson clover. At Auburn on very poor gray sandy soil, not acid, but neutral, slacked lime at the rate of 1200 pounds per acre greatly inerease<^ the yield of crimson clover hay. On the same character of soil, but in a higher state of fertility, the effect of lime on crimson clover was not conspicious. There are large area^ of acid soil in Alabama, especially in the southern part of the state and in tl:e sandy "mountain" lands of north Alabama. On such acid soils it will probably pay to us.e, as a preparation for crimson clover, six to eight barrels of builder's lime per acre, first slacking the lime to a powder. The lime is best harrowed into the soil before the seed are sown aad should, ii,ot be brought in immediate contact with the seed and fertiozer. To test a soil for acidity, press the soil in a natural damp condition against both sides of a narrow strip of blue litmus paper, which may be obtained from a druggist. If the blue litmus paper turns to a pinkish or red'dish color the soil is acid, and a crop of crimson clo\^er gi*owing on it will probably be helped by lime. VARIETIES OF CRIMSON CLOVER. There is but one kind of crimson clover in general use in the United States. In a few localities another variety, called the white blooming crimson clover, or more properly white trifolium, is grown to a small extent. The white trifolium bears a long white head similiar in size and shape to the scarlet head of crimson clover. The white trifolium is several weeks later in reaching a suitable stage for cut- ting. At Auburn this white kind has usually grown a little taller and afforded a considerably larger yield of hay. We have grown in Auburn three varieties having scarlet '124 heads and called early crimson, ordinary ield of hay: Yield of hay per acre when oats, wheat, rye. or hearfllesn "barley was sown with crimson clover or icith white trifolium. 1906 1909 Average Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Crimson clover alone 2960 2713 2836 Crimson clover and Red rust proof oats 3280 5175 4228 Crimson clover and Blue stem wheat 3624 3918 3771 Crimson clover and Southern rye 2000 Crimson clover and ' Beardless barley 3520 387^ 3695 White trifolium 1200 poor stand White trifolium and Blue stem wheat 2320 poor stand White trifolium and Red rust proof oats 2600 poor stand It is noteworthy that the yield has been increased when- ever oats, wheat, or beardless barley has been sown with 127 crimson clover. Ked Rust Proof oats have given the largest average yield, but this plant is a little too late to permit vei*y early cutting of crimson clover. An acclimatized strain of the Blue Stem wheat is ready for hay at exactlv the same time as ordinary crimson clover, and is probably the best combination for soils strong enough to grow wheat. Beardless barley ripens too early, and is too subject to winter killing to be recommended for growing with crimson clover. Eye can be sown with crimson clover for pasturag?^. but this makes an unsatisfactory combination for hay, the rye maturing too soon and being too coarse. In other tests where the weights of hay could not be taken by reason of continued rain just after harvest, the following facts have been ascertained : Burt oats are in condition for hay at the same time as crimson clover, and in regions where it is considered safe to sow this variety in the fall, Burt oats and crimson clover make a good combination for hay. Cheat was too late in reaching the hay stage to be sown with crimson clover, and because of its weedv nature it should be avoided. For sowing with white trifolium, Red Rust Proof oats are mostt satisfatory. In gi'owing crimson clover for hay or pasturage it is probably advisable to sow it with one of the grains as mentioned above. The consequent advantages are thi fol- lowing : (1). An increased yield of hay, though this hay is r mewhat lower in feeding value than pure crimson clover bay. (2) The easier curing of the mixed hay. Of course if crimson clover is grown chiefly as a ferti- lizer, no grain should be mixed with it. If it is intendedl chiefly for pasturage, it is well to sow it with either rye, turf oats, red rust jjroof oats, or wheat, using the ordinary 128 amount of seed grain per acre. This increases tLe amount and lengthens the period of pasturage. WHERE TO GET SEED. Crimson clover seed can be purchased from any Southern seedsmen and from most seedsmen in other parts of the CTnited States. Among those who have supplied the Ala- bama Experiment Station with seed are the follow:ing: Amzi Godden Seed Co., Birmingham^ Ala. Harvey Seed Co., Montgomery. Ala. T. W. Wood & Co., Richmond, Va. H. G. Hastings & Co., Atlanta, Ga. Alexander Seed Co., Augusta, Ga. Willett Seed Co., Augusta, Ga. Usually the price of seed is |o to |4 per bushel of 60 pounds. The partial failure of the last crop has about doubled the price. WTiile this may discourage the plant- ing of large areas in the fall of 1909, it should not keep any one from planting a small patch, ^ay of one-fourth to one acre, largely for the purposie of securing inoculating ^oil with which to inoculate large areas next year. Tlie more thorough the inoculation on such "starter" patches and the thicker the stand there, the more effective will that soil be for purposes of inoculation a year later. Hence, not less than 20 pounds per acre should be sown on such small areas. In view of the high price of seed, it may be advisable in . the fall of 1909, for those who are prepared to sow large areas, loith thorough inoculation, to reduce the amount of seed to 12 pounds per acre, an amount which is smaller than was used in any of our tests, but which has sometime l>een reported as giving a satisfactory stand. 12U WHERE TO GET INOCULATING SOIL. Whenever possible get this in your own neighborhood. Most readers ean find it by searching for white clover, or- for the dead remains of annual white clov^er in old lawns- and on the richer spots in old pastures. E*i(h of the parties mentioned b^low consents to furnish to each of a limited number of appli- cants, and for fl.OO per 200 p<»und sack, a single sack of tjOil from a patch of Inoculated crims(m or red clover. Th© Experiment Station has not inspected any of these fields r.nd can give no guarantee as to the absence from them of disease germs, etc., nor any other guarantee. Under no circumstances will ithe Alabama Experiment Station distribute any soil from its farm, for this is known to contain the organisms Ihat produce various plant diseases and root-knot. Name Postoffice County Railway J . 0 . Burleson Decatur, R. F. D Morgan. L. & N. A. G. Diseker . Russellville Franklin, Southern J. J . Edge Loachapoka Macon, W. of Ala. Yancey Swearington Shorter.. ,. Macon, W. of AJa. D. W. Davis Gordo Pickens, M. & 0. W. Tyrrell '. Citronelle .Mobile. M. & 0. BULLETIN No. 148 OCTOBER, 1909 AL_ABAMA Agricultural Experiment Station OF THE Alabama Polytechnic Institute - , , -_, , , .-^ „ , NEW YORK AUBURN BOTANIC, u 1 . Raising Lambs in Alabama. Maintenance Rations for Ewes. 2. Feeding Cotton Seed Meal to Pregnant Ewes. BY DAN T.GRAYandJ.W. RIDGWAY Opelika, Ala.: The Post Publishing Company. 1909 COMMITTEE OF TRUSTEES ON EXPERIMENT STATION. Hon. H. L. Martin Ozark Hon. Trancred Betts Huntsville Hon. a. W. Bell Anniston STATION COUNCIL. C. C, Thach President J. F. DuGGAR Director and Agriculturist B. B. Ross Chemist and State Chemist C. A. Cary Veterinarian and Director Farmer's Institutes F. E. Lloyd Plant Physiologist and Pathologist P. F. Williams Acting Horticulturist J. T. Anderson . Chemist, Soil and Crop Investigation D. T. Gray Animal Industry W. E. Hinds •• . . Entomologist C. L. Hare Chemist C. S. Williamson Associate Chemist ASSISTANTS. T. Bragg First Assistant Chemist E. F. Cauthen Farm Superintendent and Recorder J. W. RiDGWAY Assistant in Animal Industry N. E. Bell Second Assistant Chemist "*, S. McAdory Assistant in Veterinary Science W. F. Turner Assistant in Entomologj' M. J. Funchess ■ Assistant in Agriculture C. S. RiDGWAY Assistant in Botany 0. H. Sellers Stenographer and Mailing Clerk J. C. Price Assistant in Horticulture I'AliT 1. KAISING LAMBS IN ALABAMA. By Dan T. Gray imd J. W. Ridgway. When one rides through the State of Alabama and sees the thousands of acres lying- idle, growing up in brush and fine gTasses, one wonders why there are not more sheej* I>roduced in the State than there are. It is usually stated that only 40 per cent of the area of Alabama is being culti- vated or used to return wealth to the State. In some coun- ties no more than 15 per cent of the total area is under cultivation. The other 85 per cent is lying idle. Money is tied up in the whole amount, but the farmer, on the average, is making use of but about 40 per cent of his whole capital invested. If sheep and other kinds of live stock were more generally introduced the usable area could be gi'eatly increased, as these animals would make use of the ]»resent waste ]ilaces and hill sides and help develop the pasture side of our farming operations. Even now thousands of acres under cultivation should be put down to perma- nent ])asturos and stock placed upon them. Hill-sides which wash should be ]iut down to grass. This could be done without at all decreasing the cultivated area. The sheep need not occupy one foot of our already cultivateable area : he would but be a means of ])utting more'of our land capi tal to work. The Alabama farmer can surely farm in such a way as to use more than 40 per cent of his land capftal. What would we think of the business ability of a banker who used but one-half of his available capital, or the mer- chant who sold goods from but one side of his store? Then, in addition to the fact that the shee]i is probably the best animal known to put our waste areas to use, Ala- bama is just suited to sheep production. In any line 'of live stock production pastures must be made iho base, and 134 Alabama can have periiument pastures for at least teu iiioutlis in the year by the use of berniuda and burr clover. The remaining two mouths can be bridged over with tem- porary winter pastures. The Northern farmer must be con- tented with a grazing period of not more than six months. Then again our climate is so mild the year through that the lambs can be born in the mid-winter and suffer none from the cold. This permits the Alabama farmer to get the lambs upon the early spring market at the time when high prices are realized. In the North when the lambs come in December or January very expensive care must be given them to keep them from freezing, as they must be kept in a "liot house." In the South the early lamb is free to run at will throughout those months, and can even have green pastures to graze upon. Still further, when the lamb is ready for the market good prices can be realized upon him. Some there are who claim there are no markets for lambs. But there is a great demand for the early lamb. The farmer should realize that a part of his business consists in finding a market for what he produces. The business man lays in his stock of goods and then looks for a market for it. The farmer must do the same thing. Many Southern cities offer as good a market for early lambs as does the St. Louis market. A following picture shows some spring lambs, that had noth- ing but their mother's milk and pastures, which sold in Birmingham for 10 cents a pound live weight on April 15th, 1908. Birmingham would use thousands of such lambs. These were good lambs, but no better than anv other farmer could produce. They were raised by J. S. Kernachan, of Florence. Alabama. A good market can always be found for good fat stuff. The local market may not furnish a good sale for this class of stuff, but the cities are more than glad to receive it. The express charges do not prohibit the lambs l)eing sent a good ways from home. The Southern farmer depends too much upon one crop for a living. He is like the man with all his eggs in one 135 basket — if a mishap befalls tlie basket all of the eggs are broken aud lost. So if the season should happen to be un- favorable for the growing of cotton the man who depends altogether upon cotton for a living finds that, at the end of the season, he has but a limited bank account to carrv himself and family through the winter months. If tlus farmer has some pigs to sell, or a mule colt, or some wool or a few lambs, the short cotton crop will not be of so much importance. The farmer who is interested in more than one farm product suffers very much less in time of unfavor- able seasons than the man who grows but the one crop, cot- ton. Even though it be too wet for the cotton to do its best, it may be, and probably will be, a very favorable sea- son for the pastures, and the man who has a good flock of sheep out on the pastures raising some good fat lambs will not worry so much about the unfavorable season for cotton, as he feels that, although the cotton may be a par- tial failure, the sheej* will bring him excellent returns. There is yet another advantage in the sheep business. Spring is the time when the average farmer has not a cent coming in. This is the very time when the heavy expendi- tures must he made for machinery. Tertilizers, mules, har- ness, etc.. and to obtain these things the farmer usually asks some merchant to credit him until fall. The sales from the flock of sheep come in just when the money can be used for the above purchases. Both the wool and the early lambs are ready to sell and the money derived from these sales can be used to fit up the farm for spring work. From 100 ewes th^re could be sold, by the middle of April, from sixty to eighty dollars worth of wool and as many dollars from the early lamb sales, and probably much more from the lambs, provided they were dropped at a very early date. Ob.TBCTS of ExPERIiNIEXT. Realizing the importance of the sheep industry to the Stnte this Station began, four years ago, some experimental work with the following objects in view: 13G 1. To study early laiiib in-oductiuu iu Alabama. 2. To study feeds and iiietiiods for carrviua the pi-eguaut ewe tliruugli the Aviuter months. 3. To test cotton seed meal as a feed for preg- nant ewes. ♦By an early lamb the authors mean one that is born in December or early January and ready for the market by the middle oif April. Some farmers of the state are so for- tunately situated that the second object Mill have litlle in- terest to them, as they already have abundant winter range supplied. The man who has a good winter range, or cane brake, needs no additional feed for the ewes. All such an ewe requires is care and attention and shelter at lambing time. But when sheep are generally introduced into the •state, they will be introduced by the small farmer who is not supplied Avith an unlimited winter range. The small farmer will therefore be interested in knowing what are the best feeds for the winter months and the expense incurred in carrying the animals over the cold months.- It might b ' said, in ])assing, that the sheep is the ideal animal for the man with the small capital. The business can be entered into with but a small outlay of money and large returns secured upon Hhe outlay within a feAv months after the investment is made. The i^oor man cannot wait long for tiis investment to begin to return dividends. The sheep and the hog are the poor man's animals. Of course large timounts of money can be invested in them if desirable. The work began in the summer of 1906 Avith the old flock ■of ewes which had been kei)t upon tlie Station farm for seA-eral years previous. This flock consisted of but 16 eAA'es, of mixed breeding, headed by a ])ure-bred SouthdoAvn ram. The pictures Avill show the general quality of the animals. Later on, in 1007. there was a flock of. 30 scrub eAves added to these, headed by a pure-bred Dorset ram. but the Station is not yet ready to report ur>on the Avork done Avith this «icrub flock, except with re«:poct to some Avinter woi-k in cotton seed men! food in s. 137 How THE Old Flock Was Handled. Dui-iug llie summer moutlis, while the pastui-es were green, no attention was given the sheep at all except to see that they had plenty of water and a mixture of tobacco dust and salt before them at all times. The object in feed- ing the tobacco was to keep down stomach worms, as the worms are the bane of the sheep farmer, and it is claimed that tobacco dust will hold the pest in check. This was given them in proportion of one pint of dust to about four pints of salt. The sheep soon acquired a taste for the tobacco. It is well known that sheep should be changed from pasture to pasture as often as possible, un- less the range be exceedingly large. The object in chang- ing the pasture is to hold in check the stomach worms. The Station's pastures, or lots, are small, so the sheep were changed from one to the other as often as the grass became short. There was no regularity followed in making the change. The period of gestation in the ewe is about five months, so if the lamb is to be dropped in December or the first of January she must be bred in July or early part of August. To be sure that she breeds in these months she should be turned upon a fresh pasture just before the time for breed- ing and then given a little cotton seed meal daily. As far as possible this plan has been followed with this flock. Of course there will always be a few late lambs, but if the ewes are in good breeding condition, neither too fat nor too poor, throughout July and August, the great majority of them will breed to drop lambs from Christmas to January the 15th. The Station ram was allowed to run with the ewes at all times. K there had been as many as 50 ewes it would have been Avise to have kept him away from the flock during the day time, and turned him in with them at night only. But with the few that we had he could be expected to be a safe brooder when running with the ewes both night and day. Somo sheep farmers do not permit the ram to run 138 with the flock at all through the breeding season, but un- less the owner has time to examine the ewes closely every day it is better for the male to be with them at least one- half of the time or the lamb crop will come on irregularly. Winter Feeding of Ewes. In the fall when the pastures became exhausted the ewes had to be managed as the small farmer would have handled them. There was no open range upon the Station farm so they had to be fed throughout the winter months. The man who has a farm with a winter pasture or range could have avoided this extra expense. Some farmers in the state feed nothing but cotton seed meal and hulls to the pregnant ewes during the winter months. Others feed nothing but cotton seed. Still others are afraid to feed either cotton seed meal or cotton seed, thinking that cotton by-products are dangerous feeds for sheep. It is often claimed that cotton seed or cotton seed meal will cause blindness, dizziness, etc., and sometimes death when given to ewes. During the winter of 190G-'07 the old flock was divided into two lots of eight ewes each, and one lot was fed upon soy bean hay alone and the other lot upon cotton seed meal and hulls. The soy bean hay was of excellent quality but had no mature beans upon it, as it was cut before the beans were ripened. The cotton seed meal was fresh and bright. Local conditions determine, to a large extent, the prices of feeds. Any prices that the authors might assume would not meet all conditions, so actual Auburn prices were taken as a basis upon which to rest the financial estimates. The local prices were : Cotton seed meal .f2.o.00 per ton. Cotton seed hulls S? 0.00 per ton. Soy bean hay .1?12..50 per ton. Pasture rent per sheep per month .10 Cotton seed , $12.00 per ton. During the winter time the animals were enclosed in a small pen. with a shelter across one end, so they could get t:^^^.^'^^ Southdown Ram. The pure-hred ram quickly improves the flock in both conformation and wool covering. Lot I — Wmtered on Soy Bean hay. Hay per ewe daily, 1.9 pounds. Expense to feed each eive a month, 35 cents. - - ^ ^^-^ nt^ 4 .p^ Lo^ II — Wintered on Cotton Seed Meal and Hulls, Feed per ewe daily \ ^^ ^^^"^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^' '''^«'- ' 1.3 poinid cotton seed hulls. Expense to feed each ewe a month, 30 cents. 139 no feed but that which was weighed out to them. Salt and water were kept before them constantly. No tobacco was used throughout the winter months, but perhaps it would have been wise to have used it. They were fed twice daily. The ewes were pregnant, and of course did not all lamb upon the same date. When one dropped a lamb she was taken out of her lot and put into a third lot, where the object was to learn how much the feed must be increased to maintain a ewe while milking. The following table tabulates the results of the winter work— 190G-'0T : Table 1. Cotton seed meal and hulls versus Soy Bean hay for wintering pregnant eu'^s. Av Xo. ewes Feed eaten Total gain Cost cf fetd Lot. Ration. for 106 daily per each ewe for per ewe per days ewe 106 days month Lds. < i Cotton seed meal ) - o 0.5 ^ ■(! Cotton seed hulls/ ''^ 1.3 2 Soy bean hay.... 6.4 1.9 The ewes were not, of course, given all they could eat. The object was to feed them only enough to maintain them, that is, to keep them from either losing or gaining in weight throughout the winter months. The above ewes gained between one and two pounds each during the entire winter. It would, no doubt, have been better if they had been given enough feed to have made them gain from six to eight pounds each, as each one had to develop a foetus which weighed from five to nine pounds at birth. The farmer could have cheapened the ration of lot 1. the cotton seed meal lot, by not feeding as much cotton seed meal as was fed. in the test. It would have been cheaper to have cut down the meal and increased the hulls, but a large amount of meal was used in the test so that it would be possible to collect some data upon the effect of rather large daily feeds of cotton seed meal upon the health of the ewes. In this ip .88 ^ r Cotton seed hulls ^i 2.35 54 At the beginning of the test the feed of those ewes in milk was made just double the amount given the dry ewes so that the animals Vvould be sure to not lose in weight, but it was soon learned, as the ewes begun to increase in weight, that an hundred per cent, increase was more than necessaiy, so the amount was gradually decreased until it was brought down to the above average figures. They were carried along upon this basis for a period of seventy-three days. The ewes were practically maintained, as far as total weight was concerned, as they gained but one and one- half pounds for the whole time. In the test it required 75 per cent, more cotton seed meal and 81 per cent, more hulls to maintain a ewe when suckling a lamb than when she was dry and pregnant. Of course there are several fac- tors that would be controlling ones in determining the amount of feed required for an animal after lambing, as the amount of milk given, but under conditions as they existed in this test the necessary increase in feed, when the animal came into milk, was not less than 7.5 per cent, above that which she received wh{?n dry. In some experimental work with grade angus cows. Pro-, fessor Mumford, of the Illinois TTniversity, in bulletin ITT, says, "In this test it took approximately twice as much feed to maintain a cow suckling a calf as it did during her pregnancy." 143 Handling and Feeding the Lambs. As u i-ule, the fainiiir feeds the early lamb nuthiug in additiuu to its mother's milk and what little pasture it can secure during the winter months. It will pay to feed the lambs though, and to feed them well. Any animal makes its cheapest gains when young. K it has a good pasture of oats and vetch to run upon it will eat but little grain in addition. But it will eat some com and should have it, because this early lamb, to derive the greatest profit upon him, and at the same time lessen the risk of summer dis- ease, should be pushed to an early market. The first lambs were dropped January the Sth. This was late, which fact gave greater cause for pushing them to an early market. From the sixteen ewes fourteen lambs were raised to a marketable age. Two of the ewes were too young to breed at this time. As soon as the lamb was born he was placed in a third lot with his mother. In the fence of this lot was a small hole which permitted the lambs to creep through and make use of the pasture of oats and vetch. The pasture, which had been fall planted, was ready for grazing by tne time they could use it. As stated above, it would have been better and cheaper if the mothers had been allowed the run of this pasture also, but they were kept off for reasons heretofore mentioned. A small pen was also cut off in the corner of the lot where the mothers were kept and a creep made into this pen large enough for the lambs to go through. In this pen coarsely ground corn was kept all the time in a small trough. The pasture and grain should be given the lambs as soon as they are born and they will begin to eat by the time they are ten days old. The lambs did not eat much corn, but what they did eat helped to put the finish on them at an earlier date, so that they sold well upon the market. The 14 lambs ate but 6.6 bushels of corn during the whole winter and early spring. So the lambs had all of the corn, milk and green pastures that they wanted. With this combination of feed they, of course, did well. 144 They were sold at an average age of 101 days and had aitaiued an average live weight of 51 pouuds (^Atlanta weightsj. They made excellent gains to be born of mothers that a\erage only 95 pounds in weight. It might have been more profitable to have carried them to a lieavier weight, but that point could not be determined. If they had been born earlier they could have been fed longer and still been placed upon the early market. The object was to sell them as early in the season as possible and yet have a reasonable size. This is the reason why earliness of birth is such an important question. \Vheu warm weather comes on the price of mutton declines, as peoi>le do not like mutton during the warm months, so it is to the advantage of the owner to let the lambs go at the earliest possible date. And, too, when they are sold in the early spring the danger of losses from summer dis- eases is also considerably lessened. The earliest bunch was sent to Atlanta, April 2Brd, 1907. The Station has suc- c-eeded, during the last two years, in getting some lambs ready for the market by the middle of April. Two of the bunch sold for nine cents a pound live weight, while three sold for eight and one-half cents a pound. The remaining ones were sent on later and sold for but eight cents a pound. The late ones were, in fact, better lambs than the first ones, but the weather was becoming warm and there was not as great a demand for them as there was for the early ones. The l)est prices prevail just before Easter time. The Station has not been able to secure as good prices for lambs as have some farmers of the state. A picture in another part of the bulletin shows some lambs which were sold, in A]>ri], 1008. in Birmingham, for ten cents a pound live weight. It must be remembered, too, that these lambs were not fnncy bred ones. They were just common lambs. In fact, two of them were out of scrub mothers by a pure bied Southdown ram. The others were out of grade mothers. 145 Salt Fed. Salt was placed in small boxes and kept before the animals all the time. They are very fond of it, as the fol- lowing table shows. Each ewe ate at the rate of 15 to 19 pounds of salt yearly, or a flock of 100 ewes would have consumed in one year'^? time from 1,500 to 2,000 pounds of salt. Tahle 3. Salt eaten per month 'by each cioe. Lot Ration i'onnds salt eaten per ewe each month 1(1906) Soy bean hay 1.35 -> Mr.r>^\ Cotton seed meal \ i ri 2 ' 1906) ^^^^^^ g^g^ j^^^ig ^ 1 . .^-^ 1 riQO?) Green sorg^hum plus mixed / ^ ;,3 1 ^ivu/; hay (summer work) S J Cotton seed meal J 2(1907) Cotton seed hulls (summer :• 1.29 work) , ) Water Drank. It is often thought that sheep will not drink much water, and that they will thrive as well without it as with it. Data were collected on the amount of water consumed by some ewes from August 21st to September 9th, 1908, while they were confined in small sheltered lots. The weather was about normal for this time of year, Tahle A. Water drank per etve per day. Lot Ration Pounds water used by each ewe per day 1 Green sorghum 2.5 (.3 gallons) 2 Cotton seed mear and hulls 6.1 (.95 gallons) Financial Statement For Old Flock. 