xt766t0gtw80 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt766t0gtw80/data/mets.xml Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station 1907 Title from cover.
Imprint varies. journals English Frankfort, Ky. : Capital Office, E. Polk Johnson, 1890-1948. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Annual report. 1907 text Annual report. 1907 1907 2011 true xt766t0gtw80 section xt766t0gtw80   TWENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT · _ V
i Kentucky Agricultural 1
Experiment Station
State College of Kentucky  
LEXINGTON, KY. ‘
FORQQTHE YEAR 1907
021159

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 1 Letter of Transmittal
T0 His Excellency, A r A I f A
HON. AUdUsTUs E. XV1Lr.soN, in { ` A
_ _ Governor of Kentucky. I °
Sir :— c V ` ‘
` Under the authority of the Board of Control, and in accord-
., ance with an act of Congress, approved March 2, 1887, entitled
“An Act to establish Agricultural Experiment Stations in con-
¤' nection with the Agricultural Colleges established in the several A
States under the provisions of an act approved July 2, 1862,
i and under the acts supplementary thereto," and of the act of .
the Legislature of the State of Kentucky, approved Eebruary
20, 1888, and entitled"a\n Act to accept the provisions of an
A Act passed by the Congress of tl1e United States, approved
_, March 2, 1887, for the establishment and maintenance of Agri- S
cultural Experiment Stations in connection with Agricultural
Colleges established by the several States and Territories under .
_ an Act of Conggess, approved July 2, 18fi2," I herewith submit
`}’ the Twentieth Annual Report of the Kentucky Agricultural
Experiment Station. Y
` Very Respectfully,
, “ r , M. A. Soovnm., Director.

 . l i ??
Agricultural and Mechanical College S
OF KENTUCKY 1 _ ‘_.
BOARD OF TBUSTEES. · ,, _
His Excellency, Gov. .AUGUSTUS El. XVILLSON, ex-Oiiieio Chair-  
man. . ·_
JALIES K. ]?A'l`TERSON_, President of the College, ex—OtIieiO. T
JUDGE \VILLI.\]\I C. BELL, Harrodslnirg, Mercer County. · L C
HON. OASSIUS M. CLAY, Paris, Bourbon County.  
JUDGE GEORGE B. TTINKICAD, Lexington, Fayette County.  
JUDGE JOHN NOCUORD, Lebanon, l\lurion County.  
HON. C1r.xnLEs XV. LTETCALFIC. Pineville, Bell County.  
B.\SIIl YV. Bnooics, ESQ., Slauglitersville, lWebster County. V.
DAVID F. ]?RAZEE, ESQ., Lexington, Ky. °
TTON. FRANK A. TIOPKINS, Prestonsliurg, Floyd County. j
CHARLES B. NIOIIOLS, ESO., Lexington, Fayette County. . .
JUDGE ROBERT L. Su‘ox"r, Versailles, \Vooclfor2lll(ll'llZl]], Head of Animal Hus-
_ handry Division.
J. IV. NUTTER, Assistant in Dairying.
I l\lISS O. L. GINOCHIO, Stenographer.
H. D. SPEARS, Assistant (/'hemist, Feeds.
_ AV. D. NICHOLS, Assistant Animal Hnshandman.
A J. IV. MeFARLIN. Assistant. Fertilizer and Feed Divisions.
_ AIISS ANNA IV.-\Ll.lQS. Sl