1906-'07. The financial statement includes all the income and ex- jtcnses upon the old flock of 16 ewes and one ram from October the first, 1906, to October the first, 1907,— a year's tinie. While the flock was not carried through the year wilh a view of rendering a financial statement at the end, still the statement points out what profit can be made up@M 146 a esiiuill Hock if profits be the ouly poiut iu view. The authoifci hud other questions to solve with the fiock, so it was not carried through the ^ear as cheaply- as the farmer could have carried it through. If profits had been the only point in view the animals would have been handled more economically by feeding the ewes very little grain after the iambs were born. To secure the greatest returns the moth- ers should have been turned out into the oat and vetch pas- ture with the lambs and fed little, if any, concentrated feeds. But owing to the fact that the Station at that time owned no other fiock, this same flock had to be used in the spring experiment of 1907, when a study was made of the amount of feed required to maintain a ewe after lambing. This, of course, ran the expense up very materially — • about 30 per cent, more than it should have been. But in the following financial statement all of the expenses have been counted against the flock. Table -5. Financial statement of old floch — 1906-1907. Expenses : Rent on pasture, 10 cts. per sheep per month $12.24 Lot 1. 1503 lbs. soy bean hay at $12.50 per ton 9.39 T ^ c) 342 lbs. cotton seed meal at $25.00 per ton . . 4.27 i.ot I. g^g j^g_ cotton seeed hulls at $6.00 per ton . . 2.64 530 lbs. cotton seed meal at $25.00 per ton . . 6.62 T . o 1332 lbs. cotton seed hulls at $6.00 per ton . . 3.99 / ft. 1 u- ^ 198 lbs. cotton seed at $12.00 per ton . . . . 1.19 (after lambing) ^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^2.00 per ton 2.00 371 lbs. corn at 70 cents per bushel 4.63 35 lbs. bran at $30.00 per ton 52 Death one ewe 3.00 Express charges to send lambs to Atlanta 7.00 Express charges to send wool to Atlanta 60 Total $58.09 Receipts : To 14 lambs $53.56 To 55 1-2 lbs. wool, 26 1-2 cts. per lb. . . 14.64 Lambs m Total $68.20 ^i - ^ii Side view of average Alabama scrub ewe. Price $1.50 — $3.00. These eives are excellent animals tvith which to start a flock of sheep. Use pure-bred rams upon them. 16 latiibs of tliis binich sold for 10 cents a pound, live zveight, at Birmingham, April 15, 1908. Belonged to J. S. Kernachan. Spring lambs running on a pasture of oats and vetch during the winter time. 147 The above tabulation shows every item of expense against the tlook during the entire year except the labor required to look after it. It has been assumed that the value of the manure will offset the labor expenses. After all of these expenses were cousidert^d the tlock gave a return of $10.11. What do these figures mean? Do they mean that the Sta- tion received but flO.ll on the whole flock? No, that is not all they mean. They mean that the Staton realized fl2.50 per ton for all the soy bean hay eaten throughout the winter, that the pasture rented for ten cents per sheep j)er month, that 70 cents iK'r bushel were realized upon the corn used and |12.00 a ton on the cotton seed — and finally, in addition to marketing the farm crops at the above prices, .flO.ll were realiziHl. The financial returns were satisfac- tory, but not as satisfactory as they could have been made if th',' feed bill had been cut down and pasture made u.se of after the lambs came. For inst.mce the farmer would have almost entirely dispensed with the feed item of .fl.'>.70 for lot .3. Live stock should be looked upon as a means of marketing the farm crops at good prices while, at the same Time, the nmnure is returned to the soil. Experience of Two Alabama Sheep Farmers. Many farmers will be. interested in the following state- ments from good farmers who have tried the sheep business and are making a success of it — Alabama Experimental Station. Dear Sirs: — About fifteen years ago I bought six head of ewes and one buck as a sftart in the sheep Imsiness. Up to that time I had never liked sheep, but experience has taught me to be more and more pleased wth them as time goes by. They have been great money makers for me. I kept all the ewe lambs for several years and today have one hundred and forty head of breeding ewes. For the last five years have sold both male and female lambs, keeping just enough ewe lambs to keep up the number where I want it. 148 1 do not kuow of an investintnt that will make money faeter tiian will sheep — with proper cai-e and attention. We think an investment is doing wonderfully well if the origi- nal capital doubles itself in ten years. But see what the sheep did; if they had increased to twelve only witliin the ten years they would have doubled the investment. But they did much more than simply double. ^Vithin the ten years the ewe part of the flock — that part retained upon the farm — doubled about five times, to say nothing of the number of ewe and male lambs that have been sold from tl e farm within the ten years. I have realized, in the fifteen years, about one thousand dollars for lambs, while the wool has paid for the keep of the flock every year. I have never been bothered by dogs. I have always kept the sheep upon my own lands, never allowing them to run r.pon the commons. The animals have been perfectly kealthy all the time. I, byve ne^'er lost a sheep except from old age. They run upon pasture about nine months of the year without any other feed in addition. The pasture keeps them in fine condition. During the lambing time the ewes need some extra feed, so I Ifcen give them some cotton seed — about three bushels to each one hundred ewes — and any good hay that I happen to h.ave on hand. The lands upon which the sheep have been running will carry twice as many head of stock now as it would ten years ago. The sheep is called the "golden hoofed" animal and I think they are entitled to the name; they have not (mly brought in the money, but have improved the land. The manure spreader is said to be a paying investment, but sheep are a decided improvement on any manure spreader, as they manufacture and spread the manure too. T liave never had trouble arise from running other kinds of stock with the slieep. T keep hors^^s. cattle and slieep in the same pa-'ut in new bucks, selected and kept our best ewe lambs, and sold the buck lambs and the old ewes. Our investment in sheep has never paid us less than one hundred per cent, and many jears has paid us even Tiiore than 'that. The higher we grade them up the better they pay us, notwithstanding the fact that the higher they are graded uj) the greater price we place upon the breeding flock. As evidence of this fact, we have sheared from one hundred and seven sheep six hundred and thirty-three I)Ounds of wool in the grease, but free of burrs and dirt. Although our lambs Avere unusually late this season, they have been dressed and shi])|K'd. having made an average dressed weight of about forty pounds. Their quality has heen such as to tax our capacity for suj^plying them, and •we have received the best price we have ever obtained. The sheep we started with were scrubs — just the ordinary sheep of the county. Our farm is no better than many other farms of the State, yet our sheep have proven to be a better investment to us than money at comi»ound interest. 8till it is a fact that some farmers contend that there is no money in live stock on the farm, and that, here in Alabama, we cannoit afford to have anything but scrub cat- tle, sheep and hogs. If the farmer who thinks this will try in but a small way to imi)rove and build up his stock — giving the business the same conservative thought and care that brings success to other undertakings — lie will soon have a good balance to the credit of the live stock account, besides having the satisfaction of owning useful and ]>retty animals. We try to keep only about one hundred ewes, and carry them in the pasture along with about one hundred and fifty cattle. The sheej) benefit the pasture by kee}»ing down weeds. There is no objection to having tlie sheep and cattle in the same pasture. We make our living from the farm, conseiiU'^ntly everything upon the farm must pay its own 151 way and make something for us besides. We have founds and the Southern farmers who trv it w ill find, that sheep are a paying proposition. Tliey have the following ad- rant ages : Tliey require l)ut a small ca]iitnl to begin the business. They will do well on hilly and broken lands. Their manure is one of the richest animal manures that can be obtained. The money comes in from them in the s]»ring and early summer when money is scarce. Thoy subsist on things that other animals will not eat. Tliey afford us two sources of profit — woo] and lambs. Yours very truly. J. B. McDaniel, r.aniden, Ala. PAKT II. FEEDING COTTON SEED MEAL TO SHEEP. It is generally thought that cotton seed meal has a toxic -effect on sheep similar to the effect it often has on hogs. Many farmers will not use it as a sheep feed because of the reported ill results. It is charged with producing illness, blindness, dizziness, etc., after being used for a few weeks. For the last four years this Station has been trying to determine whether cotton seed meal is an injurious feed for sheep or not, and, so far, no ill results have come from its use, with possibly one exception in 1906. The old flock of ewes has been used in this work to- gether with a flock of scrub ewes which were brought to the farm in the summer of 1907. The animals using the meal have been fed by the side of other animals which were 'being given rations without cotton seed meal so as to situdy the effect of the cotton seed meal upon the general health '••of the animals, even though no deaths should occur as a Tesult of its use. The following table gives the details of the live weight, total cotton seed meal eaten and num- (ber of days that each ewe ate the cotton seed meal : TahJe 6. Feed'mq cotton seed meal to sheep. ■o §. ^ ^-c MeTl eaten ^g_ REMARKS -* r fii ^ O C (t .2 CO) {d 2 L^ »- a3 >:'-> ^ 1906. Lbs. Lbs. T.hs 5 120 68.5 .5 137 Excellent health throughout. 2 125 98.6J-^g^°^ 82 das' ! ^^^ Excellent health throu^nout. 15 90 ^^-^i'ggfor 73 das" i ^'^^ Excellent health throughout. Became sick; taken out of 9 106 33.2 .5 GQ test, died within four ::ionths of stomach worms. 3 120 94.2 . O i U I .88 for ou ua.s. \ 73 das. 1 28 47 67.5 .5 12:1 !'5 S8.3 ■ . 5 for .88 for 78 das. 56 das. 61 ~~i 78.8 . 5 for .88 for 103 das. / 31 das. S 1907. 5 120 105.0 .5 7 102 92.5 .5 153 133 Excellent health throughout. 135 Excellent health throughout^ 134 Excellent health throughout- 134 Excellent health throughout., 210 Excellent health throughout. 185 Died Jan. 31-'08. No blindness, dizziness, etc. Cause of death probably worms, as worms were in stomach. 3 120 105.0 .5 210 Excellent health throughout. 4 132 73.5 .5 147 Died Jan. ll-'08. She seemed blind, staggered, would not eat well when fed in trough. Died fat. Would eat if feed placed before her. 96 32 17.5 .5 35 Died Sept. 19-'08. Death caur ed by getting head fastened k fence. 210 Excellent health throughout^ 210 Excellent health throughout. - 63 Excellent health throughout. 191 75 34.0 5 '5^ Jo J 46 das' ^^ Excellent health throughout. y .25 for 44 das. 192 65 ' 16.8 .28 for 10 das. 63 Excellent health throughout. ^ .33 for 9 das. i .25 for 44 das. 193 83 16.8 < .28 for 10 das. 63 Excellent health throughout. ( .33 for 9 das. I .25 for 44 das. 194 85 31.8- .28 for 10 das. 90 Excellent health throughout^ ' .5 for 36 das. ( .25 for 44 das. 195 65 16.8- .28 for 10 das. 63 Excellent health throughout^ 33 59 105.0 .6 ^9 65 105.0 .5 .90 65 16.8-^ 1 .25 for .28 for .33 for 44 das. 10 das. 9 das. ' .33 for 9 das. 154 I .25 fur 44 das. 196 70 16. 8. -.28 for 10 das. 63 Excellent health throughout ) .33 for 9 das. ( .25 for 44 das. 197 54 16.8 .28 for 10 das. 63 Excellent health throughout ( .33 for 9 das. 170 74 18.2 .32 for 57 das. 57 Aborted after weigh day. 171 46 18.. 2 .32 for 57 das. 57 Had been on sorghum; became very weak before putting on cotton seed meal. 174 47 18.2 .32 for 57 das. 57 Had been on sorghum; became very weak before putting on cotton seed meal. 198 35 5.9 .28 for 21 das. 21 Had been on sorghum; became very weak before putting on cotton seed meal. 177 68 18.2 .32 for 57 das. 57 Had been on hay. Gaine ' rapidly when put on cotton seed meal. 181 61 18.2 .32 for 57 das. 57 Had been on hay. Gaine' I'apidlv when put on cotton seed meal.. 140 .52 18.2 .32 for 57 das. 57 Had been on hay. Gaine' rapidly when put on cottrn seed meal. 185 58 18.2 .32 for 57 das. 57 Had been on cotton see' before placed on cotton seed meal. 188 50 18.2 .32 for 57 das. 57 Had been on cotton seed before placed on cotton seei meal. '«9 65 18.2 .32 for 57 das. 57 Had been on cotton seed before placed on cotton seed meal. 57 Had been on cotton soed before placed on cotton seed meal. 157 Excellent health throughout. 199 49 18. ,2 .32 for 57 das, 1908. 185 95 65, -; .23 for .8 for .57 for 94 das. 33 das. 30 das 48 100 65. ■^; .23 for .8 for .57 for 94 das 33 das, 30 das. 157 Excellent health throughout. 155 182 110 80.5) 177 194 193 58 190 178 61 33 17 70 174 96 84 109 186 100 90 81 68 95 99 30 102 93 60 110 75 .23 for .80 for .57 for ( .23 for 79 . 9 - .80 for I 16.6 .57 for .23 for 67 das. 60 das. 30 das. 68 das. 59 das. 30 das. 72 das. 58.1 .23 for 165 das. .48 for 42 das. 84.3 r . 23 for ! .80 for j .57 for I .48 for 84 das. 43 das. 30 das. 28 das. 157 Excellent health throughout. 157 Excellent health throughout. 72 Aborted. Taken out of test. 207 Excellent health throughout. 185 Excellent health throughout. 27.8 .23 for 121 das. 121 Died. No report on death. ( .23 for 77.1-^ .8 for ( .57 for 19.8 .23 ( .23 for 77.1 ■ .8 for ' .57 for 73 das. 54 das. 30 das. 73 das. 54 das. 30 das. y .23 for 78 das. 74.2 .80 for 49 das. ( .57 for 30 das. \ .23 for 106 das. 65.5- .57 for 30 das. ' .48 for 50 das. 31.1 16.8 .23 .23 .23 for 71 das. q.i 7 j .8 for 56 das. ^^•' I .57 for 30 das. i .48 for 28 das. 71 100 101.1 f .23 for 73 das. i .80 for 54 das. ; .57 for 30 das. I, .48 for 50 das. \ -5 97.4 .8 / for for 71 das. 56 das. .57 for 30 das. 157 Excellent health throughout. 86 Aborted. Taken out of test. 157 Excellent health throughout. 157 Excellent health throughout. 186 Excellent health throughout. 135 Aborted. Taken out of test. 73 Taken out of test as she was young and was getting weak. 185 Excellent health throughout. 207 Excellent health throughout. 157 Excellent health throughout. 156 192 195 47 196 59 181 199 26 191 91 114 75 85 38.5 .50 for 77 das. 70 29 105 85 80 69 I .50 for 114.8! -80 for 1 .57 for I . 48 for I .5 for 98.6- .8 for ' .57 for 93 das. 34 das. 30 das. 50 das. 67 das. 60 das. 30 das. 47.0 .5 f .5 for 94 das. 14 135 106.0 I .8 I .57 for I . 48 for for 109 das. for 13 das. 30 das. 50 das. r-5 118.1^ I for for 57 for 48 for 82 das. 45 das. 30 das. 50 das. 97.3-{ 5 for 116 das. 8 for 11 das. .57 for 30 das. I .48- for 28 das. 102.1-1 .5 .8 .57 for .48 for for 100 das. for 27 das. 30 das. 28 das. 81 109.9 . 5 for .8 for .57 for .48 for 74 das. 53 das. 30 das. 28 das. 36 101 102.6 r i#5.5 : .5 for 155 das. .57 for 2 das. .48 for 50 das. .5 for 124 das. .8 for 3 das. .57 for 30 das. .48 for 50 das. 1f^^ » ( .5 for 162 das. iu^.o-^ .48 for 45 das. 99 104.8! .5 .8 for for 91 das. 36 das. .57 for 30 das. I . 48 for 28 das. 77 Excellent health throughout. 207 Excellent health throughout. 157 Excellent health throughout. 94 Absorted. Taken out of test. 202 Excellent health throughowt. 207 Excellent health throughout. 185 Excellent health throughout. 185 Excellent health throughout. 185 Excellent health throughout. 207 Excellent health throughout. 207 Excellent health throughout. 207 Excellent nealth thr^ aghout. 185 Excellent health throughout. 157 fcsixt^-tive ewes have been ied upon cotton seed meal for ilitt'erent lengths of time, and in varied amounts and no ill results have occurred with the possible exception of one ewe (Ewe No. 4j. After she had been on a cotton seed meal ration for 147 days (in lUUTj she staggered and be- came blind, and iinallj died. Aside from the blindness and staggering she seemed to be in good health and was very fat when death occurred. There were, during the four /ears, six cases of abortion among the ewes eating cotton seed meal. Among the check lots (those eating no cotton seed meal) there were as many abortions. The ewes in 1908 were fed upon the same load of cotton seed meal that killed sev- eral hogs in the swine experimental work, but not a single ewe suffered any ill results from its use. It is true that the ewes did not receive as much cotton seed meal as did the hogs, per hundred pounds live weight, but still the sheep were kept upon the meal double the length of time the hogs were. The roughage used in all of the above cases was cotton seed hulls. While the results are but negative one.-*, still they seem to warrant the conclusion that there is very little risk to run, if any, in feeding cotton seed meal to ewTS. when fed in amounts just sufficient to rnrry the animal through the winter in good breeding condition. INDEX. I'agv Objects of Experiments 135 Handling the Old Flock 137 Winter Feedins, of Ewes 138 Prices of Feeds 138 Cotton Seed Meal vs. Sov Bean hay for wintering Pregnant Ewes 139 Feeding the Milking Ewe 140 Amount feed required to maintain a I'^we after T.ambing 142 Handling and Feeding the Lambs 143 Salt Fed 145 Waiter Drank 145 Financial Statement 145 Experience of Two Alabama Sheep Farmers 147 Feeding Cotton Seed Meal to Sheep 152 TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Agricultural Experiment Station OF THE Alabama Polytechnic Institute AUBURN, ALABAMA 1910 TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT OF THE « Agricultural Experiment Station OF THE ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AUBURN. ALABAMA JANUARY 31. 1910 Opelika. Ala. Poit Publiiking Company 1910 ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE. Auburn, Ala., Jan. 31, 1910. Governor B. B. Comer, Executive Department, Montgomery, Ala. Sir: — I have the honor herewith to transmit to you the Twenty-Second Annual Report of the Agricultural Experi- ment Station of this College. The report of the Treasurer, herewith included, is for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1909. This report is made in accordance with the provisions of the act of Congress (approved March 2, 1887), estab- lishing Agricultural Experiment Stations in the several States and Territories. It contains the report of the Director, the Chemists, the Veterinarian, the Agriculturist, the Biologist, the Horticul- turist, the Entomologist, and the Professor of Animal In- dustry, for the year ending December 31, 1909. Respectfully, CHAS. C. THACH, President. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. TRUSTEES. His Excellency, B. B. Comer, President Ex-Officio H. C. Gunnels, Superintendent of Education .Ex-Officio R, F. Ligon, Jr Montgomery, Ala. Tancred Betts . . .'. ;. '.'.'i, '.'. ... .;...'.:.'. ........ Huntsville, Ala. Wm. C. Davis Jasper, Ala. A. W. Bell Anniston, Ala. N. D. Denson , LaFayette, Ala. W. F. Feagin Montgomery^ Ala. H, L. Martin Ozark, Ala. W. K. Terry ............ 1 ....;...,'.:.. Birmingham, Ala. J. S. Frazer .':V. .■..'.';;. .1. .......' Evergreen, Ala* R. B. Barnes ..'...' Opelika, Ala- STATION COUNCIL. Chas. C. Thach, M. A., LL. D President J. F. Duggar, M. S Director and Agriculturist B. B. Ross, M. S Chemist C. A. Gary, D. V. M., B. S Veterinarian and Director Farmers' Institutes J. T. Anderson, Ph. D Chemist in Charge of Soil and Crop Investigation W. E. Hinds, Ph. D Entomologist F. E. Lloyd, A. M Plant Physiologist and Pathologist C. L. Hare, M. S., M. A Physiological Chemist D. T. Gray, M. S Animal Industry P. F. Williams, B. S Acting Horticulturist ASSISTANTS. Thos. Bragg, M. S Assistant Chemist C. S. Williamson, M. S Assistant Chemist E. F. Cauthen, B. S Superintendent of Farm and Recorder N. E. Bell, B. S Assistant in Chemistry I. 'S. McAdory, B. S., D. V. M. . . .Assistant in Veterinary Science W. F. Turner, B. S Assistant in Entomology G. S. Ridgway, B. S Assistant in Botany M. J. Funchess, B. S Assistant Agriculturist J. C. C. Price, B . S Assistant Horticulturist REPORT OF HATCH AND ADAMS FUND FOR 1908-1909. Receipts. Hatch. To amount from U. S. Treasury $15000.00 Disbursements. By Salaries $ 8732.86 By labor 1361.71 By publications 1229.48 By postage and stationery 438 . 66 By freight and express 435 . 09 By heat, light, water, and power 493.97 By chemical supplies 150 . 34 By seeds, plants, and sundry supplies.... 546.53 By fertihzers 356.20 By feeding stuflEis By library 523.05 By tools, implements, and machinery 39.24 By furniture and fixtures 169 . 30 By scientific apparatus 212.34 By live stock By traveling expenses 89 . 85 By contingent expenses 21 . 00 By buildings and repairs 200 . 38 Total $15000 . 00 Adams. $11000.00 $ 7459-88 542 . 58 30.24 98.38 99.34 201.20 435.54 38.40 296.21 15.02 6.35 225.50 1132.18 60.33 89.75 269.10 $11000.00 STATE OF ALABAMA, Lee Country. Personally appeared before me, Welborn Jones, a Notary Public in and for said county, M. A. Glenn, known to me as Treasurer of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, who being duly sworn, deposes and says that the above and foregoing account is true and correct. Witness my hand this 10th day of February, 1910. WELBORN JONES, (Seal) Notary Public. This is to certify that I have compared the account with the ledger account of the Treasurer, and this is a correct transcript of the same. C. C. THACH, President A. P. Institute. REPORT OF DIRECTOR AND AGRICULTURIST. J. F. DUGGAR. Dr. C. C. Thach, President Alabama Poli/technic Institute, Auhurny Al'ai Sir: — I respectfully submit the following report for the past year of the work under my charge as Director and Agriculturist of the Alabama Experiment Station. Publications. During the calendar year 1009 the publications of the Alabama Experiment Station consisted of the annual re- port, five bulletins and one i)ress bulletin. The titles and authors are given below : Bulletin No. 144. — The San Jose Scale and Lime-Sulphur Wash ; by the Entomologist. Bulletin No. 14."). — Local Fertilizer Experiments With Cotton in 100."). lOOO. 1007 and 1008; by the Director. Bulletin No. 140. — Facing the Boll Weevil Problem ia Alabama ; by the Entomologist. Bulletin No. 147. — Crimson Clover; by the Director. Bulletin No. 148. — Raising Lambs in Alabama, Mainten- ance, Rations for Ewes, Feeding Cotton Seed Meal to Preg- nant Ewes ; by the Chief and Assistant in Animal Industry. Press Bulletin No. 34. — Tests of Varieties of Cotton in 1908; by the Director nnd Farm Superintendent. Press Bulletin No. 3.5. — Tests of Varieties of Corn in- 1900 ; by the Director and Farm Superintendent. As stated in each of my reports for the last two years^ a large percentage of the bulletins of the Alabania Experi- ment Station are now out of print. There is urgent need that a number of the bulletins now out of print be reprinted. However, this cannot be done unless a special fund be ap- propriated for this purpose. An increase in the printing fund is also needed in order thai li'.e mailing list of the Station be permitted to grow 8 in proportion to the increased need for information shown by the farmers of Alabama. With an ample printing fund, much wider publicity could be given to the fact that these l>ulletins are intended for every farmer in Alabama; and :bulletins could be published on a wider range of subjects i;han at i)resent. In many states a state appropriation jductiveness. Two of the strains thus bred up took the first and second rank in jiroductiveness among the thirty varieties of cotton tested at this Station in 1909. This was done in spite of considerable loss f rom ' anthracnose, to which all strains of this variety are especially susceptible, and toward the reduction of which -by selection -attention: will be directed in the future. Gratifying progi'ess has been made in improving the Exjieriment Station yellow variety of corn in the matter of productiveness and number of ears per plant; and signifi- cant'data have been accumulated in a study of the correla- tion of qualities of corn, which latter investigation promises to establish i)rinci}»les that will serve as direct and: practical guides in plant breeding with corn. Tn addition to the large number of experiments in im- proving the Cook cotton, the past year has brought to maturity s?veral thousand hybrid cotton plants of the second generation since the cross was made. A careful examina- tion of the qualities of these hybrids is now in progress, •and results ur> to this date are verv encouraging for the .prospect of uniting in one variety many of the various qual- ities required in a cotton suitable for boll weevil conditions* However, this line of work must proceed for several years longer before we can properly expect to demonstrate any marked superiority of any one hybrid or strain. Many hundreds of separate samples of cotton, including the off- S|)ring of single promising plants, have been separately ginned and recorded. 10 lu addition to plant breeding, some of the most important lines of experiments in progress during the year 11)09 in the agricultural department are the following: Cotton, local fertilizer experiments. Cotton, relative fertilizing values of ground phosphate rock and acid phosphate. C(i)tton, continuation of the study of varieties. Cotton and corn, relative fertilizer requirements. Corn, variety, culture, and fertilizer experiments. Oats, variety and culture experiments. Crimson clover, variety and culture tests, an.l fertilizing value. Cow];eas. variety tests. Sorghum, variety tests. Relative amounts of food produced by wrious crops suit- able for hogs. A study of numerous forage plants, including alfalfa, vetches, clovers, soybeans, kudzu, and grasses. Experiments in the manufacture on the farm of drain tile. Rotation of crops. Effects of lime on acid soils, using a number of crops. The season of 1900 was a most unfavorable one for cot- ton. Excessive rains during the first half of the year, a period of acute drought in the late summer, and the most severe injury from anthracnose. commonly called boll rot, ever known during the fourteen years of the writer's con- nection with this Station, all combined to cut short the yield of cotton. Yet, in spite of these obstacles, the Sta- tion farm averaged more than one and one-fourth bales of cotton per acre. This result is believed to be chiefly due to the use of crimson clover as a soil-improving crop pre- ceding cotton and to the improvement of cotton by careful plant breeding. Respectfully submitted, J. F. DUGGAR, Director and Agriculturist. REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. B/ B. Ross. Dr. C. C. Thach, President Alabanm Poli/trcJinic Institute, Auhurn, Ala. Sir: — I l)e<»; to submit the tolI<)winj>- statement with re- gard to the nature and scope of the work of the Themical Department of the Exi)eriment Station for the year just ended : Tin's work, as heretofore, lias embraced investigations conducted under the provisions of the original Hatch act, wxtvk carried out under authority of the Adams act, and insjiection work };erformed under the police requirements of State laws, while, in addition, a considerable amount of miscellaneous analytical work has been accomplished. The rejiorts submitted by Dr. J. T. Anderson and Prof. C. L. Hare give the essential features of the work carried out by them under the provisions of the Hatch and Adams acts and a large amiount of valuable data has been accumu- lated in connection with their investigations during the past year. Tn carrying out these investigations, as well as in connection with the usual routine work of the labora- tory, a large number of specimens of agricultural products has been analyzed since the date of the last annual re- port. Tn addition to the lines of investigation mentioned in the reports of Messrs. Anderson and Hare, some work has been and is being done in connection with the study of the relative availability of the phosphoric acid of the basic slag or cinder obtained as a by-oroduct from the manufac- ture of steel by the basic open-hearth process. For a number of years the basic slag obtained as a by- product of the Thomas-Gilchrist steel process has been successfully employed as a fertilizer both in Europe and in this country, but the slag obtained as a by-product of the 12 basic open-heai-th process has not j'et foinul any general application for fertilizing purposes. This slag is produced in large quantities both at Bir- mingham and Gadsden, and should constitute an im])ortant economic source of supply of phosphoric acid, if the final results of investigations as to its availabilit}^ should prove satisfactory. .. • • The Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company has placed a considerable quantity oi this material at the dis- posal of this department, and already considerable work has been done in connection with laboratory tests of its availability, while further practical field, tests as to availa- bility will also be carried out during the coming season. During the fall some experimental, , and demonstration work was performed, as herjetofore, in the manufacture of syrup from sugar cane, and this oi^ice has answered many inquiries which have been received, with reference to im- proved methods in the manufacture of this important agri- cultural product. The fertilizer work of the past season showed a consider- able increase over that of the preceding year, the number of analyses, including duplicates, being well in excess of 2,000. The results of these analyses were reported as usual in the annual fertilizer bulletin issued Jby the State De- partment of Agriculture, and. in addition^ a considerable anwunt of descriptive matter relating to the composition, sources and properties of the fertilizing materials marketed in the State was included in the same bulletin. Besides the fertilizer work alluded to, this department has made analyses of a large number of specimens of mis- cellaneous materials sent iii from different portions of the State, including marls, phosphates, ores, waters, feed stuffs, etc. Very respectfully, B. B. Ross. . . Chemist. REPORT OF VETERIXARTAX. C. A. Cary. Dr., C. C. TiiAcn, Pfesidcnt Alahama'Poli/technic Institute, Auburn, A\a. Sir : — I herewit h submit a synopsis of . Avork of the Yet- erinaiy Department for the year 1909. ' . ..; The work on tlie life history of the cattle tick in co-oper- ation with the Bureau of Animal Industry has been com- pleted. The material is now ]being prepared for publication by tlie Bureau. The study of the effects of cotton seed meal on the health ' - > ■ • . - , • . •' . and various organs of pigs is being continued. We Ijave collected quite a quantity of data, have repeated feed- ing tests and liave made a large number of blood examina- tions and also examinations of sections of various organs, such as the liver, spleen, kidneys, heart, and , lungs. We hav^ also made some observations, on the effects, of cotton, seed. meal on the health and condition of horses and mules. An experiment is now planned for carrying out a feeding test in which cotton seed meal w.ill be used a's the chief or only ingredient .of the ration. It has been obseryed.for some time that hogs and pigs which are fed on peanuts become affected. Tliis has-been investigated and experimental tests will be made. ,. . . The sanitary conditions of, farms in their relation to the health of the people and animals on the farm have com- manded our attention. It has been especially noted that careless methods in the disposal of carcasses of dead ani- mals on the farm are responsible for the extension and spread of a number of animal diseases. It should be espe- cially noted that buzzards are carriers of infectious mate- rials from farm to farm, and are consequently great factors in the transmission of infectious diseases. The study of bacteria in cows' udders and morbid changes < 14 in the udder has been continued. The various pathologic changes, the causes of these changes, and resulting effects on milk secretion and the uiiilk are problems to be solved. Farmers' Institutes for 1909 were greater in number than any year since the institutes began. The average, and the total attendance are below those of previous years. The necessity for live stock farming, diversification of crops, eradication of cattle ticks and the production of more cot- ton on less acreage have been the chief lines of instruction given in the institutes. During 1909. Farmers' Institutes held in Alabama 35 Counties in which they were held 28 Number of sessions at these institutes 57 Average attendance at each session 67 Total attendance 3,790 The Round-up Farmers' Institute was held at Auburn, July 23d to July 31st, 1909. At this institute there were 60 lectures and demonstrations given. Every day lectures and demonstrations were commenced at 8 a. m. and con- tinued with brief intermissions for dinner and supper until 10 p. m. The enrollment for the entire institute was 730, The new feature of having women to lecture on household eco- nomics and sanitation was very well received. The Farmers' Institutes and the Round-up or Short Sum- mer School for Farmers have about reached the limits of growth, unless more money can be secured. It is now almost impossible with present funds to secure the help in the wav of lecturers to meet the demand of the farmers. C. A. Gary. Veterinarian and Director of Farmers^ Institutes. KIOPORT OF CHEMIST OF SOILS AND CROP INVESTIGATION. J. T. Anderson. Dr. C. C. Thach, President Alahaniu Pohjteehnic Institute, Auburn/ Ala. Sir: — The following rejioit of the work done in the di- vision of the Cheniistrv of Soils during the vear 11M)9 is resjtectfiilly submitted : For reasons to be given later, the research work has been (ontined in tlie main to the Adams' i)roject. As stated in previ<»us reports, this project seeks to determine the fertil- izer re. In wire basket.^. 1. To secure samjiles of analysis from field plots, use was made again of Prof. iHiggiir's series of Co-operative Fertilizer Exjeriments with Cotton. Thus were obtained sam]>les from some twenty odd sets of ten plots each, located in widely separated sections of the state, and in all varieties of soil. Several of these sets were located in the vicinity of Auburn, and were under the scrutiny of this writer. Most of these samples have already been analyzed, some two or three sets, however, r-emain to be worked up. 2. An attempt was made to grow cotton in clean sand in clay cylinders which were imbedded in the ground, using the same system of fertilzation as is employed in the field plots. The attempt met with indifferent success, fail- ing entirely, or practically so, on those cylinders where no fertilizer was used. A number of samples, however, were secured from cylinders which were completely or partial Iv fertilize^. With the experience of last season to guide us^ 16 it is hoped that the attempt to be made next season will meet with better success. 3. Samples of the unfertilized soils from the plots located near Auburn were, brought to the laboratory, and after proper preparation were used in series of small wire- baskets. One of the soils used was a stife clay, another a- medium sandy loam and the other a sandy soil^ Each of these soils was tested independently in a series of baskets, using the. same system of , fertilization as in the field plots. As, samples for analysis from the field plots were drawn while the plants were small in the leaf stage, it w^as as- sumed that they could be grown normally to that stage in the small wire baskets. The assumption was found to be co- rect, and the analytical results obtained from the wire bas- ket samples accord reasonably well with those obtained from the same soil in the open plots. The facilities for wire basket work are limited at ])resent, and hence only a few comparisons of this willi the, open plot method, have been made. Special attention to these comparisons in a larger number and variety of soils is to be given during the com- ing season. With the purpose of securing whatever good that might be derived from it, samides of soil,,, from each of ten plots from two of the locations near Auburn were obtained and analyzed for moisture and available potash.. The data ob- tained will be published with the other. The Hatch project, whose purpose was the study of the effect of the humification of certain nitrogenous substances in rendering insoluble phosphoric acid available to the plant, met with no advance during the last season. The ravages of the cut worm, which baffled all attempts to check, made it necessary to abandon rye and sorghum as the growing crops. An attempt was made to substitute turnips with no success, the youn^ plants being destroyed in some way almost before appearing above ground. •'• The usual amount of time was given to the official fertil- 'izer work for the State llepartment of Agriculture. Respectfully submitted, ' ■ ' Jas. T. Anderson. REPORT OF PHYSIOLOGICAL CHEMIST. C. L. Haue. Dr. C. C. Thach, President Alaharua Polytechnic Institute, Auburn, Ala. Sir:— The work in tliis department during the past year has been continued according to the plans set forth in the last annual i-eport. The work on breeding cotton for high oil content in the seed has made some progress and the results secured en- courage a continuation of the experiments. The determination of the properties of lard as affected by the ration fed to the hog has proceeded to such a point that there is possible a fairlj" accurate knowledge of' the effects of such feeds as so^^beans, peanuts, corn, cotton seed meal, and tankage, as far as regards certain of the properties of lards. It has also given an index to some correctives for soft lards and the extent to which the corrective effiect may ex- tend. Respectfully submitted, 0. L. Hare. REPORT OF ENTOMOLOGIST. W. E. HUNDs. Dr. C. C. Thach, President Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn, Ala. Sir: — ^Tlie following report relates to the work of the LRepartmeut of Entomology in the Experiment Station for the fiscal year 1909: Work during the past year has continued mainly along the lines inaugurated during 1908. There has been no change in the working forces. Mr. W. F. Turner, as Assis- tant, has given nearly all of his time to the routine station work, and especially to the Adams Fund investigation pro- jects. Correspondence. — Inquiries regarding the control of in- sect pests have increased during the past year, indicating that there is a general advance in agricultural and horti- cultural information along these lines. The entomologist has received and answered somewhat more than 1,200 let- tere during the year. Publications. — During the year 1909, the Department of Entomology has isisued two bulletins and one circular. Bul- letin No. 144, entitled ''The San Jose Scale and Lime Sul- phur Wash," has been quite largely in demand. Bulletin No. 146, entitled ''Facing the Boll Weevil Problem in Ala- bama," was designed to prepare cotton planters for the advent of the boll weevil, and this publication will be in- creasingly useful as the boll weevil enters the state. Cir- cular No. 3 gives a list of "Manufacturers and Dealers in Insecticide Materials and Spraying Apparatus," for dis- tribution in correspondence. Besides these regular Station publications, the Entomol- ogist has published articles in the reports of the State De- partment of Agriculture at Montgomery, two articles in the Journal of Economic Entomology, besides brief notes in the Southern Farm Oazette. 19 Fanners' Institutes. — The demand for addresses at insti- tute meetings conducted by this college and by the State Department of Agriculture has been much greater tnan 1 have felt at liberty to take the time to supply. Meetings of the State Horticultural Society and Farmers' Institutes have been addressed by me. There is now considerable de- mand for illustrated lectures on the cotton boll weevil prob- lem, and these should be given so far as may be possible. The Cotton Boll Weevil. — The cotton boll weevil has con- tinued its eastward advance during the past season and has been found within six or eight miles of the Alabama line, but so far as we know, it does not yet occur in Alabama. It is very probable that this important insect pest will in- vade the State during 1010, and every possible step should be taken to minimize the damage which it will certainly cause if present practices in cotton culture are continued unchanged. Adams Fund Investigations. — During the past year pro- ject No. 4, entitled ''Investigation of Life History, Eco- nomic Relationships and Injury of the 'Rice Weevil,' iCalandra oryza, L.) , Attacking Corn in Alabama, with a Study of Methods for Its Control/' has been approved by the Office of Experment Stations for this department and substituted for project No. 2, relating to the study of the fire ant (^olenopsis geminfita) . which was found to occur but rarely in this locality. The new project deals with a problem of great value to the planters of Alabama, and in many respects can be carried on simultaneously with project No. 3, relating to fumigation investigations. In the fight against the boll weevil, more corn must be grown, and this means that some method of preserving it against injury from corn infesting pests must be worked out for the South. Material progress ha,^ been made in the fumigation pro- ject, upon which our efforts have been largely concentrated. The magnitude, as well as the importance, of this investi- gation becomes more evident as the work proceeds. The results thus far obtained, while only preliminary, are still 20 of mueli importauc'e, and are so considered by entomolo- gists in other states. Our advice in regard to work witli" carbon di-sulfid is quite fiequently requested, by workers in otlier sections. There is urgent neied of a station bulletin dealing with the rice weevil and its control to be available for distribu- tion by August, lyiU. We contemplate the publication of this bulletin. A'ew? Quarters for the Department. — -The new quarters provided in Comer Hall for the experiment station work in entomology consist of two laboratory rooms and a. large office, library and collection room on the first floor in the western end of the main building, with a work room and insectary in the green house range immediately south of Comer Hall. The completion of these rooms has en- abled us to do many necessary things which were impossi- ble previously for lack of space. Equipment.— Mo^t of the equipment added for the De- partment of Entomology during the past year has been for the station investigation work. This has been increased by the value of fully |500 during the past year. The largest single item has been the consti'uction of fumigation boxes for use in the project investigations. The items seciired have been only those most essential to. the continuance of the investigations. Many additional items would .greatly facilitate th^ work. . ... . Respectfully submitted, W. E. Hinds, ... Entomologist. REPORT OF . BOT AKIST. Francis E. Lloyd. Dr. C. C. Thach. < President Alahama Pol ijte clinic Institute, Aulturn, Ala. SiR:^_In response to your request of recent date, I beg iierewitti to make my annual report as Botanist of the Agricultural Experiment Station for the year ending. The importance of studying the plant diseases caused by plant parasites- has become increasingly evident. Special attention has been given to the Grape Rot (Guinardia lid- welii) and to the Fire Blight of Pome fruits {Bacillus amylororiis) , and two circulars on these diseases have been prepared and ar'e about to be sent to press, and the 'best known methods of their control. Both of these maladies are the cause of gi'eat losses, and this is especially true of the Grape Rot, which is known to destroy the entire crop. Tlie Orange Rust of Apples las been studied with ref- erence to the history of the alternate form, Gi/mnospornng- iiim, on the cedar, which is known popularly as Cedar Apple. The biennial character of the cedar apple has been estab- lished, confirming, independently, the work of Heald in Nebraska. The problem of hieeting the pecan situation is becoming increasingly important. This tree has been assumed by many to be free from the attacks of fungous parasites, and this view has been used as an argument to plant the tree. It now develops that some varieties at least, if not all, are attacked by the same organism which produces the scab of apples, Fiisicladiiim cffiisum. Whether the treatment given to apples may prove effective remains to be determined. The extent of loss has been so great in some quarters that it is of the highest importance that a careful study should be made of methods of control. The two projects under the Adams Fund have been be- gun. Several attempts have been made to carry out certain 22 preliminary experimentation, but the severe weather and the difficulty of controlling the temperature in the green house during the winter have been a cionstant hindrance. The routine correspondence of the Department contains a considerable number of botanical inquiries of a general nature. These frequently require a great deal of time and study for satisfactory reply. The chief material factor in this phase of our work is the Herbarium, and for this reason it is important that it should be put into snape for use. The Herbarium must not be thought of as extraneous to the work of the Station, as it includes, aside from general material, the working collection of plant parasites. Our greatest need at the moment is proper housing in the form of tightly constructed cases, since without these we cannot control the insect j)ests which are peculiarly bother- some here. A paper embodying in brief form my studies of the desert rubber plant above mentioned was presented before the Botanical Society of America, at the recent meeting in Boston, ifhder the title. ''The Res])onse of the Guayule, Parthenium Argentatum Gray to Irrigation." An article, "The Guayula Rubber Situation," was contributed, by re- quest of the editor of the India Rubber World, to the twentieth anniversary number of that periodical. Yours truly, Francis E. Lloyd, Botanist. ANIMAL INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT. Daniel T. Gray. Dr. C. r. Thach. President Alahdnia Polytechnic Institute, Auhurn, Ala. Sir: — One bulletin has been issued from the Animal In- dustry Department the past year. This is bulletin No. 148, and deals with the subjects of spring lamb production and feeding cotton seed meal to pregnant ewes. In the main, the experimental work continues as was re- ported in the last annual report. The present work of the Department may be summarized as follows: With Swine. 1. To study the results of finishing swine by dry lot method as com]»ared to the method of using green pasture crops. 2. To study the subject of hardening flesh and lard after they haye been rendered soft as a result of the animals haying grazed green crops. 3. To note further the toxic effect of feeding cotton seed meal to hogs. 4. To study the effects of some of the Southern swine feeds upon the frame work of the body. 5. To determine the most profitable amount of grain to feed along with such green pasture crops as soybeans and peanuts. With Beef Cattle. The co-operatiye beef work with the Animal Husbandry Department at Washington is going forward in an exceed- ingly satisfactory manner. The Ayork has been enlarged to include the subject of finishing beef cattle in the winter time. The main questions inyolyed now are: 1. To study methods of carrying mature beef animals through the winter months, when the object is to fatten them on pasture the following summer. 24 2. To determine the profit, if any, in supplementing the summer pastures with certain cotton seed by-products in finishing cattle for the summer market. 3. To study methods of carrying calves through the winter months when the object is to finish them for the market the following summer or fall. 4. To determine the most profitable amount of cotton seed cake 'to feed steers while they are being finished on pasture for the market. . 5. To compare silage, cotton seed hulls, and Johnson grass hay as feeds for finishing cattle for the market in the winter time. Last winter and sumr.:er 175 head of cattle were used in the feeding work. The cattle were sold in September. The experiment terminated in a very satisfactory manner. The data are now being prepared for publication. With Sheep. The work with sheep continues about as reported in the last annual report. The most important points under con- s-ideration are : . 1. Early lamb production. 2. Effect upon the pregnant ewe of feeding cotton seed meal to her. 3. A comparison of Alabama feeds for carrying the ewe through the winter months. , . The Dairy Extension work, which is being carried on as a co-operative work between the Dairy Department at Washington and this Department, continues the same as last year. Many dairy farmers are being reached and helped. Interest in the work is increasing rapidly. Very respectfully submitted, Daniel T. Gray. REPORT OF ACTING HORTICULTURIST. P. F. Williams. Dr. C. C. Thach, President Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn, Ala. Sir: — I re.spectfuHv submit the following report for the year ending December 31st, 1909 : Adams Invest if/at ion. — The work of the Department has been along lines similar to those of the previous year. The meteorological records have been taken to assist in the work in Peach Breeding under the Adams Fund and com- plete records in the blooming periods and fruiting of the various trees in the orchards. Personnel — Prof. R. S. Mackintosh was granted a year's leave of absence to take up study at Ames, Iowa, and left August 1.5th, 1909. The writer has been in charge of the work of the Department since that time. On October 1st Mr. J. C. C. Price took up his duties as Assistant Horti- culturist. In this capacity he has done very efficient work. He has been particularly concerned with the green house operations. 'Niirscry Inspection. — With the approval of the State Board of Horticulture I have carried on the inspection of nursery stock, and have been ably assisted in this work by Mr. E. E. Binford, Dr. W. E. Hinds, and Mr. J. C. C. Price. A list of the individual nurseries receiving Alabama certificates will be found in the report to the State Board of Horticulture at the close of the present nursery year. This includes the granting of 116 certificates to nurserymen out- side of the State; 40 certificates in the State, and 17 deal- ers' certificates. Oreenhouse Work. — The new greenhouse was occupied in February. With the constant demand for cut flowers, both locally and in Opelika, an addition to the present house 26 would be more than self-supporting. About one-half of the material for this addition is on hand. A number of students are anxious to take up the study of growing vegetables and flowers under glass, and I respectfully re- quest that provision be made for this imperative need. Experiments. — An experment was started in October to test out several varieties of tomatoes for forcing under glass. We have the promise of some valuable results from this. Mr. Blake is making the experiment the basis of his thesis work. Another project started in December was an experimient testing cabbage varieties and cabbage fertil- izers and work along this same line with tomatoes. Citrange Investigations. — A number of Citranges have been received from the U. S. Department of Agriculture, and they will be set out in the citrus orchard next springs Mr. Walter Swingle, who is in charge of this work at Wash- ington, D. C, has requested the Department to take up this work of breeding new citrus fruits on a much larger basis than has heretofore been attempted. It is desirable that this work should be undertaken. A portion of this work will call for space under glass. An efficient worker is needed to conduct these investigations. Puhlications. — The material for a bulletin of information on pecans has been prepared for i)ublication and this will appear in a few months. Pecans have become a very im- portant crop in Alabama, and a test orchard should be planted on the Station grounds. Co-operation along this line should be encouraged in every county, as there is such a diversity of soils, and the best variety for each county have not been determined as yet. Valuable statistics have been received concerning the pecan industry in Alabama through the co-operation of the TJ. S. Department of Agri- culture with this Department. Statistics concerning the peach growers of the State have also been received from the same source. There is a pressing demand for a truck survey of Ala- bama, especially in Mobile and Baldwin Counties. A station 27 man should spend considerable time in the above sections to make a close study of the conditions there and learn the methods now employed with the view of undertaking co- operative exi^eriments to further advance this important industry, A bulletin on School Improvement has been published and appears to have filled a much needed want. At present the work along this line is crowding the time and facilities of the Department. Provision should be made for this work and this emphasizes the fact that funds for extension work in connection with the Experiment Station are very much needed. CERTIFICATES ISSUED 1909-10. Alabama Nurserymen. 1. Chase Nxirsery Co., Huntsville. 2. Rolfe Nursery Co., Huntsville. 3. Oak Lawn Nursery, Huntsville. 4. Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries, Huntsville, Ala. 5. J. 0 Kelly & Sons, Jeff. 6. Frazer Nursery Co., Huntsville. 7. Welch Nursery Co-, Madison. 8. Chas. A. Hughes, Getup. 9. Blount County Nursery, Blountsville- 10. Arley Nursery, Arley. 11. Owen Nursery, Ashland. 12. Asihland Nurseiy, Ashland. 13. Earnest Nursery, Roanoke- 14. Slay Nursery, Buffalo. 15. Cusseta Nursery, LaFayette. 16. Lipp Nursery, Roanoke. 17. Joiner Nursery, Wedowee. 18. Rosemont Gardens, Montgomery. 19. Eagle Pecan Co., Pittsview. 20. Park Floral Co,, Selma. 21. Wakefield Nursery, Flomaton. 22. Gravlee Nursery Co., Newtonville. 23. Joppa Nursery, Joppa. 24. C. Ravier & Sons, Mobile. 2,5. Industrial School Gardens, Mobile. 26. Little Gem Gardens, Mobile. 28 27. J. S. Gaylord, Barnwell. 28- J. M. Colmant, BiiTningham. 29. C. R. Long, Montgomery. 30. G. E. Luffman, Birmingham. 31- J. P. Jones, Fabius. 32. Vinemont Nursery, Vinemont. 33. F. E. Welch, Roseview Nursery, Chunchula. 34. Arlington Nurseiy, Birmingham. 35. Waverly Nurseries, Waverly. 36- Alabama Nursery Co., Huntsville. 37. Birmingham Landscape and Nursery Co., Birmingham. 38. J. C. White, Fort Payne. 39. Orchard Hill Nursery, J. M. Crutchfield, Cullman- 40. Gwendolin Nursery, Carlos Reese, Birmingham. Alabama Dealers. 1. W. F. Probst, Oakman. 2. J. M. Colmant, Birmingham. 3. C. R. Long, Montgomery. 4. G. E. Luffman, Birmingham. 5. H. A. Sparkman, Mobile. 6. A. M. Preston & Son, Blountsville. 7. M. M. Dawson, Montgomery. 8. J. H. Parker & Son, Vinemont. 9. J. J. Holmes. Montgomery. 10. 'E. Day, Birmingham. 11. W. D. Summerfield, Birmingham, 12. A. B. Webb, Scottsboro. 13. Homer N. Sneed, Pronto. 14. Judson Strock, Clanton. 15. G. W. DeVaughan, Prichard. 16. A. Swift, Fairhope. 17. John B. Stroud, Pass Christian, Miss. Nurserymen Outside the State. 1. H. C. White & Co., DeWitt, Ga. 2. H. M. Simpson & Sons, Vincennes, Ind. 3. A. D". Williams, Yatesville, Ga. 4. Frank H. Wild Floral Co., Sarcoxie, Mo. 5. Southern Nursery Co., Winchester, Tenn. 6. Wild Brothers Nursery Co., Sarcoxie, Mo. 7. P. J. Berckmans Co., Fraitland Nurseries, Augusta, Ga. 8. Stark Brothers Nursery and Orchard Co., Louisiana, Mo. 29 9. Tennessee Wholesale Nurseries, Winchester, Tenn. 10. Biltmore Nurseries, Biltmore, N. C. 11. M. L. Spivey, Lynnville, Tenn, 12. T. S. Hubberd Co., Fredonia, N. Y. 13. Geo. S. Josselyn, Fredonia, N. Y. 14. Griflfing Bros. Nurseiy Co., Pomona Nurseries, MacClenny, Fla. 15. The Nut Nursery Co., Simpson Bros-, Monticello, Fla. 16. Hoopes, Bro. & Thomas Co., West Chester, Pa. 17. Andorra Nurseries, Chestnut Hill, Pa. 18. Ellwanger & Barry, Rochester N. Y. 19. Lewis Roesch & Son, Fredonia, N. Y. 20. Dreer Nurseries, Henry A. Dreer, Riverton, N. J. 21. Bluhm Nursery Co., Smithville, Tenn. 22. "Morris Nursery Co., West Chester, Pa. 23. Jackson & Perkins Co., Newark, N. J. 24. Smith Bros., Concord, Ga. 25. Pike County Nurseries, Concord, Ga. 26. Excelsior Nurseries, G. H. Miller & Son, Rome, Ga. 27. T. V. Munson & Co., Denison. Texas. 28. The Barber-Frink Co., MacClenny, Fla. 29. Summit Nurseries, Miller & Gossard, Monticello, Fla- 30. Cedar Hill Nursery, Winchester, Tenn. 31. Thos. Meehan & Sons, Inc.. Germantown, Pa. 32. Lamar Nursery Co., Pulaski, Tenn. 33. Bobbink & Atkins Nurseries, Rutherford, N. J. 34. Center Grove Nursery Co., Smithville, Tenn. 35. John Lightfoot, East Chattanooga, Tenn. 36. Chase Bros. Co., Rochester, N. Y. 37. A. C. Oelschig & Sons, Savannah, Ga. 38. Thos. Meehan & Sons, Inc., Dresher, Pa. 39. The Knoxville Nursery Co., Lowell Station, Tenn. 40. J. Van Lindley Nursery Co., Kernersville and, Pomona, N. C. 41. Arcadia Nurseries, J. H. Girardeau, Monticello, Fla. 42. Glen St. Mary Nursery Co., Glen St. Mary,. Fla. 43. Glenn Cliff Nursery, Winchester, Tenn. 44. Easterly Nursery Co., Cleveland, Tenn. 45. United States Nursery Co., Rich. Miss. 46. Forest Nursery and Seed Co., McMinnville, Tenn. 47. Prosperity Nursery, iSmithville, Tenn. 48. New Hope Nursery, Daylight, Tenn. 49. J. L. Westbrook, Temple, Ga. 50. J. Steckler Seed Co., New Orleans, La. 51. Franklin Davis NuTseyy .Co-, Mullikin, Md. 52. Will F. Halliday Decherd, Tenn. 30 53. Pecan Grove Farm Nursery, Cairo, Ga. 54. Storrs & Harrison Co., Painesville, Ohio. 55. W. N. Scarff, New Carlisle, Ohio- 56. The Donaldson Co., Warsaw and Sparta, Ky. 57. Wagner Park Consei'vatories, Sidney, Ohio. 58. The G. M. Bacon Pecan Co., DeWitt, Ga. 59. The Wm. H. Moon Co., Morrisville, Pa. 60. James Cureton, Cureton Nurseries, Austell, Ga. 61. Tullahoma Nursery, TuUahoma, Tenn. 62. W. W. Thomas, Anna, 111. 63. 'Peter Henderson & Co., Jersey City, N. J. 64. Joe Shadow Nursery Co., Winchester, Tenn. 65. Chattanooga Nursery Co., Chattanooga, Tenn. 66. Continental Plant Co., Kittrell, N. C. 67. Jackson County Nursery, J. G. Justice, Jefferson, Ga. 68. L. H. Garretson, Fall River, Tenn. 69. Alexander Seed Co., Kittrell, N. C. (Augusta, Ga.) 70. Greensboro Nurseries, Greensboro, N. C. 71. Morey & Son, Danvile, N. Y. 72. R. A. Eubank, Prospect Station, Tenn. 73. Old Dominion Nurseries, W. T. Hood, Richmond, Va. 74. H. C. Hastings, Kittrdl, N. C. (Atlanta, Ga.) 75. Wick Hathaway, Madison, Oliio. 76. Moss & Allen, Smithville, Tenn. 77. Union Nursery Co., Smithviile, Tenn. 78. Commercial Nursery Co., Winchester, Tenn. • 79. Mt. Olive Nursery Co., Smithville, Tenn. 80. Carroll County Nursery, C. P. Turner, Carrollton, Ga. 81. Oakland Nurseries, W. Y. C. Grant, Columbia, Tenn. 82. F. R. Pierson Co., Tarrytown, N. Y. 83. Geo. A. Sweet, Danville, N. Y- 84. Bremen Nursery, T. J. AnderFon, Bremen, Ga. 85. Hartwell Nurseries, S. W. Peck, Hartwell, Ga. 86. Keltonburg Nursery Smithville, Tenn. 87. Cumberiand Nurseries, Winchester, Tenn. 88. Fruit Farm Nursery, J. E. Gregory, Cabot, ArTc. 89. Cumberland Mountain Nursery Co., Smithville, Tenn. 90. White ETm Nurseries, Oconomowoc, Wis. 91. Monticello Nurseries, Standard Pecan Co., Monticello, Fla. 92. Sneed's Wholesale Nursery, John F. Sneed, Tyler, Texas. 93. Bechtel Pecan Nurseries, Ocean Springs, Miss. 94. Mt. Arbor Nurseries, E. S. Welch, Shenandoah, Iowa. 95. Shenandoah Nurseries, Shenandoah, Iowa. 96. .B. W. Stone, Thomasville, Ga. 97. The Jefferson Nursery Co., Monticello, Fla. 98. J. W. Adams «& Co., Springfield, Mass. 31 99. C. Forkert, Ocean Springs, Miss. 100. Southern Floral Nursery Co., Bxicatunna, Miss. 101. Peachwood Nurseries, A. C. Coles State Line, Miss. 102. Ramsey Pecan Co., Ocean Springs, Miss. 103. Columbia Nurseries, P. B. Simmons, Gainesville, Ga. 104. Toomsuba Nurseries, Toomsuba, Miss- 105. Rood Pecan Groves, C. M. Rood, Albany, Ga. 106. Southern Nut Tree Nursery, C. A. Rouzer, Thomasville, Ga. 107. Stafford & Howard, Barnesville, Ga. 108. J. Henry Walker Griffin, Ga. 109. Alvin Japanese Nursery, S. Ari, Alvin, Texas. 110. F. W. Meneray, Crescent Nursery Co., Council Bluffs, la. 111. Winter Haven Nurseries, A. M. Klemm, Winter Haven, Fla. 112. Gainesville Nurseries, H. S. Graves, Gainesville, Fla. 113. The Kilian Nurseries, Newton, N. C. 114. Vadesian Nurseries, Bostic, N. C. 115. James A. Bear, Palatka, Fla. 116. Texas Nursery Co., Sherman, Tenas. 117. The Livingston Seed Co., Columbus, Ohio. Respectfully submitted, P. F. Williams, Acting Horticulturist. U\^ BULLETIN No. 149 FEBRUARY, 1910 ALABAMA Agricultural Experiment Station OF THE Alabama Polytechnic Institute AUBURN UBRARy NEW YORK "BOTANICAL GARDEN. TESTS OF VARIETIES OF COTTON IN 1909 BY J. F. DUGGAR, Director, AND E. F. CAUTHEN, Farm Supt. and Recorder. Opelika, Ala.: The Post Publishing Company, 1910 COMMITTEE OF TRUSTEES ON EXPERIMENT STATION. Hon. H. L. Martin Ozark Hon. Tancred Betts HuntPville Hon. a. W. Bell Anniston STATION COUNCIL. C. C. Thach '. President J. F. DuGGAR Director and Agriculturist B. B. Ross Chemist and State Chemist C. A. Gary Veterinarian and Director Farmers' Institutes F. E. Lloyd Botanist R. S. Mackintosh (on leave) Horticulturist J. T. Anderson Chemist, Soil and Crop Investigations D. T. Gray Animal Industry W. E. Hinds Entomologist C. L. Hare Chemist P. F. WILLIAM3 Acting Horticulturist C. S. Williamson Associate Chemist ASSISTANTS. T. Bragg First Assistant Chemist E. F. Cauthen Farm Superintendent and Recorder N. E. Bell Second Assistant Chemist I. S. McAdory Assistant in Veterinary Science W. F. Turner Assistant in Entomology M, J, FuNCHESS Assistant in Agriculture C. S. Ridgway Assistant in Botany L. W. Shook Assistant in Animal Industry O. H. Sellers Stenographer and Mailing Clerk J. C. Price Assistant in Horticulture TESTS OF VARIETIES OF COTTON IN 1909. BY J. F. DUGGAR AND E. F. CaUTHEN. In 1909 thirty varieties of cotton were tested on plots on the Experiment Station Farm at Auburn. The cotton was left one plant in a hill in checks 3 1-2 by 3 1-2 feet. The fertilizer per acre consisted of 240 pounds acid phos- phate, 120 pounds nitrate of soda and forty pounds of muriate of potash, making a total of 400 pounds. The rather large yields (up to about 1 1-2 bales per acre) for this grade of naturally thin, gray, sandy land were attributable chiefly to plowing under with a disc plow early in April, 1909, a crop of crimson clover, which was then ten to eighteen inches high and beginning to bloom. Seed of crimson clover had been sown on this in- oculated land September 9, 1908, and merely cultivated in between the rows of corn. After making allowance for vacant hills, the varieties ranking highest in combined value of lint (at 14 cents) and seed (at |25.00 per ton) were the following: Cook, No. 206; Cook, No. 221; Dixie; Hardin; and Poulnot. Cook, No. 206, and Cook, No. 221, are both strains of Cook Improved that have been bred up at the Alabama Experi- ment Station. In yields of lint per acre, (793 pounds and 736 pounds) . and in total value of seed and lint per acre, ($125.58 and |117.36), and in per cent, of lint (40.6 and 39.1 per cent.), they show superiority to the parent variety and to the other varieties tested. These two improved strains of Cook suffered severely from anthracnose, generally called boll rot; so did all strains of Cook, whether improved or not ; also Brown, No. 1, Blue Ribbon and Hardin. All varieties were attacked by this disease, but to a smaller extent than those men- tioned. . 1 Varieties of cotton in 1909, ranked according to total value per acre of seed and lint. VARIETY Cook, No. 206 Cook, No. 221 Dixie Hardin Poulnot Peterkin Cleveland Layton Cook Texas Bur Brown, No. 1 , Broad well's Double Jointed , Georg^ia Best Cook, No. 232 Toole Truitt Kussell Cook, No. 239 Blue Ribbon Dillon Gold Coin Rowden Strickland. . Drake (Defiance) Simpkins King- ■ Triumph Allen Long Staple Keen an Trice Actual Yield per Acre. (Stand variable) Lint " *. « I. 4) ^'*. Q, On 0^ a 0 R c3 fen ca C 4t u 0. Corrected to Uniform Stand. 4) a c h O o " .2"*- 1* c w a 0 0.a a > Lbs. Perct. '7A6.'t $117 73 40.6 687.9 109 29 39.1 602.5 98 59 31.9 693.2 110 22 38.8 602.6 96 69 37.1 654.9 104 68 37.8 634.5 102 77 35.4 661.2 104 83 39.4 607.9 97 43 37.3 602.5 98 41 34.8 597.2 95 87 37.4 575.9 92 77 36.1 586.5 94 37 36.6 55^.9 88 05 41.2 581.2 92 03 39.7 575.9 94 61 33.1 522. f) 86 89 31.4 527.9 83 SO 39.9 521.5 85 37 31.6 479.9 77 32 36^3 533.2 85 50 37.2 525.5 85 15 34.4 485.2 79 22 32.6 474.6 77 97 36.2 511.9 82 79 35.7 474.5 76 77 35.6 495.9 80 88 34.3 469.2 78 62 30.4 399.8 67 05 30.3 400.0 66 58 31.2 Lbs. 793.5 736.1 681.3 693.5 666.6 658.1 643.1 659.1 629.0 610.4 606.1 599.6 591.5 596.2 587.3 565.2 556.5 585.1 541.5 557.9 545.4 526.9 514 0 506 . 1 512.7 502.4 499.7 485.8 414.1 390.0 1125 58 117 36 113 75 110 96 107 35 10'5 63 104 65 103 85 101 26 100 22 97 72 97 21 95 60 94 06 93 36 93 35 93 13 92 95 90 54 90 28 87 78 86 28 85 20 83 59 83 33 81 69 81 92 82 00 69 87 64 71 On account of the amount of anthracnose on the Station farm in 1909, and because the seed is believed to be one of the means of convening this widely spread disease, the Station must decline to send out seed of these strains of Cook until further selection has been made for resistance to this disease. Dixie, which ranked third in total value of products and fourth in yield of lint per acre, is a strain of wilt-resistant CQtton developed by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. In our variety tests in 1900, Dixie ranked third in value of products. The plant is compact and well supplied with fruit limbs, on which the bolls are borne close together. Its conspicuous merits are (1), its ability to thrive on land where most other varieties are killed by cotton wilt or black root, and (2), its productiveness, the results of scientific selection. The chief faults are lateness, small bolls and a low percentage of lint. Hardin, which ranked fourth in corrected yield, is a small-boiled, semi-cluster variety. In none of the pre- vious tests at Auburn has it shown conspicuous product- iveness nor given nearly so high a percentage of lint, (38.8) as in 1909. Poulnot is a semi-cluster variety, with medium to large bolls. It has usually ranked rather high in our variety tests. Its worst fault is its rather late maturity. The other varieties that stood above the middle of the list in 1909 ranked, in value of total products per acre, in the following order: Peterkin (6th), Cleveland, Layton. Cook Imi)roved, Texas Bur, Brown No. 1, Broadwell Dou- ble-jointed, Georgia Best. Cook No. 232 and Toole. Fifteen other varieties ranked below all of those men- tioned above. The ranking varieties in the last four va- riety tests at Auburn are as follows: 1905. . 1906. 1908. 1909. Toole Cook Dillon Cook, No. 206 Cook Improved Cleveland Gold Coin Cook, No. 221 Cleveland Dayton Dixie Dixie Bancroft Herlong Toole Cook Improved Hardin Christopher Poulnot Hart Poulnot From this it appears that Cook was in the list of "five best" in each of three years; Toole, Cleveland and Poul- not, each occurred twice in the list of most productive varieties. Each of the most productive varieties has some short- poming. Cook is more susceptible than most varieties to boll rot; Toole has small bolls; Cleveland readily drops the seed cotton from the burs; Dixie and Poulnot are late. Each grower can decide which of these faults he considers least objectionable, or whether, to avoid all of them, he will choose some good variety which, at this Station, has proved less productive, — for example, Triumph. The earliest varieties grown in 1909 were Trice, Broad- well Double-jointed, Simpkins and King; the last two appeared to be practically identical, A number of varieties additional to those mentioned in the table were grown for observation on areas too small to determine the yields per acre. NUMBER OP DISEASED BOLLS. Anthracnose of the bolls, generally called boll rot, was so prevalent on the Station farm in 1909 that an unusual opportunity was offered to test the relative susceptibility of different varieties to this disease. The figures in the following table are based on counts made in winter of the total number of burs and of the number of bolls that had been so injured as to cause the loss of one or more locks. Diseased bolls as here reported consisted chiefly of those injured by anthracnose, but the figures include also smaller losses due to another disease. They also doubtless include a small number of bolls damaged by boll worms. Percentage of diseased bolls; varieties arranged in order of freedom from diseased dolls. Varieties. Per cent. Rowden 5 Cleveland .5 Dixie 5 Simpkins 5 Strickland 6 Trice 6 Drake Defiance 7 Truitt 7 King , ,. ,.,, ,,,..7 Cook, No. 206 8 Broadwell Double-jointed 8 - Blue Ribbon 8 Gold Coin 8 Texas Burr 9 Poulnot 9 Peterkin 9 Triumph 9 Toole 9 « Russell 10 Dillon 11 Allen Long Staple 11 Layton 11 Keenan 11 Georgia Best 15 Hardin 17 Cook Improved 23 Cook, No. 221 28 Cook, No. 239 33 Brown, No. 1 33 Cook, No. 232 35 ADDRESSES OF GROWERS. The Experiment Station has no seed for distribution. The seed used in the variety test was secured from the following parties: Cook Improved — J. R. Cook, Ellaville, Ga. Cook, Nos. 206, 221, 232, and 239— Alabama Experiment Station, Auburn, Ala. Brown No. 1 — M. L. Brown, Decatur, Ga. Hardin — W. P. Letson, Glen Allen, Ala. Dillon — U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. Dixie — U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. Keenan — U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. 0. 8 Poulnot — J. E. Bradberry, Athens, Ga. Drake's Defiance — J. C. McAuliffe, Harlem, Oa. Broadwell Double-jointed — J. B. Broadwell, Alpliaretta, Ga. Blue Ribbon — South Carolina Experiment Station, Clem- son College, S. C. Allen Long Staple — Amzi Godden Co., Birmingham, Ala. Layton Improved — R, D. Layton, St. Mathews, S. C. Gold Coin — Excelsior Seed Farm, Bennettsville, S. C. Peterkin — J. A. Peterkin, Fort Motte, S. C. Cleveland — Alabama Experiment Station, Auburn, Ala. Rowden — Ben Crawford, Blake, Okla. Texas Bur— R. D. Tatum, Palmetto, Ga. Strickland — J. R. Strickland, Pleasant Grove, Ala. Triumph — Wade Brothers, Alexander City, Ala., and Chas. L.Gay, Montgomery, Ala. Georgia Best — G. W. Stone, Oxford, Ga. Russell, — A. M. Troyer, Calhoun, Ala. King — J. W. Mitchell, Youngsville, N. C. Simpkins — W. A. Simpkins, Raleigh, N. C. Trice — W. N. McFadden. Warren, Tenn. Toole— W. F. Covington, Headland, Ala. Truitt— G. W. Truitt, LaGrange, Ga. /BULLETIN No. ISO JUNE. 1910 ALABAMA Agricultural Experiment Station OF THE Alabama Polytechnic Institute NEW YORK ALJBURN botanica. OlARDlz^ RAISING BEEF CATTLE IN ALABAMA B> DAN T. GRAY, Professor of Animal Industry, AN O W. F. WARD, Junior Animal Husbandman, Bureau of Animal Industry. Opelilca. Ala. Pott Publishing Company 1910 COMMITTEE OF TRUSTEES ON EXPERIMENT STATION. Hon. H. L. Martin ....;; Ozark Hon. Tancred Betts Huntsville Hon. a. W. Bell Anniston STATION STAFF. •C. C. Thach ....President J. F. DuGGAR Director and Agriculturist B. B. Ross Chemist and State Chemist C. A. Cary ....Veterinarian and Director of Farmers' Institutes F. E. Lloyd Plant Physiologist and Pathologist P. F. Williams Acting Horticulturist J. T. Anderson Chemist, Soil and Crop Investigation D. T. Gray Animal Industry W. E. Hinds ,• • • • Entomologist C. L. Hare Chemist C. S. Williamson Associate Chemist T. Bragg First Assistant Chemist E. F. Cauthen Farm Superintendent and Recorder W. F. Ward* Junior Animal Husbandman J. W. RiDGEWAY* Special Agent in Beef H. J. Chatterton* Special Agent in Beef N. E. Bell Second Assistant Chemist I. S. McAdory Assistant in Veterinary Science W. F. Turner Assistant in Entomology M. J. Funchess Assistant in Agriculture C. S. RiDGEWAY Assistant in Botany J. C. Price Assistant in Horticulture L. W. Shook Assistant in Animal Industry O. H. Sellers Stenographer *In co-operative beef work with Bureau of Animal Industry. Some Alabama grass steers. In Experimental work in summer 1909. RAISING BEEF CATTLE IN ALABAMA Bv Dan T. Gray and W. F. Ward. INTRODUCTION. The work of eradicating the "Texas-fever" tick is pro- gressing satisfactoiily in the South; every year new areas are freed from the tick, and with the progress of the work there comes an added interest in all kinds of cattle pro- duction. When the ticks in a county are exterminated, renewed interest begins to be immediately manifested in the beef cattle business, as the Southern farmers now^ real- ize that the "Texas-fever" tick has been practically the only drawback to the cattle business in the past. When the tick is finally exterminated no section of the United States will be as well suited to beef production as the South, because of ils mild climate, long grazing season, and cheap lands. At the present time the South produces but a small pro- portion of the meat that her people consume. In Alabama there are but 544,000 head of cattle other than milk ani- mals; or, in other words, there are about 1.2 head of cattle in the State to each family. If no outside meats were shipped into the State, the people would consume all of this beef in less than a year's time. There is a wide field open to the Southern farmer who wishes to produce beef. There are many reasons whv the Southern States should raise more beef cattle than are being raised at the present time. First, the South, under the present sj'stem of farm- ing, has thousands of acres— and good ones, too — which are not being used at all. Statistics tell us that only about 40 per cent of the tillable or arable land of the South is being used. Sixty ])er cent of the land is lying idle and returns to the owner not a cent in wealth. All of the lands cannot be used as cotton lands, because, first, there are not enough people to work the lands in any such way, and second, many of these pauper acres are not suitable for cul- tivation. In fact, many acres that are now under cotton cultivation should be turned into permanent pastures and grazed with live stock. No state can becom^e wealthy when only 40 per cent of the land capital is being used. The grocer, or the banker, or the hardware merchant, could not possibly make a profit on his business if he used only 40 per cent of his capital. And the farmer cannot hope to be successful in his operations until he begins to make use of at least a reasonable proportion of his capital. No farming business can be made successful when only .$4,000 out of a possible |10,000 is being used. Then again beef cattle should be more generally intro- duced because of the good they do in building up and main- taining soils. Under the present system of cotton farming the soils are becoming poorer and poorer. With the intro- duction of cattle the soil will begin to be built up. Direc- tor Thorne, of the Ohio Station, has been making tests with barnyard manure for several years, applying the ma- nure upon a plat of ground upon which was running a three years' rotation of corn, wheat and clover. Eight tons of manure an acre were applied. The average yearly in- crease an acre, following the one application, was as follows: Corn, 14.7 bushels at TO cents a bushel |10.2a" Corn stover, 744 pounds at |6.00 a ton 2.25 Wheat, 8.36 bushels at |1 a bushel 8.3(> Wheat straw, 897 pounds at |4 a ton 1.7J> Clover hay, 680 pounds at |12 a ton 4.12 Total value 8 tons of manure |26.71> Total value 1 ton of manure 3.35 He further states (Bui. 183, Ohio Experiment Station) that the value of farm manure can be materially increased by balancino- the manure with the addition of a carrier of phosphorous. The farm manures are too high in nitrogea- as compared witli the other elements. By balancing sta- ble manure, the value of 8 tons was increased |12.20 after deducting the cost of the material used for the balancing of the manure. This is ^1.53 a ton, or when added to the 13.35 above, brings the total possible value of each ton of manure up to .?4.88. During a feeding period of 100 days each steer will produce at least 1.5 tons of manure. This jirofit should be added to the feeding or direct profits. The Arkansas Station (Bui. 68) made a test to determine the value, to each succeeding crop, of growing peas in the corn, gathering the corn and then grazing both the peas and the stalks by the steers. The steers were being fed some cotton- seed in addition to the grazing. As the result of this crop of peas and the grazing, the succeeding cotton crop was increased 626.5 pounds of seed cotton over the area where corn alone had been grown. A third lot was planted to corn, and the increase in corn, due to the pea crop and the grazing, was 14 bushels per acre. A third reason why beef should be more generally pro- duced in the South, is that there is a demand for it, and the demand should be met in order that the money may be kept at home. ''During the year of 1907 there were about 15,151 home raised animals slaughtered in the city of Birmingham (this includes cattle, veal, hogs, sheep and kids), while there were 36.097 live Western animals brought into the citv and slaughtered. In addition to all this, thousanfls 6 of pounds of cured meats were also retailed over the city." (Farmers' Bulletin No. . ..) This money should be kept at home and added to the Southern wealth. Packing houses are now being built throughout the South, and good markets are assured for the beef animals which the farmer produces. The fourth reason offered in favor of beef production is, that as our farmers learn the value of diversification in farming operations, there will be an increased 'amount of roughage, as corn, fodder, cowpea and clover hays, soy beans, etc., which, many times can be marketed more profit- ably through the beef animals than in any other way. The beef cattle serve as important machines for converting the surplus fodders into valuable barnyard manure, which gives to the growing crops not only the benefits of its fer- tilizing elements, but increases the mechanical condition of the soil by the addition of that important compound — humus. No animal can take the place of the beef steer in making use of the winter corn and cotton fields. Beef cattle are peculiarly suited to fit into the farming operations of the South. The farms are large, and many acres are not being used because of the lack of sufficient labor. At present there is no better way to put the whole farm to work than by introducing beef cattle into the sys- tem of farming. They require but a small amount of labor in addition to that used upon the average cotton farm. The hog, while he deserves a prominent place upon almost every farm, cannot be made to use all of the large uncultivated areas on the farms, for he is not strictly a grazing animal. Many farmers who have the large uncultivated areas are not now sufficiently skilled in the handling of live stock to introduce sheep or dairy cattle, as the sheep and dairy business require more skill than the beef business. Then, too, the dairy business requires an increase in the amount of labor used upon the farm ; and the labor item is one that ' c '3 bl "a 0 h '5 'S Q 1 12 months .... 12-24 " 24-30 " 24-33 " Cows* 44 42 30. 18 Lbs. 402 645 773 832 Lbs. 224 219 196 170 116 Lbs. 1.24 1.22 1.09 .95 .65 Lbs. 52 —16 -25 -35 -104 Lbs. .29 — .089 — .14 — . 19 — .58 276 203 170 136 12 Lbs. .77 .564 .472 .40 .034 * Number of cows varied from time to time. From the above table (Table 1) we see that at twelve months of age the calves averaged 402 pounds in weight, while the 24 months old steer averaged 645 pounds, the 30 months old steers averaged 773 pounds, and the animals which were 33 months old weighed 832 pounds. These were light weights, which w^ere due, in part at least, to the fact that the animals had ticks on them during the summer months. During the summer the gains were heaviest with the calves, each one making a gain of 224 pounds from April 15th to October 15th, or a daily gain of 1.24 pounds. Each yearling made a gain of 219 pounds, or a daily gain of 1.22 pounds during the six months of summer. During the third period (24-30 months) a daily gain of 1.08 pounds was made, while in the fourth period (24-33 months) a daily gain of only .95 pounds per head was made. The cows 12 gained .65 of a pound per head per day, or a total gain of 116 pounds each during the summer. During the winter months (October I'sth-April loth) each calf made a total gain of 52 pounds or a daily gain of .29 of a pound. The yearlings lost 16 pounds each in weight for the winter, the animals ranging from 24 to 30 months old lost 25 pounds each, and those which came in the fourth class (21-33 months) lost 35 pounds each for the same period. The cows lost 104 pounds each; this was largely due to the fact that many of them dropped calves during the winter time. All average cow of tJie herd. Does not show compactness and sufficient depth of body for an ideal beef cow. An average of the whole year shows that the a daily gain of .77 pounds or a total gain of per head. The j^earlings made a daily gain of per head, or a total of 203 pounds for the 12 gain of 170 pounds per head, or a daily gain pound, was made by the cattle while they wer from 24 months to 30 months in age, while or .4 of a pound per head per day, was made calves made 276 pounds .564 i)Ounds months. A of .47 of a e increasing 136 pounds by the ani- 13 nulls while they were iucreasing in age from 24 to 33 months. The cows gained only 12 pounds for the year, showing that they were practically mature when they first dropped calves. In short, the above table shows that, under the cpndi- tions of this experiment the daily gains were smaller 3S the animals increased in age. This was true in both the summer and winter work. The gains were not as large as they should have been, due partly to the extremely dry weather from June to July 20, 1906, when the grass in the pastures became yev- fectly dry, and partly to the fact that one of the pastures used in 1907, was so wet in the early spring, that the grass did not grow satisfactorily during the whole summer. The fact has already been mentioned that the animals were also infested with the Texas tick. Cost op Gains. The cost of gains during the summer was based upon a rental of |2.50 per acre for all land used for paisture; calves under one year of age were charged one-half price. When the cost of keeping the dam Avas not charged against vhe calves, they made 100 pounds at a cost of 63 cents, but when the expense of the dam, as well as the pasture of the calf were charged against the calf, the cost of 100 pounds of gain was raised to |1.88. The cost of keeping the dam is the expense of keeping 1.39 cows, as only one calf was produced to every 1.39 cows. (See table 4). The yearlings made 100 pounds of gain during the summer at a cost of |1.28, the two and a half year old steers (24-30 months) at a cost of $1.43. and the gains of the steers in the fourth class {24-33 months) were made at a cost of $1.6.5 per 100 pounds. 14 Table 2. Average Cost of Summer and Winter Gains. Summer Winter Whole Year CLASS c ■3 •0 c 3 0 Cost of pasture Cost of 100 pounds gain c 'a a) a ft. -0 a OH 0 U c — '3 1^ c '? « C 3 0 ft. 1 T) 0=* -»'3 V3 0 c II Calves* ) 1-12 > 224 «1 40«0.fi2.S 52 276 $1 40!«5 0 51 months ) Calves** } 1-12 [ 224 4 20 1 88 52 $4 90 $9 42 276 9 10 3 30 months ) Yearlings ) 12-24 V 219 2 80 1 28 —16 4 90 203 7 70 3 79 months ) 2-yr. olds ) 24-30 [ 195 2 80 1 43 —25 4 90 170 7 70 4 53 months ) 2-yr. olds ) 24-33 [ 170 2 80 1 65 —35 4 90 136 7 70 5 66 months ) Cows I all ages S 116 2 80 2 41 —104 4 90 12 7 70 64 18 *Keep of dam not charged. **Keep of dam charged. Feeds charged as follows: Cottonseed at $14.00 per ton; green sorghum at $1.50 per ton; mixed hay at $6.00 per ton; pasturt charged at $2.50 per acre for season. In the winter all cattle had access to the corn, cotton and pea-stubble fields of the plantation, and were fed some hay and a small amount of cottonseed to keep them in a reasonable condition of flesh. The average cost of winter- ing those animals that were more than twelve months of age was |4.90 per head (See table 3). When the cost of wintering the dam was charged against the calf, the cost of 100 pounds of gain was |9.42. As all the other animals lost some in weight during this period, the cost of gain could not be determined. The last column of Table 2 shows that when the cost of keeping the dam was not charged against the calf, 100 ■yyounds of gain for the whole year cost 51 cents, but when i'he dam's yearly expense, as well as the pasture of the calf, were charged against the calf, the total cost to make 100 pounds of gain was |3.30. The cost of keeping an animal 15 from the time he was 12 months until he was 24 months old was 17.70; the amount of gain was 203 pounds, thus making 100 pounds of gain cost |3.79. The two year old animals (24-30 months) gained 170 pounds at a cost of |7.70, or at a rate of |4.53 per lOO pounds for the year. The cost of gain on the long two vear old cattle (24-33 months) was $5.66 per 100 pounds. The last column of the table points out the fact that, as the animal advanced from the calf period to' maturity, the cost of 100 pounds of gain increased, and all other condi- tions being equal, the younger the animal the cheaper were the gains. Wintering Cattle. Table 3, shows the total amount of feed consumed, the total cost to winter the whole herd, and the average cost to winter each animal for three consecutive winters. Table 3. Cost of Wintering Cattle* YEAR a 0 6 •o 0 VI p goo V IB Oo "Sog b( 6( « 3 o U ■o >> 0 T3 C 0 = s 3 y IK 0 >> 0 0 aj O h 0 1905 -'6.. 1906-'7 1907-'8.. Average 45 65 59 27000 12000 3132 14044 $189 00 84 00 21 92 98 31 22000 7333 $16 50 5 50 35600 $106 80 $295 80 39600 118 80 86443! 259 32 53881 1 161 64 219 30 281 24 265 45 $6 57 3 37 4 77 4 90 *Only animals above one year old were counted. The feed that the calves ate was charged against those animals which were more than one year old. During the winter of 1905-'6 the herd consumed 27,000 pounds of cottonseed and 35,600 pounds of hay. That is, each animal that was more than 12 months old, consumed 600 pounds of cottonseed and 791 pounds of hay for the whole winter. The winter of 1905-'6 was a hard one on the cattle, as it was very wet and rainy. The winter ranj^e wns not as good as usual, hence the large amount of feed con- sumed. With cottonseed charged at f 14.00 a ton, and hay at $(..00 a ton, each animal that was over tw^elve months old, c- n- 16 sumed |G.57 worth of feed. The cattle, as a herd, came through the winter in good condition. The winter of 190G-'7 was very mild and the cattle did not eat as much feed per head as they ate the previous winter. There were two very heavy frosts on the nights of Octo- ber 13th and llth, however, which killed all the lespedeza, so the cattle had to be fed some green sorghum from the middle of October until the fields became available as win- ter range. Each animal consumed, during the whole winter, 338 pounds of green sorghum, 185 pounds of cottonseed, and 610 pounds of hay. The cost of wintering each animal above twelve months old was |3.37. From October 15th to December 1st, of the winter 1907- '8, the cattle were fed hay and a small amount of cottonseed, as there was no green sorghum to be used. During this time they consumed 11 pounds of hay and 1.2 pounds of cottonseed per head per day. From December 1st to ^;i'' uary 1st they were in the fields and canebrake and did not come up for feed. From January 1st to March 20th, lOOS. the cattle came up to the barn each evening and were fed hay, but no grain. For the whole winter each animal consumed 53 pounds of cottonseed and 1,465 pounds of hay. The cost of wintering the cattle was $4.77 per head. The average for the three winters shows that it cost -|4.90 to winter each animal over twelve months of age. Area op Pasture Required per Animal. A number of cattle, not in the experiment, were grazed in the pasture with the experimental cattle. Assuming that two calves would eat as much grass as an animal over twelve months old (and this assumption is followed out in rental charges), there would be the equivalent of 92 animals on 103 acres of land during the summer of 1906, • or an average; of 1.12 acres of pasture to each animal. 17 During the year of 1907 there were 90 animals on the 103 acres, giving an average of 1.14 acres to eacu animal. An average for the two years shows that 1.13 acres of land furnished pasture for one animal. This area, when -charged at if;2.50 per acre, gives a cost of |2.80 per season for the pasture of each animal over twelve months old. This pasture was far better than the average Alabama pasture, as is shown by the fact that 1.13 acres supplied sufficient pasture for one animal. On an average, from 3 1-2 to 5 1-2 acres are required for each animal. When this piece of land was first put down to pasture it would not to keep as many animals as it does now; in fact, it was no better than the average pasture but by grazing, it has been raised to its present state of fertility. Breeding Record. Table 4. The Per Cent of Calves Born. 0 0 6 og Per cent, of calves dropped Record by quarters; number of calves dropped YEAR Jan. 15 to April 15 April 15 to July 15 July 15 to Oct. 15 Oct. 15 to Jan. 15 1906 1907 24 25 25 17 18 14 70.8 72 56 5 9 14 4 1 * 5 5 -> 3 1908 *The experiment closed on April 15th, so no record was obtained later than this date. An animal that had dropped a calf was classified as a cow; the heifers were put in this class as soon as they calved. The number of calves born was very small, when compared to the number of cows that should have brought calves, especially during the year 1906. This low number was partly due, no doubt, to the fact that the bulls were kept away from the cows and the owner, owing to the pressure of other business, not being able to breed the cows when thev should have been bred. The owner soon realized the fact that too many of the cows went through the year without bringing calves, so in the spring of 1907 he turned the bulls with the cows and permitted them to run to- gether the year round. A complete record of the number of calves dropped was not secured for the year 1908 — the year after the bulls were turned with the cows — as the test closed in April; but during the first quarter of the year 1908, fourteen calves were born, while during the same quarter of the years 1906 and 1907 only 5 and 9 calves, respectively, were born. No record was kept of the number of calves dropped after April, 1908, but when the last notes and weights were made it was seen that practically all of the cows were pregnant. Of course, it is a disputed point whether it is better to allow the bull to be with the cows or to keep him away from them all of the time. The farmer who has large pastures and has other business to look after, in addition to the cattle, cannot possibly obtain a high per cent of calves unless the bull is permitted to be with the cows. The busy farmer will not see the cows at the right time. The breeder of registered animals should not allow the bull to run with the cows, for it is desirable that a record of the date of service be kept. It is important that as many of the cows as possible produce calves each year; the idle cow is not only idle capital but she is a constant consumer of farm products. The idle cow has a very important part to play in the total expense of raising a calf, as the expense of keeping her must be charged against the calves which other cowa produce (See financial statement, table 5-A). When there were 25 cows the owner had $750 invested in cattle (esti- mating each cow to be worth $30) ; of this amount only $540 was returning a profit when 72 per cent of the cows brought calves. In this case there were $210 invested in idle capital ; this amount represents the equivalent of seven cows, and those seven cows consumed $51.80 worth of feed in a year. 19 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. Feed Expense to Kaise a Heef Animal to Various Ages. As a rule the farmer charges nothing against the cost of raising a calf but the feeds consumed. Looking at it from this standpoint the cost of raising a calf in this experiment, to various ages was as follows : A. To 12 months: To winter feed of 1.39 cows the first winter $ 6.81 To summer pasture, of 1.39 cows 3.89 To summer pasture of 1 calf 1.40 Total cost $12 . 10 Cost per hundred weight 3.01 B. To 24 months: To cost of 12 months old calf $12 . 10 To winter feed of animal (12-24 months) * 4.90 To summer pasture (12-24 months) 2.80 Total cost $19 . 80 Cost per hundred weight 3 . 07 C. To 30 months: To cost of 24 months old steer $19 . 80 To winter feed of animal (24-30 months)* 4.90 Total cost $24. 7« Cost per hundred weight 3.20 D. To 33 months: To cost 01 30 months old steer $24 . 70 To sunimer pasture for one-half summer 1 . 40 Total cost $26 . 10 Cost per hundred weight 3 . 14 *Here again it is assumed that all animals over twelve months of age ate the same amount of feed, which assumption is, of course, not absolutely accurate. In rental practice, though, this assumption is carried out. 20 It should be remembered that the different classes of animals were not kept separate and fed in different lots; they all ran together, so the above statement is only a, close approximation of the cost of raising the animals to the various ages. In the above statement it has been assumed that all animals which were over twelve months of age ate the same amount of feed and pasture; it was further assumed that the animal under twelve months of age used only one-half as much pasture as the animal which was over one year old. The last assumption is in keeping A good cow of the herd. She dropped a calf every year. with actual farm charges for pasture. It should be remem- bered that the cost to winter an animal was secured by dividing the total number of animals over one vear old into the total cost of feed consumed during the winter months. When placing the value upon the feeds, as shown on page 2, it cost |12.10 to raise a twelve months old calf, 119.80 if he was kept until he was twenty-four months of fige, 124.70 to raise him to two and one-half years old, and 21 $158.10 to keep liim until he was thirty-three months old. Or, it cost about three cents a pound to grow the animal to various ages, Avhen nothing but the feed and pasture w as charged against him. This feed bill could be materially reduced by extending the pasture grazing season. The pasture season could be extended three months, almost anywhere in the South, by the use of ''spotted" buiT clover (MeJicago maculata). Burr clover is a winter gi'owing crop and occupies the ground in common with bermuda, which makes its gi'owth during the summer months. Feed Expense, Interest, Insurance, etc.. to Produce a Beef Calf. In estimating the cost of producing a beef animal, it is usual to charge nothing against the animal but the winter feed and the pasture used. But there are other items that should be charged against this animal, as interest on the money invested in the cattle, mortality, depreciation in value of the cows, etc. He should be credited with the ma- nure produced. The following estimates charge the calf not only with the feeds used, but the other items mentioned above, and gives bim credit for the approximate amount of manure produced : A. To 12 months old: To winter feed of 1.39 cows $ 6 . 81 To summer pasture of 1.39 cows 3.8& To summer pasture of calf 1 . 40 To 7 per cent interest on 1.39 cows at $30 per head. . 2.92 To 7 per cent interest on 1-25 of a bull worth $150. . .42 To annual depreciation in value of 1.39 cows at $1.50. . 2.09 To pro rata depreciation of herd bull 80 To taxes, insurance, fencing and repairs 86 To 4 per cent mortality 1.20 $20.39 22 *By 3,600 pounds of calf manure at $1.25 a ton ..$2.25 By 10,800 pounds of mother's manure at $1.25 a ton 6.75 Total expense of calf $11 . 39 Cost per hundred weight 2 . 85 B. To 24 months old: To cost at 12 months of age (manure not included) $20.39 To winter feed 4.90 To summer pasture 2 . 80 To 7 per cent interest on yearling 1 . 45 To taxes, insurance, repairs, etc 86 To 4 per cent mortality 83 $"31^ By 23,400 pounds of manure for 24 mos. at $1.25 a ton, 14.63 Total expense of steer $16 . 60 Cost per hundred weight 2.57 C. To 30 months old: To cost at 24 months of age( manure not included) $31.23 To winter feed 4 . 90 To 7 per cent interest on 2 year old animal for 6 mos. 1 . 10 To taxes, insurance, repairs, etc., for 6 months 43 To 4 per cent mortality of 2 yr. old animals for 6 mos. . 63 $38.29 By 28,800 pounds of manure for 30 mos. at $1.25 a ton, 18 . 00 Total expense of steer $20 . 29 Cost per hundred weight 2 . 62 D. To 33 months old: To cost at 24 months old (manure not included) . . . .$31.23 To winter feed 4 . 90 . To 3 months pasture 1 . 40 To 7 per cent interest on 2 yr. old animal for 9 mos. 1.65 To taxes, insurance, repairs, etc., for 9 months 64 To 4 per cent mortality for 9 months 94 $40.76 By 31,500 pounds of manure for 33 mos. at $1.25 a ton, 19 . 69 Total cost per steer $21 . 07 Cost per hundred weight 2 . 53 *In estimating the amount of manure produced it was assumed that the animal under one year of age produced 20 pounds per day for 180 days; that the yearling produced 25 pounds per day for a year; and that the two year old steer and the cow each produced 30 pounds per day. The price of manure, $1.25 a ton, is an assumed one, as there was no way to determine its exact value. But, judging from the many tests that have been made at Stations, the above value is a very conservative one. For instance, as quoted in the introduction, the Ohio experiments show raw manure to be worth $3.35 a ton when placed under the crops mentioned; when the manure was treated with a phos- phorous carrier, its value was raised to $4.88 a ton. There was a difference, though, between the Ohio manure and the manure secured in the above tests; the Ohio manure was collected in the winter time when grains and hays were fed. It was a richer manure than that made during the summer months in this test, but probably no richer than the Alabama manures made during the winter months. 23 It is seen that when a calf is charged with everything that could be charged against him, and then credited with the manure produced, the cost of making 100 pounds of gain was somewhat smaller than the figures obtained when noth- ing but the feed and pasture were taken into consideration. The labor employed to feed and look after the animals was not included in the above estimates, as it was a very small item. One winter the labor to feed and care for the cattle was $10.00 for the whole herd. Another winter the total labor Item was only $7.50. The method used in the feeding and handling involved the use of but little labor; there was no feeding to be done but once a day, when the cottonseed and the hay were measured out to the cattle in s. very few minutes. . When all of the expenses were charged against the ani- mals and no credit was made for the manure, the expense of producing a steer varied from $4.84 to $5.07 per hundred pounds. The cost p?r hundred weight of raising a steer, when the manure produced received no credit, was as follows : To 12 months of age $5.07 per hundred weight To 24 months of age 4.84 per hundred weigh' To 30 months of age 4.95 per hundred weight To 33 months of age 4.90 per hundred weight These figures mean that if the above animals were sold for the above prices (The above prices can be realize J for good cattle, as is shown by the fact that 60 steers, of tibdut the same quality as those in this test, were fed by the .\la- bama Experiment Station and the Bureau of Anima! In- dustry and sold February 28th, 1910, on the Louisville mar- ket for $5.75 per hundred weight) the feeds used were mar- keted at a good farm price ; all deaths were deducted ; seven per cent interest was received on the money invested in the animals ; $2.50 an acre were 'secured for the summer pasture; and finally the manure was secured free. Of course, in order that all these profits be realized, good cattle must be raised; it cannot be done with scrubs; the 24 scrub Avill not sell to advantage when he is offered to the- butcher or packer, as his meat is of a poor quality and he dresses out a low per cent of salable meat. The cattle upon this farm were not produced as cheaply as it is possible to raise them in the South. At least two farm practices can be introduced upon the averaga farm which will make it possible for steers to be rai.sM much cheaper than were these animals. In thi'.^ test no winter, pastures were used, except the winter range. Through the use of a combination of burr clover and bermuda the pas- ture season can be extended at least two months in the year. The farmer who lives as far south as Greenville, Alabama, can have a grazing pasture the year through by the use of bermuda, burr clover and velvet beans. In the second place, the cattle were infested with the Texas tick, which reduced their average size no small amount. It is impossible to state just how much the tick retards the growth of a steer, but there were several severe cases of tick fever reported. Some of these cases died, and some of them lived, but when they did live they never attaire I anything near their normal size. Through the efforts i)f both the Southern States and the Federal Governmenl the tick is now being exterminated; when the tick is eiliminat.-l, the farmer can expect to raise larger cattle than formerly,, and. too, the death rate will be materially decreased. BULLETIN No. 151 JUNE, 1910 ALABAMA Agricultural Experiment Station OF THE Alabama Polytechnic Institute AUBURN LIBRARY NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN. 1 . Wintering Steers in Alabama. 2. Fattening Cattle on Pasture in Alabama. BY DAN T. GRAY, Professor of Animal Industry, and W. F. WARD, Junior Animal Husbandman, Bureau of Animal Industry. Opelika, Ala.: The Post Pubishing Company, 1910 COMMITTEE OF TRUSTEES ON EXPERIMENT STATION. Hon. H. L. Martin Ozark Hon. Tancred Betts Huntsville Hon. a. W. Bell Anniston STATION STAFF. C. C. Thach President J. F. Duggar Director and Agriculturist B. B. Ross Chemist and State Chemist C. A. Cary ....Veterinarian and Director of Farmers' Institutes F.'E, Lloyd Plant Physiologist and Pathologist P. F. Williams Horticulturist J. T. Anderson Chemist, Soil and Crop Investigation D. T. Gray Animal Industry W. E. Hinds Entomologist C. L. Hare Chemist C. S. WiLUAMSON Associate Chemist T. Bragg First Assistant Chemist E. F. Cauthen Farm Superintendent and Recorder W. F. Ward* Junior Animal Husbandman J. W. Ridgeway* Special Agent in Beef H. J. Chatterton* Special Agent in Beef N. E. Bell Second Assistant Chemist I. S. McAdory Assistant in Veterinary Science W. F. Turner Assistant in Entomology M. J. FUNCHESS Assistant in Agriculture C. S. RiDGETWAY Assistant in Botany J. C. Price Assistant in Horticulture L. W. Shook Assistant in Animal Industry O. H. Sellers Stenographer *In co-operative beef work with Bureau of Animal Industry. SUMMARY. Part 1. 1. The cattle used in all of these tests were practically mature ones. 2. Winter rations used : 1907-'08. 1908-'09. liOt 1.... Range alone. Range alone. Lot 2 Range plus half ration cot- Range plus half ration cot- tonseed meal and hulls. tonseed meal and hulls. Lot 3 Range plus half ration pea- Range plus half ration cot- vine hay. tonseed. Lot 4 Range plus half ration cheap hay. 3. In 1907-'08 each range steer (Lot 1) lost 97 pounds in weight. In 1908-'09 each range steer (Lot 1) lost 106 pounds in weight. 4. In 1907-'08 each steer in Lot 2 received 2.35 pounds of cottonseed meal and 8.5 pounds of hulls each day in addi- tion to the range. During the winter of 1908-'09 each steer in Lot 2 received 2.41 pounds of cottonseed meal and 8.71 pounds of hulls daily. The first year each steer lost 6 pounds in weight; the second year each steer gained 3 pounds in weight. 5. In 1907-'08 each steer in Lot 3 was fed a daily ration of 8.5 pounds of good peavine hay in addition to the range; the loss in weight per steer for the winter was 9 pounds. 6. In 1908-'09 cottonseed was tried as a supplement to the range, 4.71 pounds being fed to each steer daily. The loss in weight per steer for the winter was 40 pounds. 7. In 1908-'09 cheap hay was used in Lot 4 to supple- ment the range, 11.8 pounds being fed to each steer daily. The winter loss per steer was 40 pounds. 8. The total cost to winter each steer in 1907-'08 was $4.70 and |3.57 in Lots 2 and 3 respectively. The total cost to winter each steer in 1908-'09 was |5.63, $3.23 and $2.06 in Lots 2, 3 and 4 respectively. 9. In 1907-'08 the fall buying price was |2.50 per hun- 28 dred weight. When the expense of wintering the steers was added to the fall price the spring prices were found to be |2.89, |3.17 and $3.03 per hundred weight in Lots 1, 2 and 3 respectively. 10. In 1908-'09 the fall buying price was |;2.56 per hun- dred weight. When the expense of wintering the steers was added to the fall price, the spring prices were found to be 13.01, $3.34, $3.20 and $3.09 per hundred weight in Lots 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. Part II. 1. The steers which were used in the above winter work were re-divided into lots and continued into the summer feeding work. 2. In 1908 the steers were fed for a period of 112 days on pasture. In 1909 they were fed for 154 days. 3. The summer rations were: 1908. 1909. Lot A- . . . Pasture alone. Pasture alone. Lot B. . . . Pasture plus cottonseed Pasture plus cottonseed cake, cake. Lot C... Pasture plus "Caddo" cake. Lot D. . . . Pasture plus cottonseed cake. Lot E Pasture plus cottonseed. 4. In 1908 the amount of feed used daily per steer, in addition to the pasture, was 3.31 pounds, 3.31 pounds and 2.76 pounds in Lots B, C and D respectively. In 1909 the daily amount of feed used per steer to supplement the pas- ture was 3.40 pounds and 4.49 pounds in Lots B and E re- spectively. 5. In 1908 the average daily gains were 1.51, 2.32, 1.84 and 1.62 pounds in Lots A, B, C and D respectively. In 1909 the average daily gains were 1.74, 1.88 and 2.06 pounds in Lots A, B and E respectively. 6. In 1908 the total cost to make one hundred pounds gain was |1.18, $2.56, $3.03 and $3.24 in Lots A, B, C and D respectively. In 1909 the total cost to make one hundred pounds of gain was $1.03, $3.21 and $2.39 in Lots A, B and E respectively. 29 7. In 1908 the net profits per steer were |2.86, $10.42, 16.62 and |0.43 in Lots A, B, C and D respectively. In 1909 the net profits per steer were 17.06, $6.99 and |8.39 in Lots A, B and E respective!}-. 8. In 1908 the steers dressed out (farm weights) 49.5 per cent, 53.8 per cent, 53.6 per cent and 52.7 per cent in Lots A, B, C and D respectively. In 1909 they dressed out (farm weights) 51.8 per cent, 54.2 per cent and 53.9 per cent in Lots A, B and E respectively. 9. These experiments are being continued at the pres- ent wTiting. Some Alabama grass steers. In Experimental work in summer 1909. 1. Wintering Steers in Alabama. 2. Fattening Cattle on Pasture in Alabama. Bv Dan T. Gray and W. F. Ward. INTKODUCTIOK. In Bulletin No. 150* are published the results of the in- formation which was collected by the Alabama Experiment Station and the Bureau of Animal Industry at Washington in a three year"' test to determine the cost of raising a beef calf. One point is brought out clearly in that work, namely, that if money is to be made upon beef operations, the steer must be properly finished for the market before he is offered for sale. If the steer is sold unfinished, the man who raised him is almost sure to lose money on the operation. The question arises, then. How shall the steer, after he has been raised, or has reached the feed-lot period, be fin- ished for the market to get the greatest possible profit out of him? The steer can be finished in one of tv>'0 ways: he can be fattened during the winter months, or he can b3 ♦Those interested in the subject of beef production can get the bulletin by writing to the Alabama Experiment Station at Auburn, or the Bureau of Animal Industry at Washington. 31 fattened during the summer months while the pastures are available. Since the co-operative beef work between the Alabama Experiment Station and the Bureau of Animal Industry' began, some results have been published relative to winter fattening.** The present bulletin presents the results of two years' work in fattening cattle upon pasture during the summer months and selling the cattle at the end of the summer. It should be understood that this bul- letin is only a report of the progress of the work, as the experiments are being continued. DETAILS OF THE EXPERIMENTS. Plan of the Work. The cattle were bought in the fall, on account of the fact that they could be bought much cheaper in the fall than in the spring. In fact, they could hardly be bought at all in the spring. But they were not to be fattened until the fol- lowing summer, so it became necessary to make a study of the cheapest and best methods of getting these mature steers through the winter months. So the work was divided into: 1. A study of methods of wintering mature steers, 2. Fattening these steers on pasture the following sum- mer. The cattle used in the winter's work were continued into the following summer's work. Cattle Used. The various pictures will show the kind of cattle whicb were used in these tests. Grade Aberdeen-Angus, Shorthorn, Hereford, and Red Polled were used. Many of them had a predominance of Jersey and scrub breeding. They were all bought of farmers in Sumter, Wilcox, Marengo, and neighboring counties, so they represented tho average cattle of the western part of Alabama. They varied from two to four years in age. As will be seen later, the average weight at the beginning of the fall work was about 750 pounds each., **See BnrePii of Animal Industry Bulletin No. 103. 32 How THE Work was Carried on. Owing to the fact that pasture was not available upon the Experiment Station at Auburn, Alabama, the work was carried on upon the farms of Cobb and McMillian of Sum- terville, Alabama, who kindly agreed to co-operate with the Alabama Experiment Station and Bureau of Animal Indus- try. The winter range and summer pastures were divided into lots suitable for the work. One of the authors of this bulletin, Mr. W. F. Ward, was stationed upon the farm and had personal supervision of all the experimental work. At the end of each experiment the cattle were all shipped To the New Orleans market, where complete sale and slaugh- ter records were secured. Lot 1. — Evd of winter 1908. Feed, range alone. Total winter gain of each steer, — 97 pounds. Total cost to winter each steer, (?). The Winter Range. The winter range consisted of the winter corn and cotton fields. The leaves had not been stripped from the corn stalks. -Crab grass had grown up sufficiently between the rows of corn after the last cultivation, to be of some value to the cattle during the early weeks of the winter. No cane brakes were used. The cattle, except those in the range lots, were not given unlimited range ; each lot was confineJ to a certain area. Of course, the man who has cane brakes 33 has an advantage in handling and feeding cattle in the win- ter time. Those animals which were confined in limited areas had about ten acres each upon which to graze. The outside cattle, or range lot, hnd an unlimited grazing area. The winter range was available for use immediately after the cotton had all been picked. Summer Pasture. The summer pasture used in these experiments consisted of a mixture of sweet clover (Melilotus), Japan clover (Lespedeza), Johnson grass, crab grass, and some bermuda. The sweet clover became available for grazing about April 1, while the Japan clover was not ready until about June 15. In some sections of the country sweet clover is con- sidered a pest, as stock will not eat it, but in the South, or at least in Alabama, all kinds of stock eat it with great relish: here they take to the sweet clover as readily as to alfalfa. The pasture was divided into lots; the size of each lot depending upon the number of cattle grazed upon it, and as to whether the steers were to be fed a concentrated supple- ment or not. The object was to have an abundance of pas- ture for each bunch of cattle. Method of Feeding and Handling the Cattle. In both the winter and summer w^ork the steers were fed but once a day. In the winter time movable feed troughs were placed out in the fields in which to feed the hulls, cottonseed meal and cottonseed, and movable hay racks were made in which to feed the hay. The racks and troughs were all made movable so that the manure would be distributed over the corn and cotton fields. Movable feed troughs were also used during the summer feeding on pasture. No feeds were thrown upon the ground. No shelter, except trees, was provided for the cattle in either the winter or summer time. They had no access to sheds. They did not suffer to any appreciable extent from the cold in the winter time or from the heat in the summer time. The summer pastures were well provided with good shade trees. When a summer shade is provided, cattle will 34 not suffer as much from heat in Alabama as they will in Illinois or Iowa. While there were ticks in the pastures, the cattle were not permitted to become badly infested with them; a dip- ping vat was used to keep down heavy infestation. In the two years' work, during which time over 300 head of cattle were fattened, there were only four cases of Texas fever, and none of these cases was lost. In future work it is ex- pected that the tick will be entirely eliminated. The weight of each steer was secured at the beginning and end of each test. The total weight of each lot was se- cured every twenty-eight days. When the steers were sold they had to be driven nine miles to a shipping point. Lot 2. — Eyid of winter 1908. Feed, cottonseed hulls and cotton- seed meal plus range. Total winter gain of each steer, — 6 pounds. Total cost of wintering each steer, $4.70. Price of Feeds Used. When the feeds were purchased upon the market, the market price plus the expense of hauling to the farm, was used in making up the financial statement. When the feed used was grown upon the farm an assumed market price was placed upon it. Local conditions determine to a large ex- tent, the farm prices of feeds. Any prices that the authors might assume would not meet all conditions, but the follow- ing prices have been taken as a basis upon which to rest the financial estimates: 35 CottonseeJ meal $26.00 per ton Cottonseed 14 . 00 per ton ''Caddo" cake 23.00 per ton Cottonseed cake 25.00 per ton ; Cottonseed hulls 6.00 per ton ' Damaged hay 5 . 00 per ton Cowpea hay 10 . 00 per ton Pasture 50 per month per steer The above represents the prices of the purchased feeds laid down on the farm; the farm was fourteen miles from the railroad station. The cottonseed cake, which had been broken into nut size and sacked, was purchased from the Epes Cotton Oil Co. of Epes, Alabama. This caKe can be purchased in the large cake size, just as it comes from the Lot 3. — End of winter 1908. Feed, peavine hay and range. Total winter gain of each steer, — 9 pounds. Total cost of wintering each steer, $3.57. press, for about two dollars a ton cheaper than in the nut size. Some feeders find that it pays to break the cake on their own farms. The cake is the same thing as the cotton- seed meal, except that it is not ground into a meal. There are several advantages in feeding cake in place of cotton- seed meal— especially in summer feeding. A rain does not render the cake unpalatable; bi:t it will often put the meal in such 'a condition that the cattle will not eat it. Again, no loss is incurred with the cake during windy days ; cottonseed" meal, when fed in the open pasture, is wasted on account of the winds. Furthermore the cake requires chewing before 36 being swallowed and therefore must be eaten very much slower than the m^al, so when a number of steers are being fed together the greedy one has little chance to get enough cake to produce scours. In feeding cottonseed meal the greedy steer often scours on account of the fact that he can bolt the meal and get more than his share; this not only injures the steer but makes the bunch "feed out" un- evenly. The "Caddo" cake was purchased from the Caddo Cotton Oil Company of Shreveport, Louisiana, "Caddo" cake is the cake left after extracting the oil from the cottonseed by the cold process. That is, it is made up of both the cake and the hulls; or it consists of everything in the seed ex- cept the oil. These tests do not show it to be as valuable for feeding purposes as the ordinary cottonseed cake. The chemical, analysis of the "Caddo" cake fed, as reported by the State Chemist, Dr. B. B. Ross, of Auburn, was as follows: Mioisture 9 . 75 per cent. Ash 4.70 per cen t. Fibre 21 . 18 per cent. Protein 27 .62 per cent. Ether Extract (oil) 8.78 per cent. Carbohydrates 27 . 97 per cent. The mixed hay was a second or third class hay that could not be sold upon the market at all. It consisted of a mix- ture of Johnson grass, crab grass, and some alfalfa. The price placed upon it was all it was worth. The cow pea hay was brig'ht and of good quality. 37 PART I. Wintering The Cattle. As previously stated, the steers were bought in the fall of the year as they could then be secured cheaper than at any other date. In fact, in western Alabama where the work was done, the cattle could not be purchased in the spring at all. The object was to get these steers through the winter months as economically as possible and fatten them on pasture the following summer. Farmers are not agreed as to what is the best way to handle and feed mature steers during the winter months. Some farmers claim that the animals should be "roughed" through the winter upon a very small amount of feed in addition to the winter range; some hold that the range needs no supplementary feed at all ; still others believe that the steer should be fed liberally so that he will be kept gaining all through the winter months. * The cattle used in tlie winter work were dehorned, tagged, and divided into lots (Three lots in the winter of 1907-'08, and four lots in the winter of 1908-'09) so that a study could be made of the amount of feed that should be fed during the winter time, and also to learn the value of some of the Southern feeds for carrying cattle through the cold months. Gains during the Winter Months. The winters of 1907-'0S and 1908-'09 were both mild ones. There was no weather cold enough to make the steers suffer, although, as before mentioned, there was no shelter at all, except a few trees. The following table shows the ration fed, total w^eights, and gains of each lot for the two winters : , :], h.^ ■••l• 38 Table 1. Gains During Winter 1907-'08 — (84 days.) 0 at "a B e >.. a 0 6 RATION Initial weight each steer Dec. 9 Final weight each* steer March 3 Average total gain each steer Average daily gain each steer 1 26 29 24 Ranee alone Lbs. 722. 726. 724. Lbs. 625. 720. 715. Lbs. —97. — 6. — 9. Lbs. — 1 15 2 / Range plus half ration cotton- / 1 seed meal and hulls { — .or 3 \ Range plus half ration peavine ) I hay \ — .11 Gains During Winter 1908-'09— (98 days), 1 25 2 25 3 25 * 4 25 Range alone . Range plus half ration cotton- seed meal and hulls ( Range plus half ration cotton- ) I seed ^ j Range plus half ration cheap / i hay f Dec. 4 Mch. 12 705. 599 0 -106. 705. 708. 3. 706. 666. -40. 689. 649. —40. -1.08 .03 .57 ♦This lot started in test January 1st, so fed only 70 days. It was intended that the steers which received some feed in addition to the range should suffer no loss in weight during the winter months, but in some cases the loss was considerable during the latter part of the winter period when the range afforded very little gi^azing. The object was to give just enough feed, in addition to the range, to enable the cattle to hold their fall weight. No gains in live weight were desired. It should be remembered that these were all practically mature cattle, varying from two to four years in age. During the first winter the experiment continued from December 9 to March 8. a period of 85 days. During ^liis time the range cattle (Lot 1) lost 97 po^^nds each ia live weight while the steers in Lots 2 and 3 practically neld their tali weights. All of the cattle came through the winter in excellent health. While the cattle in the range 39 lot were thin at the end of the winter season, still they were in good condition for grazing; they evidently had not been weakened in any way. At the opening of the spring the steers in the peavine hay lot (Lot 3) seemed to be in better thrift than those in Lot 2, (the cottonseed meal and hulls lot), but they made practically the same gains in weight during the following summer. The hay used in 1907-'0S was of good quality. During the winter of 1908-'09, the test continued from December 4th to March 12th — a period of 98 days. There were practically the same loses in live weight as the previous winter in Lots 1 and 2. In the ranffe lot each steer lost 106 Lot 1. — End of winter 1909. Feed, range alone. Total winter gain of each steer, — 106 pounds. Total cost of wintering each steer, (?). pounds. The steers in Lots 3 and 4 lost rapidly in weight the last month of the test, due to the fact that the gi-azing on the range was not good at the end of the season ; it was not intended that they should shrink in weight. Lot 4 was not started in the test until January 1, so the cattle in this lot were fed only seventy days. The hay used by Lot 4 was a very cheap hay; it was made up of a mixture of Johnson grass, crab grass, and some alfalfa, but had b?en damaged by rain to such an extent that it could not be sold. at all. ■it 40 Amount op Winter Feeds Used. During the winter of 1907-'08 a comparson was made between feeding on the range alone and the same range when supplemented in one lot with a part ration of cottonseed meal and hulls, and in a third lot with a good quality of cow pea hay. The following winter (1908-'09) the same comparison was again made as regards Lots 1 and 2, while in a third lot cottonseed was used and in a fourth lot some damaged mixed hay was used to supplement the range. Table 2. Feeds used Winter 1907-'08— (84 days). IB u il ■*'H 0 « 0 6 .J ^ RATION Total amount consumed per steer Daily amount feed consum- ed per steer c u V j: u « 0 a a: c 5 « 0 u at V 3 M 0 n 26 29 24 Ransfe alone •. Rang'P plus half ration cotton- seed m^-al and hulls j Rantfe plus half ration cow { pea hay Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. None None None 197 714 2.35 None 714 « None Lbs. No e 8.5 8.5 Feeds used Winter 1908-'09— (98 days). 1 25 2 25 3 25 4* 25 Range alone. j Range plus half ration cotton- I seed meal and hulls Range plus half ration cotton- seed Range plus mixed ha}' None None None 236 854 2.41 462 826 4.71 None 8.71 11.8 *This lot was fed only 70 days — January 1st to March 12th. There was no way to determine how much feed was secured from the range as far as pounds were concerned. Each steer had ten. acres as winter range. The steers in Lot 1, the rangB lot, had to be turned out upon the general range each winter about a month before the end of the test, as their range of ten acres each had become exhausted 41 about thirty days earlier than was the case with those lots which were receiving supplementary feeds. During the first winter each steer in Lot 2 consumed, in addition to the range, 197 pounds of cottonseed meal and 714 pounas of hulls, while each steer the gecond winter ate 236 j)Ounds of cottonseed meal and 854 pounds of hulls. In 1908-'09 the animals were fed fourteen days longer than they were in the winter of l907-'08. Each steer's daily ration was kept a little below 2.5 pounds of cottonseed meal and 8.5 to 8.71 pounds of hulls. During the second winter the steers in Lot 3 were carried I V \ ' --(^ <«•. " ¥ . .of. • fi • J Lot 2. — End of whiter 1909. Feed, cottonseed hulls and cotton- seed meal plus range. Total winter gain of each steer, 3 pounds. Total cost of wintering each steer, $5.63. through the winter on cottonseed as a supplement to the range. It was learned that 4.71 pounds of cottonseed per steer per day was not quite sufficient to keep the animals from losing weight. Each steer lost 40 pounds in weight during the winter period of 98 days. In the first winter's work it is seen that 8.5 pounds of good peavine hay, along with the range, afforded the steers sufficient daily feed to allow them to maintain a practically uniform weight. Or, when Lots 2 and 3 (19()7-'08) are compared, it is seen that 714 pounds of cowpea hay were practically equal in feeding value to 197 pounds of cotton- 42 seed meal plus 714 pounds of cottonseed hulls. In other words, the cowpea hay was worth $13.02 per ton for winter- ing mature cattle compared with cottonseed meal and hulls, when the meal is valued at $26.00 a ton and the hulls at $6.00 a ton. During the second winter (1908-'09) each steer in the cottonseed lot (Lot 3) lost about 42 pounds more in live weight than did the animals in the cottonseed meal and hulls lot (Lot 2) ; but still, when cottonseed is valued at $14.00 a ton it is probably cheaper than cottonseed meal and hulls for wintering steers. . The daily expense of feeding each steer on cottonseed meal and hulls was 5.7 cents, while the daily cost of the cottonseed per steer was only 3.3 cents. While not enough cottonseed was used to prevent loss in weight, still the amount fed daily to each steer (4.71 pounds) would prob- ably not have to be increased very much to make the steers hold their fall weights. It would require 8.2 pounds of cottonseed, at $14.00 a ton, to cost as much as the 2.41 pounds of cottonseed meal plus the 8.71 pounds of hulls which were fed to each steer daily in Lot 2. When this test was made cottonseed cost but $14.00 a ton. Since that time they have advanced about one hundred per cent in value, so that it would now be unwise to use cottonseed as .\ winter feed for steers. It should be remembered that these were mature steers, and that such steers are capable of making use of the rough waste feeds during the winter months. Cattle of this age can use feeds that would be entirely unsuited to young growing animals. In handling and feeding mature steers during the winte-" months the object should be to make use of all the rough feeds and unsalable hays before any high priced feeds, as cottonseed meal, are used. Winter Gains of Steers by Months. Every farmer has old corn and cotton fields which afford some winter feeds for the cattle. As the winter advances the range usually affords a smaller and smaller amount of feed. The following table shows the gain of the variowi l€»ts from month to month. From this the reader can gather 43 gome idea of when the heavy losses usually occur, and regulate the amount of supplementary feeis accordingly. Table 3. Gains of Steers hy Months 1907-'0S— (84 days). o RATION <« o T3 _• O •- £-c O Range alone Range plus half ration cottonseed meal and hulls Range plus half ration peavine ( hav . ( Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. —4. —38. —55. 16. -10. -12. 15. —16. -8. Lbs. 1908-'09— (98 days.) Dec. 4 to Jan. 1st Range alone, ( Range plus half ration cottonseed I meal and hulls Range plus half ration cottonseed . Range plus half ration mixed bay. -40. 18. Jan. 1 to Jan. 29 0. -43. -12. -16. -13. Jan. 29 Feb. 36 to I to Feb. 26 Mch. 12 — 7. - 5. -46. -23. —16. 2. 22. — 4. During each year's work those steers which received feed in addition to the range were started on a very small daily allowance. This amount was increased every few days for 28 days, when it was held uniform for the remainder of the winter. During the first winter's work the range cattle (Lot 1) practically held their initial weight during the first 28 days. As time went on and the range became shorter they lost more and more in weight. This is what should be expected. But the heaviest losses in 1908-'09 were exper- ienced at the early part of the winter. However this winter was an unusual one. It was very rainy and muddy during the early months, so that the cattle were very uncomfortable and could not graze well. During the last of the winter verv little rain fell, spring set in early 44 so as a matter of fact, the grasses put up early and the range cattle had some green feed during the last month in addition to the range. As stated elsewhere, all of these cattle came through to spring in good grazing condition ; they were strong and active, although the steers in the range lots (Lot 1) had fallen off in live weight about 100 pounds each. LoR 3. — ii'wd of winter 1909. Feed, cottonseed plus range. Total winter gain of each steer, — 40 'pounds. Total cost of wintering each steer, $3.23. Financial Statement for Winter Work. In the fall of 1907 the steers cost $2.50 per hundred weight, but the next fall, 1908, feeders had advanced some in price, makinr^ the fall price average |2.56 per hundred weight. The following spring cost was of course consider- ably greater than the fall price for two reasons. First, the cattle were not as heavy as they were the previous fall, and second, the cost of the winter feed had to be added to the fall price. The fall cost, plus the depreciation in live weight, plus the cost of winter feed made the steers cost around |3.00 per hundredweight in the sjjring. The follow- ing table. No. 4, shows the spring cost by lots. The average ,pf these spring costs was taken as the initial cost of the steers in the summer feeding work which followed.. The average cost of wintering each steer in the various lots, y^ 45 together with the difference in value between fall an J spring, are as follows: Table 4. Financial Statement. 1907-'08. Lot 1. Range alone: To 722 lbs. steer at $2.50 per hundred wt. $18.05 By value of same steer in spring, 625 lbs. at $2.89 per hundredweight $18.05 $18.05— $18.05 Lot 2. Range plus cottonseed meal and hulls: To 726 lbs. steer at $2.50 per hundred wt. .$18.15 ,To 714 lbs. cottonseed hulls at $6. 00 per ton 2.14 To 194 lbs. cottonseed meal at $26.00 per ton 2.56 By value steer in spring 720.5 lbs. at $2.89 per hundred weight $20.82 By required increase in value over range oteer to break even, 28c per hundred- weight 2 . 03 $22.85— $22.85 Lot 3. Range plus peavine hay: To 724 lbs. steer at $2.50 per hundred wt.$18.10 To 714 lbs. peavine hay at $10.00 per ton 3.57 By value steer in spring, 715 lbs. at $2.89 per hundred weight $20 . 65 By required increase in value over range steer to break even, 14c per hundred- weight 1 . 02 $21.67— $21.67 1908-'09 Lot 1. Range alone: To 705 lbs. steer at $2.56 per hundred wt. $18.05 By value same steer in spring, 599 lbs. at $3 . 01 per hundredweight $18 . 05 $18.05— $18.05 Lot 2. Range plus cottonseed meal and hulls: To 705 lbs. steer at $2.56 per hundred wt. $18.05 To 854 lbs. cottonseed hulls at $6.00 per ton 2.56 To 236 lbs. cottonseed meal at $26.00 per ton 3.07 By value steer in spring, 708 lbs. at $3.01 per hundredweight $21 • 31 By required increase in value over range steer to break even, 33c per hundredweight 2.37 $23 . 68— $23 . 68 46 Lot 3. Range plus cottonseed: To 706 lbs. steer at $2 . 56 per hundred wt. $18 . 08 To 462 lbs. cottonseed at $14.00 per ton . 3.23 By value steer in spring, 666 lbs. at $3.01 per hundredweight By required increase in value over range steer to breaK even, 19c per hundred- weight $20.05 1.26 $21.31- Lot 4. Range plus cheap hay: To 703 lbs. steer at $2.56 per hundred wt. $18.00 To 826 lbs. waste hay at $5.00 per ton . . 2.06 By value steer in spring, 649 lbs, at $3.01 per hundredweight By required increase in value over range steer to break even, 8c per hundred- weight , -$21.31 $19.53 .53 $20.06— $20.06 Lot 4. — End of winter 1909. t eed, coarse hay plus range. Total winter gain of each steer, — 40 pounds. Total cost of wintering each steer, $2.06. The total cost to winter each steer in 1907-'08 was $4.70 and $3.57 in Lots 2 and 3 respectively. The range has no price placed upon it, although the results show that it has a very great value. The total cost to winter each steer in 1908-'09 was |5.63, $3.23 and $2.06 in Lots 2. 3 and 4 respec- tively. After the cost of wintering the cattle and the winter shrinkage were added to the fall buying price the spring cost was obtained. The spring costs in Lots 1, 2, and 3 in 47 1907*08 were $2.89, $3.17 and $3.03 per hundred weight respectively. In 1908-'09 the spring costs were $3.01, $3.34, $3.20, and $3.09 jer hundred weight in Lots 1, 2, 3, and 4 respectively. It is seen that the cheap coarse feeds produced about as good results as the high priced feeds, and at the same time the steers were carried through the winter much more eco- nomically with the cheap than with the expensive feeds. It will always pay to make use of the coai'se or cheap winter feeds for the mature steers and save the high-priced feeds for the young animald of the farm. It is well known that the effects of feeding mature cattle through the winter months continue throughout the follow- ing grazing season. Those mature cattle which make the most gain through the winter may be expected to make the smallest gains the following summer. This has been found to be true in this work, but a detailed presentation of this point will be found in later publications. Table 5. Total Sunnnary of Winter Work. 1907-'08-84 days c 0 "a V "^ C X " ^ »* c ^ »j 5 V c ^ •0& a a, V C «"> «- 3 " H ~ ii 1908-'09-98 days c 0 "a ii _ M C MO— « T3T3 C • ning of test ) Totalgain persteer / for whole winter f Average daily gain ) per steer ) Concentrates con- ) sumed per steer > per day ) Roughage con-) sumed per steer > per day ) Average expense ) to winter each steer Initial, or fall cost of steers per cwt. Total cost fcteers ) percwt in spring ( 722 lbs. -97. lbs lbs. 1.15 $2.50 $2.89 726 lbs. —6. lbs. —9.1b 724 lbs. lbs. -.07 2. 35 lbs. S.Slbs $4.70 $2.50 $3.17 lbs. -.11 S.Slbs. $3.57 :.50 $3.03 705 lbs. —106 lbs. lbs. -1.08 $2.56 $3.01 705 lbs. 706 lbs 3. lbs. -40. lbs lbs. .03 lbs. — .4 2. 41 lbs. 4.71 lbs. 8.71 lbs. $5.63 $3.23 $2.56 $2.56 $3.34 $3.20 689 lbs -40. lbs. lbs. -.57 11 8 lbs $2.06 $2.56 $3.09 48 PART II. Fattening Cattle on Pasture. INTRODUCTION. As a rule the ordinary permanent pasture in Alabama can be depended upon to furnish grazing from about April 1 to some time in October. The frosts usually kill the pastures in October. By making use of winter growing plants, such as burr clover, the grazing season can be opened about February 1 and sometimes even earlier. A common mistake is to overstock the pastures. When this is done the grass often becomes short in August and September, and the cattle actually lose in weight instead of making a gain. The South often experiences a drought in August and September, therefore the farmer should have no more cattle on hand than can be well cared for during the grazing period. The pastures used in this test, as stated before, were made up of several kinds of grasses. No one kind of plant was depended upon entirely. Johnson grass, Japan clover, and Melilotus were the most important grazing plants used. In addition to th-ese some bermuda and crab gras.j were also found. If the pastures are to be improved each year, and the grazing season extended over as many months as possi- ble, several plants must be made use of. The cattle used in the summer feeding work were the same ones as had been used in the preceding winter's experimental work. When grass appeared in the spring the winter work was discontinued, the cattle redivided into lots, and the summer feeding work was begun immediately. Some steers, which had not been in the winter experiment, were added to the summer work. These extra steers had been fed nothing through the winter months except what they obtained on the open range. They were of the same quality as the steers which had been used in the winter tests. All of these cattle had been dehorned the previous fall. 49 DETAILS OF THE EXPERIMENT. Gains During the Summer Feeding. The gains as recorded in the following table will show that the pastures used were good ones. It should be remem- bered, too, that as a result of feeding upon these pastures they are getting better and better as time goes on. The follo\^nng table sets forth, in a tabulated form, the total and daily gains of the steers for the summers of 1908 and 1909: Table 6. Total and Daily Gains During the Pasture Feeding Test. 1908— (112 days). 0 2 d Z RATION Average initial weight per steer Average final weight per steer — « Average daily gain per steer Lbs. Lbs. lbs. Lbs. A 26 26 Pasture Pasture alone 732 739 902 999 170 260 1.52 B plus cottonseed cake 2.32 C 26 Pasture plus "Caddo" < :ake 738 944 206 1.84 * D 54 Pasture plus cottonseed cake 532 713 181 1.62 1909— (154 days) . \ 40 75 25 Pasture alone 647 639 653 915 929 970 268 290 317 1.74 B E Pasture plus cottonseed cake Pasture plus cottonseed .... 1 88 2.06 *The cattle in Lot D were not of the same grade as those in Lots A, B, and C, so really Lot D can not be compared with the other lots. Lot D was made up of a bunch of mixed cattle with no special breeding, and ranging from two to five years in age. The object in handling this bunch was to see if money could be made en such cattle. They had not been dehorned. It is seen that, in every ease, those cattle that received some supplementary feed gained more rapidly than thos€ which received no feed but pasture. Of cour.^e, the more rapid a steer gains the quicker he can be gotten in shape for the market, and this is a very important point, as the 50 ^arlj fall ,-=t^er does not come into competition with the fall -Stuff that is being brought into the market off grass. As far as gains were concerned, the cattle did reasonably ^well both years. They were not grazed through the whole summer season, so the total gains, as represented in the sixth column, do not represent as great gains as can be made during a whole summer's grazing season. In 1908 they were grazed only 112 days, and in 1909 the test continued for 154 days. The best portion of the grazing season had bean used however, as the cattle were sold from the first of August to the first of September. In both years the cattle which received cottonseed cake in addition to the pasture gained more rapidly than did the Lot a. — Evd of summer 1908. Feed, pasture alone. Average daily gain of each steer, 1.52 pounds. Cost of 100 pounds of gain, $1.18. Total profit per steer, $2.86. pasture cattle. In 1908 the difference in favor of the cattle which had been fed was very marked, but in 1909 the differ- -ence between the two lots was not very pronounced. In 1909, Lot E the cottonseed lot, made the most satisfactory -gains, it making an average daily gain of 2.08 pounds, while "Lots B and A made average daily gains of 1.88 and 1.74 pounds respectively. Feeds Consumed. "The cattle were fed but once a day ; this was done each afternoon about sundown, or in the cool of the evening, in -order that the steers would all come out to the feed troughs. The steers were started upon a small amount of feed, and 51 as they became accustomed to it the amount was gradually increased. The following tables will show that the concen- trates were fed sparingly all through the tests. The following table (table 7), shows the total amount of concentrates fed each steer for each year, the average daily feed, and the amount of concentrates required to make one hundred pounds of gain : Table 7. Feeds Consumed 1908— (112 days). c •OS5 e V 2 c a 0) « 4)0-- ^ S 01 u 18^ c^i S 0) 0 XI £ 3 z RATION Q H S Z Amou eaten dayp Pound to mi poun Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. A 26 26 Pasture Pasture alone B plus cottonseed cake . . 371 3.31 143. C 26 Pasture pins "Caddo" ::ake . . . 371 3.31 180. D 54 Pasture plus cottonseed cake . . 309 2.76 171. 1909— (154 days) A 80 Pasture alone B 75 Pasture plus cottonsee'' eake . . 524 3.40 181 E 25 Pasture plus cotton seed • 691 4.49 218 Steer of Lot B. — End of summer 1908. Feed, cottonseed cake and pastiire. 52 Lot A received no feed in addition to the pasture as one object was to learn whether it would pay to supplement the pasture with a concentrate. During the summer of 1908 each steer in Lot B was given daily 3.31 pounds of cotton- seed cake in addition to the pasture: in 1909 each steer in this lot was fed 3.4 pounds of the cake per day in addition to the pasture. In 1908 "Caddo" cake was used in one lot so that its value as a feed could be compared to cottonseed cake. The steers in Lot D in 1908 (these were a mixed bunch of steers and cannot be compared directly to the other three lots) , on account of being smaller than the ones in the other lots, were fed only 2.76 pounds of cottonseed cake per head per day. In 1909 cottonseed was fed to Lot E. When looking at the last column it is seen that the cot- LoT B. — End of summer 1908. Feed, cottonseed cake and pasture. Average daily gain of each steer 2.32 pounds. Cost of 100 pounds of gain .... $2.56 Total profit per steer 10 . 42 tonseed cake was more efficient than the "Caddo" cake for making gains. In 1908 only 143 pounds of cottonseed cake were required to make one hundred pounds gain, while 180 pounds of the "Caddo" cake were required to make the same number of pounds gain. Lot D cannot be compared to Lots B and C. It is true that the "Caddo" cake did not cost as much as did the cottonseed cake, but it will be seen later, when the cost of the feeds are taken into consideration, that ^he cottonseed cake was the more economical feed to use. CTnder the conditions of this test one pound of cottonseed cake was equal, in feeding value, to 1.28 pounds of "Caddo" cake. 53 During the summer of 1909 a direct comparison was made between cottonseed cake and cottonseed as feeds to be used to supplement pastures. Under the conditions of this test one pound of cake proved to be equal to 1.21 pounds of the seed. The seed proved to have an exceedingly high feeding value when used as a feed to supplement the pastures. The steers in Lot D were a bunch of mixed scrubs varying from one to five years in age. There was very little improved blood among these cattle. They were not de- horned so they were always restless at the feed trough, as the timid ones were afraid of the steers with long sharp horns. This lot was fed as a side issue to the main experiment to determine whether a profit could be made upon this class of cattle. Lot C. — Middle of summer 1908. Feed, "Caddo" cake and pasture. Average daily gain of each steer 1.84 pounds. Cost of 100 pounds of gain .... $3.03 Total profit per steer 6 . 62 There was no way, of course, to determine just how much pasture grass was consumed, except as to the area measured off for each lot. But it is interesting to note that the amount of concentrated feeds required to make 100 pounds increase in live weight was exceedingly small. This was due to at least two factors. First, the steers had a green feed to go along with the concentrated feeds. Second, the amount of concentrated feeds fed daily was held down to only a few pounds, thus requiring the steers to obtain the major part of their feed from the pasture. Where lands are cheap pasture is cheaper than the too liberal use of con- centrated feeds. It is impossible, at the present time, to sav whether the amounts fed in these tests were the correct 54 ones or not. It is hoped that some light may be thrown upon this point during the progress of the work. Cost of Summer Gains. It is always unsatisfactory to discuss the cost of gains as it depends largely upon the cost of the feeds, the cost of which varies greatly under different conditions. In this dis- cussion the price placed upon the feeds is the actual mar- ket quotations plus the expense of hauling them from the depot to the farm. The hauling distance was fourteen miles. Pasture is charged at fifty cents per month per steer; this is the prevailing price placed upon pasture throughout the western part of Alabama. Tabi.b 8. Cost to Malce 100 Pounds of Gain. 1908 (112 days) • 0 RATION Pounds feed to make 100 pounds gain Cost 100 lbs. gain, pasture not charged Cost 100 lbs. gain, pasture charged A Pa.sture alone $1.18 B r Pasture plus cottonseed cake Pasture plus "Caddo" cake 143 180 171 $1.79 2.07 2.14 2.56 3.03 D Pasture plus cottonseed cake 3.24 1909— (154 days). A Pasture alone $1.63 B E Pasture plus cottonseed cake Pasture plus cottonseed 181 218 $2.26 1.53 3.21 2.39 •Price of feeds; Cottonseed cake $25.00 per ton "Caddo" cake 23 . 00 per ton Cottonseed 14. 00 per ton Pasture 50 per month. 55 In every case above, the cost to make one hundred pounds- increase in live weight was very low. When steers are fat- tened during the winter time each pound of gain is put on^ at a loss, as each pound put on may be expected to cost from 8 to 12 cents ; and the profit is dependent upon the en- hancement of the value of the steer over and above the selling value of pounds of gain made. In these tests each pound put on during the fattening period was put on at a profit, a very unusual occurrence in fattening beef cattle. These cheap finishing gains made the feeding operations comparatively safe as far as profits were concerned. As stated before, these cheap gains were due to two factors: First, the cattle had a cheap and succulent roughage; — pas- LoT D. — End of aioinncr 1908. Feed, cottonseed cake and pasture. Average daily gain of each steer 1.62 pounds. Cost of 100 pounds of gain .... $3.24 Total profit per steer 43 ture. Second, the amount of concentrated feeds used was kept down to a comparatively small figure : from 2.76 to 3.31 pounds of cottonseed cake and 4.48 pounds of cotton- seed were fed to each steer daily. At the Missouri Station (Bulletin 76) the average of the summer trials show that 814 pounds of grain were required to produce one hundred \ pounds of gain, while in the Alabama test only 143 to 218 pounds of concentrate were required to make the same gains. At ^Missouri the steers were given an approximate daily feed of 20 pounds of grain in addition to Tlie pasture. 56 While the Missouri cattle were fed a much heavier srrain ration than the Alabama cattle, still the records of this test show the Alabama cattle to have made almost as large daily gains as did the Missouri steers. When Lots B and C (1908) are compared it is seen that the cottonseed cake is superior to the *'Caddo" cake, as one hundred pounds of increase in weight were made at a cost of |2.56 when the cottonseed cake was used, whereas when the "Caddo" cake was fed the same gain cost |3.03. When the cottonseed cake sells at |25.00 a ton the ''Caddo" cake is not worth |23.00 a ton ; when cottonseed cake sells at $25.00 a ton this test shows the "Caddo" cake to be worth only $20.54 a ton. Lot a. — End of summer 1909. Feed, pasture alone. Average daily gain of each steer 1.74 pounds. Costs of 100 pounds of gain .... $1 . 03 Total profit per steer 7 . 06 The common or mixed bunch of cattle ( LotD ) make a very poor showing when compared with Lots B and C, although, as will be seen later, the steers in Lot D returned a small profit. In comparing Lots B and E (1909) it is seen that the cottonseed produced gains more cheaply than did the cot- tonseed cake — that is, when the cottonseed is valued at 67 114.00 a ton and the cake at $25.00 a ton. When cotton- seed cake is value slaughtered, where complete individual slaughter records were secured. The authors have presented only a part of the slaughter records in the following table; the point will be discussed more fully in a subsequent publication. Table 10. Slaughter Data. 1908. o .J A B C D RATION 5) S 4j a <- « (J gj u. 01 > a V V U Q. ^ 41 C V. Pasture alone .• Pasture plus cottonseed cake . . Pasture plus "Caddo" cake . . . Pasture plus cottonseed cake . . 1909. Pasture alone Pasture plus cottonseed cake . . Pasture plus cottonseed 3 0 b( ?! « « - Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. 902 816 86 999 932 66 944 874 70 724 686 38 Per ct. 49.5 53.8 53.6 52.7 A B E 916 859 57 941 899 42 1001 946 55 51.8 54.2 53.9 It is seen by the above table that the steers which were given some feed in addition to the pasture suffered less loss in live weight in transit than did the ones which had nothing to eat but pasture. In 1908 each pasture steer (Lot A) lost 86 pounds in transit, while those which had been fed some concentrated feeds lost from 38 to 70 pounds each. The common cattle, Lot D, suffered a very small shrinkage which was due, in part, to their being smaller steers than the other cattle. The cattle did not shrink as much in 62 1909 as in 1908, but in 1909 the grass cattle lost consid- erably more weight in transit than did those that had been fed. In both years the steers which had been fed the cotton- seed products dressed out several per cent higher than the grass cattle. In 1908 the grass cattle dressed out 49.5 per cent; in 1909 a similar lot dressed out 51.8 per cent. The cattle which had been given some concentrated feeds along with the pasture dressed around 54 j>er cent. It should be noted that the last column is based on the farm weights of the cattle. If the New Orleans live weights were taken it would raise the figures in the last column from 2 to 2.5 points in each case. Lot E. — End of summer 1909. Feed, cottonseed and pasture. Average daily gain of each steer 2.06 pounds. Cost of 100 pounds of gain $2.39 Total profit per steer 8.39 63 Table 11. Complete Summary of Summer Feeding. 1907-'8 19»8-'9 ^ c o "3 732 738 738 532 647 639 653 test ) 1.51 2.32 1.84 1 62 1.74 1.88 Average daily gain "I per steer J 2.06 Average amount con- ~ centrates consum- ed per steer per day 3 31 3.31 2.76 3.40 4.49 Average amount con- centrates to make > 143 180 171 181 218 100 pounds 3.66 4.53 4.35 3.44 3.79 4.37 4.25 pounds ) Total profit per steer. 2.86 10.42 6.62 .43 7.06 6.99 8.39 r. TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Agricultural Experiment Station OF THE Alabama Polytechnic institute AUBURN. ALABAMA 1911 TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Agricultural Experiment Station OF THE ^-.., ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AUBURN, ALABAMA JANUARY 31, 1911 OPELIKA, ALA: THE POST PUBLISHING COMPANY 1911 ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE. Auburn, Ala., Jan. 31, 191L Governor Emmet O'Neal, Executive Department, Montgomery, Ala. > SiR: — I have the honor herewith to transmit to you the Twenty- Third Annual Report of the Agricultural Experiment Station of this College. The report of the Treasurer, herewith included, is for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1910. This report is made in accordance with the provisions of the act of Congrest (approved March 2, 1887), establishing Agricultural Experiment Stations in the several States and Territories. It contains the report of the Director, the Chemists, the Veteri- narian, the Agriculturist, the Biologist, the Horticulturist, the En- tomologist, and the Professor of Animal Industry, for the year ending December 31, 1910. Respectfully, CHAS. C. THACH, President. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. TRUSTEES. His Excellency Emmet O'Neal, President Ex-Officio H. J. Willingham, Superintendent of Education Ex-Officio A. W. Bell Anniston, Ala. N. D. Denson LaFayette, Ala. W. F. Feagin Montgomery, Ala. H. L. Martin Ozark, Ala W. K. Terry Birmingham, Ala J. S. Frazer Evergreen, Ala R. B. Barnes Opelika, Ala. R, F. Kolb Montgomery, Ala.; J. A. Rogers . Gainesville, Ala. C. M. Sherrod Courtland, Ala. STATION COUNCIL. Chas. C. Thach, M. A., LL. D President J. F. Duggar, M. S Director and Agriculturist B. B. Ross, M. S Chemist C. A. Cary, D. V. M., B. S- Veterinarian and Director Farmers' Institutes J. T. Anderson, Ph. D Chemist in Charge of Soil and Crop Inv^estigation W". E. Hinds, Ph, D Entomologist F. E. Lloyd, A. M Plant Physiologist and Pathologist C. L. Hare, M. S., M. A Physiological Chemist D. T. Gray, M. S Animal Industry L, N. Duncan, M. S Agricultural Extension Work P. F. Williams, B. S Horticulturist ASSISTANTS. Thos. Bragg, M, S Assistant Chemist C. S. Williamson, M. S Assistant Chemist E. F. Cauthen, B. S Superintendent of Farm and Recorder * N. E. Bell, B. S Assistant in Chemistry I. S, McAdory, B. S., D. V. M Assistant in Veterinary Science W. F. Turner, B. S Assistant in Entomology C. S, Ridgway, B. S Assistant in Botany M. J. Funchess, B. S ..Assistant Agriculturist J. C. C. Price, B. S Assistant Horticulturist E. T. Hallman, D, V. M , Assistant in Veterinary Science W. M. Howell, D. V. M Assistant in Veterinary Science R. B. Whitesell, D. V. M Assistant in Veterinary Science E. R. Eudaly Assistant in Animal Industry * Resigned. REPORT OF HATCH AND ADAMS FUND FOR 1909-1910. Receipts. Hatch Adams To Amount from U. S, Treasury $14200.00 $12600.00 Disbursements. By Salaries $ 7503 . 73 $ 7837 . 57 By Labor 1293.23 805.75 By Publications 1274.96 By Postage and Stationery 338.16 37.90 By Freight and Express 189.57 182.05 By Heat, Light, \\ater, and Power 604.03 28.60 By Chemical Supplies 309.88 118.77 By Seeds, Plants, and Sundry Supplies 457.97 761.49 By Fertilizers 507 67 84.27 By Feeding Stuffs 366.20 By Library 556.14 14.90 By Tools, Implements, and Machinery 145.98 90.27 By Furniture and Fixtures 19.80 103.65 By Scientific Apparatus 184.72 1156.31 By Live Stocic 165.00 252.00 By Traveling Expenses 54.46 183.25 By Contingent Expenses 15.00 By Buildings and Repairs 579.70 577.02 Total $14200.00 $12600.00 STATE OF ALABAMA, Lee County. Personally appeared before me, \\'elborn Jones, a Notary Public in and for said county, M. A. Glenn, known to me as Treasurer of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, who being duly sworn, deposes and says that the above and foregoing account is true and correct. Witness my hand this 10th day of February, 1911. WELBORN JONES, (Seal) Notary Public. This is to certify that I have compared the account with the ledger ac- count of the Treasurer, and this is a correct transcript of the same. C. C, THACH, President A. P. Institute. REPORT OF DIRECTOR AXD AGRICULTURIST. J. F. Dug-gar. Dr. C. C. Thach. President Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn, Alabama. Sir: I respectfully submit the following report for the past year of the work under my charge as Director and Agri- culturist of the Alabama Experiment Station. Publications. During the calendar year 1910 the publications of the Alabama Experiment .Station consisted of the annual report, three bulletins, four circulars, and seven press bulle- tins. The titles and authors are given below : Bulletin Xo. 149 — Tests of Varieties of Cotton in 1909; by the Director and the Farm Superintendent. Bulletin No. 150 — Raising Beef Cattle in Alabama; by the Chief and Assistant in Animal Industry. Bulletin No. 151. — Wintering Steers in Alabama. Fatten- ing Cattle on Pasture in Alabama; by the Chief and Assis- tant in Animal Industry. Circular No. 4 — Information To Nurserymen in Regard to Fumigation of Nursery Stock ; by the Horticulturist and Assistant Horticulturist. Circular No. 5. — The Boll Weevil Advance in Alabama; by the Entomologist. Circular No. 6. — Fighting the Boll Weevil; by the Ento- mologist. Circular No. 7. — Destroying Boll Weevils by Clean Farming: by the Entomologist. Press Bulletin No. 36. — Tests of Varieties of Cotton in 1909 ; by the Director and the Farm Superintendent. Press Bulletin No. 37. — The Mexican Cotton Boll Weevil ; by the Entomologist. Press Bulletin No. 38. — Boll Weevil Enters Alabama ; by the Entomologist. Press Bulletin No. 39. — Falling of Cotton Squares and Small Bolls ; by the Entomologist. Press Bulletin No. 40. — Destroying Weevils in Corn ; by the Entomologist. 8 Press Bulletin No. 41. — Tests of Varieties of Corn in 1910; by the Director and Farm Superintendent. Press Bulletin No. 42. — Boll-Weevil Infested Area in the United States ; by the Entomologist As stated in each of my reports for the last two years, a large percentage of the bulletins of the Alabama Experi- ment Station are now out of print. There is urgent need that a number of the bulletins now out of print be re- printed. However, this cannot be done unless a special fund be appropriated for this purpose. An increase in the printing fund is also needed in order that the mailing list of the Station be permitted to grow in proportion to the increased need for information shown by the farmers of Alabama. With an ample printing fund, much wider publicity could be given to the fact that these bulletins should be in the hands of every Alabama farmer, and these bulletins could be published in much larger edi- tions and on a wider range of subjects than at present. ;S i^^^" . -^ Staff. The Experiment Station has been fortunate in the past year in having few changes in the Station staff. Mr. L. W. Shook was transferred from the position of Assistant in Animal Industry to work in Sumter county, conducted by this Station in co-operation with the Bureau of Animal Industry of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. He was succeeded by E. R. Eudaly, a graduate of the Texas Agri- cultural and Mechanical College. In the latter part of the year Mr. N. E. Bell, Assistant in Chemistry, resigned to enter the employ of the Bureau of Soils. Agricultural Department. In order to reach correct conclusions regarding agricul- tural practice, field experiments must be repeated through a series of years. Hence, most of the field experiments conducted on the Experiment Station farm at Auburn in 1910 were repetitions of earlier work. The work which has required a large amount of the time and pains of the experimenting stafif is that in breeding or improving cotton, corn, and oats. Satisfactory progress has been made in each of these lines in improving the plants under consideration, and a large mass of accurate data has been accumulated, which, when published, should aiTord a clearer insight into some of the problems of plant breeding, and serve to formulate methods of procedure that can be followed by other plant breeders. In breeding cotton, more Work has been bestowed on the Cook variety than on any other. However, much attention has been paid to the crossing of a number of varieties. The object, both in im- proving" the Cook variety and in endeavoring to originate new varieties by hybridization, has been chiefly to evolve a variety better suited to boll weevil conditions than are any of the varieties now generally grow^n. In the strains of Cook, which have been carefully bred up for four years, much improvement is noticeable in the form and productiveness of the plant and in certain strains progress has also been made in uniting earliness, fair size of boll, and in some strains increased length of lint, with the productiveness which has been sought in all work with this variety. During the past year the systematic breeding of the Poulnot variety was undertaken with the hope of engraft- ing earliness on this variety, which is otherwise quite promising. The special susceptibility of Cook cotton to the attack of boll rot has been an obstacle to its improvement. Begin- ning in 1910 a new metnod of handling the crop has been started and selections made with special reference to breed- ing a strain more nearly resistant than ordinary Cook to this serious disease. Elaborate records have also been made relative to the amount of boll rot on all of the differ- ent varieties of cotton grown on the Station farm. The varieties of corn with which breeding work has been in progress for several years are Experiment Station Yel- low, Henry Grady, and Mosby. With oats the bulk of the breeding" work has been done with the Red Rust Proof variety, though other varieties and various hybrids of our own making have received at- tention. Except for Experiment Station Yellow corn, the im- provement of w'hich has now gone far enough to permit of its distribution to a limited number of farmers who will agree to grow it in careful tests in comparison with other kinds, the work of improvement will have to proceed for at least another year before it will be advisable to enter on any general distribution of seed. In addition to plant breeding, some of the most impor- tant lines of experiments in progress during the year 1910 10 in the agricultural department are the following- Cotton, relative fertilizing values of ground phosphate rock and acid phosphate. Cotton, effects of planting heavy and light seed. ■Cotton, continuation of the study of varieties. Cotton, local fertilizer experiments. Cotton, best time for applying nitrate of soda. ■Corn, variety and culture experiments. Oats, variety and culture experiments. Crimson clover, variety and culture tests, and fertilizing v^alue. Cowpeas, variety tests. Sorghum, variety tests. Relative amounts of food produced by various crops .suitable for hogs. Soybeans, variety and culture experiments. A study of numerous forage plants, including alfalfa, vetches, clovers, kudzu, and grasses. Experiments in the manufacture on the farm of drain tile from cement and sand. Rotation of crops. Wheat, tests of varieties and mixtures. Respectfull}' submitted, J. F. DUGGAR, Director and Agriculturist. REPORT OF THE CHEAIIST. B. B. Ross. Dr. C. C. Thach, President Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auljurn, Alabama. Sir: I herewith submit the followini;- report with reg'ard to the extent and character of the work of the Chemical De- partment of the Experiment Station for the past year: The work of this department embraces investigations carried out under the provisions of the original Hatch act and of the Adams act. inspection work performed under jjolice regulations which provide for the analysis of ferti- lizers, feed stuffs, illuminating- oils, etc., while analyses are also made of many samples of miscellaneous materials sent in from all sections of the State. The reports submitted by Dr. J. T. Anderson and Prof C. L. Hare furnish information with reg-ard to the progress of the work that is being- conducted by them under the provision- of the Adams and Hatch acts^ while a consider- able amount of analytical work has been done in connec- tion with experiments and investig-ations conducted by other departments of the Experiment Station. The investigations being carried out with a view to not- ing- the eft'ects of seed selection upon the quality of the cotton seed produced from season to season are of interest on account of the economic aspect of the subject, as cotton seed and cotton seed products at present constitute such an important proportion of the total value of the cotton crop. If results at all similar to those that have been secured elsewhere in corn breeding- can be attained in the produc- tion of cotton seed particularly rich in oil or in protein, the possibility of still further increasing the value of the by- products of the cotton crop becomes apparent. Additional work has been done in connection with in- vestigations as to the availability of basic cinder or slag obtained as a by-product from the manufacture of steel by the basic open-hearth process, though as yet there is some lack of agreement between laboratory and field tests as to the availability of the phosphoric acid in this material. 12 Further work in the investigation of this question is con- templated during" the present year. The fertilizer work of the past season showed an in- crease of about lo per cent over that of the preceding year, and although the feed stuff law enacted in 1909 was prac- tically inoperative, owing to defects in the law, a consid- erable number of samples were analyzed during the past year, while many samples of food materials for human con- sumption were also subjected to analysis in this laboratory. In addition to the analytical work above outlined, this laboratory has also made analyses of a large number of specimens of miscellaneous materials forwarded from var- ious localities in the State, including soils, marls, phos- phates, ores, waters, etc. Very respectfully, B. B. ROSS, Chemist. REPORT OF VETERINARIAN. C. A. Gary. Dr. C. C. Thach, President Alal)ama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn, Alabama. Sir: I respectfully submit a synopsis of the work of the Veterinary Department for 1910; The influences of cotton seed meal on the health of the various organs of the body of pigs and horses, when fed cotton seed meal alone or in combination with other feeds, have been studied. This work requires time and repeated tests. It also requires numerous and tedious blood examina- tions, careful preparation of tissues for sections so that the pathological changes may be studied and recorded. While the toxic ingredient of cotton seed meal is said to have been determined, in so far as possible we aim to record all symptoms and microscopical changes in organs. A study of the infections of cow's udders and the patho- logical changes is being continued. This requires numer- ous bacteriological analyses, and numerous sections and examinations of parts of a number of udders which are variously and differently diseased. The ways of infection, the influence of the morbid changes on milk secretion are considered. We had some opportunities to get records on the effects of peanuts, as a single ration, on hogs and pigs. This line of work is demanding attention on account of extensive use of the peanut as a hog feed and the rather common occurrence of a disease associated with, or caused by, the peanut. Observations on Osteo-porosis are made as cases are presented and chief aim is to find the cause of this obscure disease. The sanitary question on farms, especially in dairies and dairy barns are studied. The infection of pens, soils, etc., by the careless handling of carcasses, manures and waste farm products is noted and studied. A study of the prevalence of animal parasites in domestic animals is made, and of necessity the work is slow because of lack of funds and workers w'ho are able to push it. The Farmers' Institutes during 1910 were not as numer- 14 Otis as they were during 1909. But the sections of the state visited were somewhat more inaccessible, thus re- quiring more time and funds. During 1910. Farmers' Institutes held in Alabama 25 Number of counties visited 21 Number of Sessions 45 Average attendance at each session 71 Total Attendance 3186 The Round-Up Farmers' Institute and Summer School for Farmers was held at Auburn during the last week in July. There were 63 lectures and demonstrations given, beginning at 8 a. m. and ending at 10 p. m. every day. The enrollment for the Round-Up Institute was 835. For the second time the Institute had special lectures for women. These lectures were delivered by women on domestic art and science and on health and home life. These lectures were well attended and were attractive, interesting, and profitable. C. A. GARY", Veterinarian and Director of Farmers' Institutes. REPORT OF CHEAIIST OF SOILS AXD CROP INVESTIGATION. J. T. Anderson. Dr. C. C. Thach, President Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn, Alabama. Sir: The following- report of the work done -bv this depart- ment during the year 1910 is respectfully submitted. \\'ith the exception of aliout five months given, as usual, to the state fertilizer work, our attention was devoted en- tirely to the prosecution of the Adams Project, the de- termination of soil requirements by the analysis of the cotton plant. The methods of investigation heretofore employed, with two or three imj^ortant modifications, were continued, namely, the observation of the simultaneous effect of ferti- lization on the composition of the plant and on the crop yield. The latter eft'ect was determined in all cases by cultivation in open plots ; the former, the effect of fertilization on the composition of the young plant, by the analysis of plants drawn from the open plots, as well as of plants g-rown in the same soil in wire baskets, the soil in the latter case be- ing subjected to the same system of fertilizer treatment as in the plots. Previous to 1910 our plot tests were conduct- ed in co-operation with the agricultural department of the station, all the material for our use being obtained from selected correspondents of that department who were en- gaged in The Co-operative Soil Test Experiments. In 1910 some material changes in the methods of fertilization were made in these Co-operative Soil Test Experiments, which made it necessary for us to look elsewhere for our material. The services of some 8 or 10 independent co-operators in dift'erent parts of the State w-ere secured for our work and instructions sent them as to the manner of conducting the experiments. Samples and data from these correspondents are now being worked up in the laboratory. The sand culture experiments in clay cvfinders imbedded in the ground for studying the effect of fertilization on the composition of the plant, were continued. Another use for imbedded cylinders was found durmg- 16 the season of 1910. Realizing the difficulty of securing reliable co-operation in conducting Plot Tests in many cases where co-operation was essential, it was thought that the soil to be tested might readily be transported and placed in imbedded cylinders for the tests, our experience having demonstrated that the cotton plant may be grown normally to maturity in such cylinders of suitable size. While the cylinder method as a substitute for the Plot Method has its disadvantages, its many advantages are obvi- ous. Three types of soil were selected and a set of 12 cylin- ders for each type was provided. The foundation or subsoil was the same for the entire group of 36 cylinders. Each set /of cylinders ^^as then filled to a depth of 8 inches with its ■ own type of soil. In the aj^plication of fertilizers to the individual cylinders of each set the same scheme was fol- lowed as has been employed in the plot tests. All other de- tails observed in the plot method have been applied to the cylinder method, and the analytical results, thus far ob- tained, conform strikingly to those of the older method. The assistant in this department, Mr. Bell, resigned in September and the vacancy thus created has not yet been filled. It is hoped that a suitable man may soon be found, that the work may go on again without interruption. Respectfullv submitted. IAS. T. ANDERSON, Chemist, Soils and Crop Investigation. REPORT OF PHYSIOLOGICAL CHEMIST. C. L. Hare. Dr. C. C. Thach, President Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn, Alabama. Sir: The work in this department during 1910 was, as in 1909, concerned with two main investigations. 1. The experiment of breeding cotton in an effort to increase the oil content of the seed was so far successful that some of the strains bred for three years showed a material gain in j:)ercentage of oil. These same strains, continued in 1910, suffered seriously during their growth from anthracnose which may necessitate the elimination of these high oil strains and the introduction of others which will in turn have to be bred up to the point attained by those originally used in the experiment. This is an illustration of the mau}^ problems that must be met and solved before a high oil cotton can be bred without sacri- ficing yield or quality. 2. During the year there was published a preliminary paper treating of the influence of feeds upon the properties of lard. There have been obtained some striking results illus- trating extremes of oiliness and hardness of lards produced from different feeds. Thi- investigation, with the scope enlarged, is being continued. Respectfully submitted, C. L. HARE. REPORT OF ENTOMOLOGIST. W. E. Hinds. Dr. C. C. Thach, President Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn, Alabama. Sir The following report relates to the work of the Depart- ment of Entomology in the Experiment Station for the fis- cal year 1910. Work during the past year has continued mainly along the lines inaugurated during 1909. There has been no change in the working force. Mr. W. F. Turner, as As- sistant, has given nearly all of his time to the routine sta- tion work, and especially to the Adams Fund investigation projects. Correspondence. Inquiries regarding the control of insect pests have in- creased during the past year, indicating that there is a general advance in agricultural and horticultural informa- tion along these lines. The entomologist has received and answered more than 1,500 letters during the past year. Publications. During" the year 1910 the department of Entomology has issued the following publications in the Station Series : Circular No. 5, Boll Weevil Advances in Alabama. Circu- lar No. 6, Fighting the Boll Weevil. Circular No. 7, De- stroying the Boll Weevil by Clean Farming. Press bulletin No. 37, The Mexican Cotton Boll Weevil. Press Bulletin No. 38, Boll Weevil Enters Aabama. Press Buletin No. 39, The Falling of Cotton Squares. Press Bulletin No. 40, Destroying Rice Weevils in Corn. Press Bulletin No. 42, The Boll Weevil Area in the United States. This publica- tion shows the area of 1910 infestation, and is the basis for applying quarantine regulations against the weevil. Besides these regular station publications, two articles reporting results of the Adams Fund project work have been published in the Journal of Economic Entomology. One of these dealt with general results of fumigation work for the control of insects in stored grain, the other with 19 materials which may be, or are frequently used in the con- struction of fumigation outfits. Besides these, a third article dealing with the life history of the rice weevil in corn has been presented before the American Association of Economic Entomologists, and will shortly appear in the Journal of Economic Entomology. Several articles on economic entomological subjects have been printed in the Southern Farm Gazette, and the Southern Ruralist, besides a large number of newspaper articles in the daily and week- ly press, giving information relative to the boll weevil ad- vance, and advising the people as to the best way to meet the situation. Mr. W. F. Turner has published a paper on the Control of Cucumber and Cabbage Insects, appearing in the Report of the Alabama State Horticultural Society for 1910, issued by the State Department of Agriculture and Industry, Serial No. 36. Public Addresses. In order to supply the imperative demand for lectures on the cotton boll weevil, it has been necessary to refuse num- erous requests for addresses at farmers' institutes. More than a dozen addresses dealing with the boll w^eevil, many of them illustrated w^ith stereopticon views, have been given in Alabama during the past year, and one at Atlanta, Ga. The expense for these trips has been met by the State Department of Agriculture, or by the society making the request. The Mexican Cotton Boll Weevil. As had been expected the ^Mexican Cotton Boll Weevil, in its eastward advance, crossed the western boundary line of Alabama, in Mobile County toward the end of August, 1910. The first specimens of the pest to be found in this state were taken at Wilmer, Ala., by the waiter, on Sept. 3d. During the following six weeks the advance of the pest continued until about the middle of October. The line was found to enter the County of Choctaw, slightly south of Meridian, Miss., and extending in a southeasterly direction, including also small parts of Clark and Monroe, and all of Washington, Mobile, and Baldwin Counties within the line of 1910 infestation. Fortunately, in many respects, killing frosts occurring during the closing days of October put an end to the weevil's advance. The coming of the boll weevil has awakened an intense 20 interest among" the cotton planters of the state, and they are now in a position to accept and adopt recommendations for improved methods, such as would not heretofore have appealed to them. Large numbers of insects, mistaken for the boll weevil, are being sent for identification, and infor- mation requested. Fair Exhibit. In connection with the exhibit placed by the Experiment Station with the Montgomery State Fair, the Department of Entomology showed particularly by specimens, photo- graphs, charts, etc., the boll weevil and insects mistaken for it, the fundamental steps which should be adopted in fight- ing the weevil, formulae for insecticides, and similiar sub- jects. Adams Fund Investigations. Much time has been devoted to a pursuance of the inves- tigation announced in our last report regarding the rice weevil. Much entirely new information as to facts in the life history has been gathered, and the more important of these facts reported as mentioned under publications. Further progress has been made also in the matter of fumi- gation. Owing to practical difificulties to be found in ap- plying fumigaton for the control of the rice weevil in stored corn under ordinarv farm conditions, we are testing other means of a control, and hope to find some practical method which may be readily applied under usual conditions with little expense. Respectfully submitted, W. E. HINDS, Entomologist. REPORT OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGIST. F. E. Lloyd. Dr. C. C. Thach, President Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn, Alabama. Sir: I bef^ leave to submit the following annual report as Plant Physiologist of the Alabama Agricultural Experi- ment Station, being a report of the second complete year of my tenure of that office. "a year ago, I stated that the preparation of my mono- gra!)h on the guayule, (Parthenium argentatum), a desert rubber plant of Northern Mexico, was completed. This will shortly appear as Publication 139 of the Carnegie In- stitution of Washington. As a logical continuation of this work, the guayule and several of its congeners are being studied continuously in their relation to soil and climatic conditions at Auburn, while, at the courtesy of the Carne- gie Institution of Washington, two of the species, the guayule and the mariola, are under observation at the Desert Botanical Laboratory. Tucson, Ariz. The data ac- cumulating will afford material for a study of acclimatiza- tion. My study of the development of the fruit of the date (Phoenix dactylifera), begun as a portion of an Adams Fund project at the Arizona Agricultural Experiment Sta- tion, has been completed. One of the primary objects of this study was to gain light on the role of tannin, which in this fruit and in the persimmon is a predominant factor in its relation to the ripening process, but the behavior of other foods (starch, reserve cellulose, oil especially) were also studied, during the whole embryonic period. Among the results of major interest, it was found that, judging from their physiological relations, there are two kinds of tannin ; one being used as a food material, probably for the building up of the reserve cellulose in the endosperm, thus affording support to the recently-published view of van Wisselingh based on Spirogyra; the oiher is not a plastic material, but is secreted within certain cells of the seed coats and carpel where it remains permanently, after the fashion of an excrete. 22 I have also found that there is no segregation of tannin during the ripening process, and this result was extended to the persimmon, (Diospyros), though the contrary view has been held. The work has been published under the title "The development and nutrition of embryo, seed and carpel in the date, Phoenix dactylifera, I.." in the 21 st An- nual Report of the Missouri Botanical Garden, and reprint- ed for liminted circulation. My work on the date naturally led me to a consideration of the persimmon, with particular reference to the behavior of the tannin-cells during ripening. As is well known, the great need of the persimmon grower is the ability to process persimmons after the fashion of the Japanese, and it was deemed that a more precise knowledge of the role of the tannin would contribute toward this end. I have found that the disappearance of astringency during ripening is due to the union of the tannin with a second colloid body, also secreted within the tannin-cell, to form an insoluble and imputrescible colloid-compound. It has also been shown that there remains a certain amount of soluble tannin and I have shown that this, under certain conditions, escapes from the tannin-cell and unites with a substance, probalily pectose, which is derived l:)y digestion of the mid- dle lamella. These views harmonize with certain observa- tions of Vinson on the heat relations of ripening in the j:late, and throw light on the data obtained by Bigelow, Gore and Howard, on the persimmon, thus enabling us to imderstand better the nature of the ripening process in these fruits. It may be added that the recently published work of Gore on the relation of carbon dioxid to ripening in the persimmon, following on Prinsen-Geerligs' results on the banana, will lead, I believe, to a solution of the method of processing fruit in a practical way. My own studies have in part appeared under the title. "The behavior of tannin in persimmons, with some notes on ripening," and are in part ready for the press in the form of two additional papers, (i ) "The artificial ripening of persimmons," read at the last annual meeting of the Alabama Horticultural Society, and (2) "The nature of the tannin cell in the per- simmon, Diospyros." The Adams Fund prc:iject on transpiriation and allied phenomena in the cotton has progressed. It was found very dift'icult to get material to grow well in the Depart- ment greenhouse on account of the inadequate heating and 23 lack of suitable assistance, the fact being that the personnel of the department is not commensurate with the demands made on it. The i)resent winter's experience has been no better in spite of an earnest endeavor to take advantage of our faciHties as they stand. Field methods of studying transpii-ation and correlated phenomena have therefore re- ceived major attention, and for this purpose I spent a month, at my own charges, at the Desert Botanical Labora- tory, getting data on the rate of transpiration, by com- parative volumetric and gravimetric methods. It was found that the discrepancy between the results obtained by these methods is not fortuitous, but a regular one, the ratio be- tween them reversing during night and day. The diiTer- ence is believed to be due in part to the difference in the water content of the leaf. Some data, obtained during September and October on the cotton at Auburn, appear to align themselves with this conclusion. Synchronous observations on the atmometer (of Livingston), insolation- thermometer, anemometer, thermometer and plant pieces have also been made with the hope of elaborating field methods for the comparative study of transpiration. My results have been in part reported in a paper "The relation of transpiration to the w^ater content of leaves," presented at the recent meeting of the Botanical Society of America. Mr. C. S. Ridgway has assisted me in this work. Some progress has been made on methods for the study of the relations of fumigation to the physiological condi- tion of the plant, with special reference to the condition of the stomata and to the water content, but the condition of the greenhouse has also interfered with this w^ork. The history of the pecan-scab in a single orchard, that of Mr. T. W. Oliver, Montgomery, Ala., has been followed with the co-operation of Mr. C. S. Ridgway, throughout the year. It has come to light that the unfruitful condition in this orchard is, to a large degree, not due to the pecan- scab organism. A brief bulletin of information treating of this organism has been published. The following is a list of publications from the Depart- ment. d.) The development and nutrition of the embryo, seed and carpel in the date. Phoenix dactylifera L. Ann. Rep. Mo. Bot. Garden, vol. 21: pp. 103-164,4 plates. Dec. 22, 1910. (2) Guayule (Parthenium argentatum Gray) . A rubber 24 plant of the Chihuahuan Desert. Carnegie Institution of Washington, Publication 139. (In press). (3) The behavior of tannin in persimmons with some notes on ripening. The Plant World, vol. 14: pp. 1-14. i plate. Jan. 191 1 . (4) Some Alabama Plant Diseases, Bulletin No. 32, Ala. State Department of Agriculture. (With C. S. Ridgwa}- and H. J. Chatterton) . March 15, 1910. pp. 22. (5) "El Guayule y su propagacion." (A Review.) Am. Rev. Trop. Agri. vol. i: pp. 251-256. Aug. -Sept. 1910. (6) Outline for the course in Botany, in a Manual for the County High Schools of Alabama. AIontgomer3% Ala. 1910. (7) Plants and the Soil. 6th Ann. Rep. Ala. Soc. Ala. State Dept. Agri. Bull. 36. pp. 129-141 . 1910. (8) On the best method of teaching High School Botany. Proc. 29th. Ann. Session Ala. Ed. Assoc, pp. 244- 251. 1910. (9) Review of Spalding's Distribution and Movements of Desert Plants. Science n. s. 31: 863-866. June 3, 1910. Respectfullv submitted, FRAXCIS' ERNEST LLOYD, Plant Physiologist. ANIMAL INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT, D. T. Gray. Dr. C. C. Thach, President Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn, Alabama. Sir: Two bulletins have been issued from the Animal Indus- try Department the past year. Bulletin 150 has to do with the question of "Raising- Beef Cattle in Alabama." In bulletin 151 is found a report of the progress of the co-opera- tive beef feeding work in Sumter County. The work of the Department has been enlarged some (luring the past year, but, in the main, the experimental work continues as was reported in the last annual report. The present work of the Department may be summarized as follows: With Swine. - I. To study the results of finishing swine by dry lot methods as compared to the method of using green pasture crops. The last three years' work is now being prepared for publication. 2. To study the subject of hardening flesh and lard after it has been rendered soft as a result of the animals' having grazed green crops. 3. To note further the toxic effort of feeding cotton seed meal to hogs. 4. To learn the eft'ect of some of the Southern swine feeds upon the frame work of the body. 5. To determine the most profitable amount of grain to feed with such green pastures as soy beans, peanuts and rape. 6. To study the question of home-curing of meats. A new smoke house has been erected for the work. During the year an experimental hog farm has been es- tablished in Sufln'ter County. This part of the hog work of the Department is being done in co-operation with the Burea of Animal Industry of Washington. At the present time about 200 hogs are being used in the work. With Beef Cattle. The co-operative beef work with the Bureau of Animal 26 Industry at Washington is going forward in an exceedingly satisfactory manner. Since the last report the work has been materially broadened. A second experimental farm has been established and a trained man, Mr. L. ^^^ Shook, is on the farm and has immediate charge of all the experi- mental work. The main questions involved now are: 1. To study the methods of carrying mature beef steers through the winter months, When the object is to fatten them on pasture the following summer. 125 steers are be- ing carried through the winter at the present time. 2. To determine the profits, if any, in supplementin;; the summer pastures with certain cotton seed by-products in finishing cattle for the summer and fall market. Almost 200 steers were used in the work last summer. 3. To study the question of fattening calves during the winter months on dry feeds. At the present time 150 calves are being used in these tests. They will be sold in March. 4. To determine the most profitable amount of cotton seed cake to feed steers while they are being finished on pasture. 5. To compare silage, cotton seed hulls and Johnson grass hay for finishing cattle in the winter time. The test was completed last March. 60 head of cattle were fed. 6. To determine the most profitable manner of making and saving barn yard manures when cattle are fed cotton seed meal and hulls. 60 steers are being used in the test. 7. To determine the cost of raising a beef calf in Ala- bama. A breeding herd of about 60 cows is being used in the test. With Sheep. The work with sheep continues about as reported in the last annual report. The most important points under con- sideration now are : 1. Early lamb production. 2. A comparison of Alabama feeds, including silage, for carrying the ewe through the winter months. Very respectfully submitted. DAN T. GRAY. REPORT OF THE HORTICULTURIST P. F. Williams. Dr. C. C. Thach, President Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn, /\labama. Sir: I respectfully submit the following report for the year ending December 31st, 1910. Adams Investigation. This work was continued the past year and considerable progress has been made. About 2,000 crosses of promising jjeach varieties were made and there were 'j^}^ set fruits resulting from these crosses. About 350 of these fruits produced perfect pits. These have been planted with a view of obtaining crosses or new varieties resistant to Brown Rot. Several varieties of peaches have been placed in the new greenhouse where the temperature mav be con- trolled during the cross pollinating work. Greenhouse. A new greenhouse was added during the summer, this new house being 22 x 100 feet. Three sections of this have been given up to the Adams project. Seven sections will be devoted to miscellaneous vegetable work. Citrange Investigations. Mr. E. W. Lumpkin, a senior, has taken up this work and from a considerable number of crosses made with pollen from grape fruit, kumquat, ruby and common sweet orange on Citrus Trifoliate, 66 matured fruits were gathered and sent to AA'ashington where the seeds from these crosses are being germinated in the forcing houses of the Bureau of Plant Industry. There is a growing interest in these hardy citrus fruits, and we shall continue this phase of the work another season. Hafch Experiments. The forcing of tomatoes under glass has been continued to check the result of the previous season and a few new varieties have been added. This work has been greatly 28 facilitated by the erection of the additional greenhouse. Excellent results have been obtained with variety and fertilizer tests with cabbage, Irish potatoes, beans, kohl- rabi, turnips, and lettuce. This work is being duplicated and increased with a view of publishing results during the coming year. The crops of peaches, pears, and apples have been the finest recorded during the past year. . Valuable data have been obtained in connection with the combatting of insects and fruit diseases. A bulletin is in preparation dealing with self boiled lime sulphur and its use. The department purchased a small canning" outfit during the summer and demonstrations were conducted at the Farmers' Summer School and with students, showing the method of canning fruits and vegetables. Library. .Prof. R. S. Mackintosh donated to the office a splendid collection of State Horticultural Society proceedings con- sisting of 137 volumes. The larger number of these reports are those of the Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri Soceties. Publications. Last spring I v/rote a bulletin on pecans, which appear- ed as Serial Xo. 34 of the State Department of Agricul- ture. Nursery Inspection. I have been ably assisted in carrying on the State Nur- sery inspection work the past summer by the Assistant Horticulturist, Mr. J. C. C. Price, and Mr. R. U. Blasin- game. This work is crowding the regular station w"ork, and now that the boll weevil has entered the State, it will be impossible to carry out the work covering both the nursery inspecton and boll weevil regulations without ad- ditional assistance and additional funds. The list of State nurserymen and those of other State^j doing business in Alabama follows : Certificates Issued 1910-11. I. Alabama Nurserymen. 1. Chase Nursery Co., Huntsville and Chase. 2. Rolfe Nursery Co., Huntsville 3. Oak Lawn Nurseries, Huntsville. 29 4. Frasier Nursery Co., Huntsville. 5. Horsh, Sugg Nursery Co., Gladstone. (". Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries, Huntsville and Gladstone 7. J_ O. Kelly & Sons Nursery Co., Jeff. 8. Welch Nursery, Madison. 9. J. P. Jones, Nursery, Fabius. 10. Cullman Nurseries, C. S. Diggers, Cullman. 11. J. H Parker & Sons, Vinemont. 12. R. W. Pullen Nursery, Blountsville. 18. Colmant Nurseries, Birmingham. 14. Carlos Reese, Birmingham. 15. Gravlee Nurseries, Newtonville. 16. W L. Owen, Nursery, Ashland. 17. J. B. Earnest, Roanoke. 18. Rosemont Gardens, Montgomery. 19. C. Ravier & Sons, Mobile. 20. Irvington Nursery, A. H. Daves, Prop., Irvington. 21_ J. S. Gaylord, Barnwell. 22. Eagle Pecan Co., Pittsview. 23. Industrial School Gardens, Mobile. 24. Little Gem Floral Garden, Mobile. 25. Orchard Hill Nursery Co., Cullman. 26. Deer Park Nursery, Deer Park. 27. L Thublin, Mobile. 28. J.' P. Brown, Carney. 29. Wakefield Nurseries, Wm. Wake, Flomaton. 30. Eufaula Pecan Co., Eufaula. 31. Lipp Nursery, Roanoke. 32 W. D. Summerfield, Birmingham. 33. AVaverly Nursery, Paul Hoffman, Waverly. 34. Roseview Nurseries, F. E. Welch, Chunchula. 35. Cusseta Nurseries, W. L. Morris, LaFayette. 36. Glen Iris Nurseries, G. E. Luff man, Birmingham. 37_ Mrs. C. R. Long, Montgomery. 3 8! Fernhill Greenhouse, H. L. Van Trott, Montgomery. 39. E. H. Williams, Montgomery. 40. H. W. Luther, Ensley. 41. Shadrick Stephinson, Russell. 4 2. Joseph W. Evertts, Decatur. 43. Birmingham Landscape & Nursery Co., Elytcn. II. Alabama Dealers. 1. C. H. Kennedy, Arley. 2. Colmant Nurseries, Birmingham. 3. J. M . Joiner, Wedowee. 4. John H. Draime, Citronelle. 5. J. J. Holmes, Montgomery. 6. R. L. McCarley, Scottsboro. 7. A. B. Webb, bcottsboro. 8. W. F. Propst, Oakman. 9. E. Day, Birmingham. 10. Geo. E. Luffman. Birmingham. 11. M. M. Dawson, Montgomery. 12. Homer N. Sneed, Pronto. 13. John B. Stroud, Pass Christian, Miss. 30 14. G. W. DeVaughn, Prlchard. 15. A. Swift, Fail-hope. 16. J. B. Adams, Pass Christian, Miss. 17. A. M. Troyer, Fairhope. , III. Nurserymen Outside The State. 1. The Stark Bros., Nursery & Orchard Co., Louisiana, Mo, 2. P. J. Berckmans Co., Augusta, Ga. 3. The Frank H. Wild Floral Co., Sarcoxie, Mo. 4. Southern Nursery Co.. Winchester, Tenn . 5. Pike Co. Nurseries, McElveen & McLendon, Concord, Ga. 6. H. M. Simpson & Sons, Vincennes, Ind. 7. Bluhm Nursery Company, Smithville, No. 6, Tenn. 8. Mount Hope Nursery, Moss & Allen, Smithville, Tenn. 9. Griffing Brothers Company, Macclenny, Fla. 10. The Morris Nursery Co.. Westcnester, Penn. 11. Tennessee Wholesale Nurseries, Winchester, Tenn. 12. Center Grove Nursery, R. L. Cantrell, Smithville No. 5, *Tenn. 13. Dreer Nurseries, Henry A. Dreer, Inc., Riverton, N. J. 14. Turkey Creek Nurseries, C. F. Barber, Propr., Macclenny, Fla. 15. Commercial Nursery Co., Winchester, Tenn. 16. Munson Nurseries, T. V. Munson, Mgr., Denison, Texas. 17. Rood Pecan Groves, Albany, Ga. 18. Continental Plant Co., Kittrell, N. C. 19. T. S. Hubbard Co., Fredonia, N. Y. 20. Wild Bros. Nursery Co., Sarcoxie, Mo. 21. Concord Nurseries, Smith Bros., Proprs., Concord, Ga. 22. Excelsior Nurseries, G. H. Miller & Son, Proprs. Rome, Ga, 23. Geo. S. Josselyn, Fredonia. N. Y. 24. Upson Nurseries, A. D. Williams, Propr., Yatesville, Ga. 25. Easterly Nursery Co., Cleveland, Tenn. 26. Lewis Roesch & Son, Fredonia, N. Y. 27. W. W. Thomas, Anna, Illinois. 28. Knoxville Nursery Co., Knoxville, Tenn. 29. Simpson Nursery Co., Simpson Bros., Props., Monticello, Fla. 30. The Sftorrs & Harrison Co., Painesville, Ohio. 31. Old Dominion Nurseries, W. T. Hood, Propr., Richmond, Va. 32. Ellwanger & Barry, Rochester, N. Y. 33. Cedar Hill Nursery Co., Winchester, Tenn. 34. Jackson & Perkins Co., Newark, N. Y. 35. J. Van Lindley Nur. Co., Pomona and Kernersville, N. C. 36. Thomas Meehan & Sons, Dresher, Penn. 37. Biltmore Nurseries, Biltmore, N. C. 3 8. Perry Nursery Com])any, Rochester, N. Y. 9. Union Nursery Co., Smithville, Tenn. 40. Bremen Nursery, J. T. Anderson, Propr., Bremen, Ga. 41. Mount Arbor Nurseries, E. S. Welch, Propr., Shenandoah, la. 4 2. Joe Shadow Nursery Co.. Winchester, Tenn. 4 3. M. L. Spivey, Lynnville, Tenn. 44. W. N. Scarff, New Carlisle, Ohio. •} 31 45. J. G. Harrison & Sons, Berlin, Maryland, 1'. J. L. Westbrook, Temple, Ga. 47. Fallriver Nursery, Fallriver, Tenn. 48. Valdesian Nurseries, Bostic, N. C. 49. Bobbink & Atkins Nurseries, Bobbink & Atkins, Ruther- ford, N. J. 50. Wagner Park Conservatories, Sidney, Ohio. 51. Miner & Miner, Sheriden, N. Y. 5 2. Glenn Cliff Nursery, Winchester, Tena. 53. The Toomsuba Nurseries, Toomsuba, Miss. 5 4. Wm. Warner Harper, Chestnut Hill, Penn. 55. The Donaldson Co., Warsaw and Sparta, Ky. 56. Summit Nurseries, Miller & Gossard, Props., Monticello, Fla. 57. Monticello Nurseries, The Standard Pecan Co., Monticel- lo, Fla. 5 8. Franklin Davis Nursery Co., Mullikin, Md. 5 0. Smithville Nursery Co., Smithville, Tenn. 60. Oakland Nurseries, Columbia, Tenn. " 61. Keltonburg Nursery, C. A. Cantrell, Spithville No. 3, Tenn. '^',^^ 62. Thomas Meehan & Sons, Inc., Germanto^VTi,'^"Penn. 6 3. Greensboro Nurseries, Greensboro, N. C. 64. The J. Steckler Seed Co., New Orleans, La. 6 5. Prosperity Nursery, Redman Bros., Smithville No. 3, Tenn. 6 6. The Wm. H. Moon Co., Morrisville, Penn. 67. Glen Saint Mary Nurseries Co., Glen Saint Mary, Fla. 6 8. Cureton Nurseries, Austell, Ga. 69. C. Forkert, Ocean Springs, Miss. 7 0. United States Nursery Co., Roseacres, Miss. 71. Tullahoma Nursery, Tullahoma, Tenn. 7 2. Chattanooga Nursery Co., Chattanooga, Tenn. 7 3. Arcadia Nurseries, J. H. Girardeau, Jr., Prop., Monticello, ria 74. R. A. Eubank, Prospect Station, Tenn. 75. The Bechlel Pecan Nurseries, Ocean Springs, Miss. 76. G. M. Bacon Pecan Co., DeWitt, Ga. 7 7. Hartwell Pecan Nurseries, S. W. Peek, Propr., Hartwell, Ga., 7 8. Forest Nursery & Seed Co., J. H. Boyd, Propr., McMinn- ville, Tenn. 7 9. Peter Henderson & Co., Proprietors, Jersey City, N. J. 80. The Shenandoah Nurseries, D. S Lake, Prop., Shenandoah, la. 81. Schmidt & Botley, Springfield, Ohio. 82. Will F. Halladay, Decherd, Tenn. 8 3. The Sneed Wholesale & Retail Nur., J. F. Sneed, Mgr., Tyler, Texas. 84. Big Four Nursery Co., L. P. Potter & Sons, Smithville, No. 1, Tenn. 85. Foster & Griffith, Fredonia, N. Y. 86. Cumberland Nurseries, Winchester, Tenn. 87. The D. Hill Nursery, Co., Inc., Dundee, 111. 88. Pecan Grove Farm Nursery, J. B. Wright, Propr., Cairo, Ga. 32 89. James Brodie, Biloxi, Miss., 90. John B. Stroud, Pass Christian, Miss. 91. Southern Nut Tree Nursery, C. A. Rouzer, Mgr., Thomas- ville, Ga. 92. The Ramsey Pecan Co., Ocean Springs, Miss. 93. Hoopes Bros, and Thomas Co., Westchester, Penn. 94. R. L. Eaton, Monticello, Fla. 95. Jefferson Nursery Co., Proprietors, Monticello, Fla. 96. The Corinth Nurseries, Corinth, Miss. 97. The Newton Nurseries, Newton, Miss. 98. Fairview Nursery Co., Winchester, Tenn. 99. The Peachwood Nurseries, State Line, Miss. 100. The Alvin Japanese Nur., S. Arai, Mgr., Alvin, League City-& Mykawa, Tex. 101. Eastern Nurseries, Holliston, Mass. 102. B. W. Stone & Co., Thomasville, Georgia. 103. J. W. Adams & Son, Springfield, Mass. 104. Chas. R. Fish & Co. Worcester and Auburn, Mass. 105. Stuart Pecan Co., Miss W. B. Stuart, Mgr., Beaumont, Texas. , 106. John Lightfoot, East Chattanooga, Tenn. 107. Barnesville Nursery Co., Stafford & Howard Barnesville, Ga. 108. Fairview Nurseries, J. E. Sweet, Naylor, Ga. 10 9. The Paper Shell Pecan Nursery, LaFayette, La. 110. Spring Hill Nurseries, Peter Bohlender & Son, Tippe- canoe, O. 111. German Nurseries, Carl Sonderegger, Beatrice, Nebr. 112. The American Rose and Plant Co., Springfield, Ohio. 113. The American Crescent Nursery Co., Council Bluffs, Iowa. 114. Rich Land Nurseries, Rochester, N. Y. Yours verv truly, P. F. WILLIAMS, Horticulturist. ilillli;' '^•m New York Botanical Garden Lib 3 5185 00259 6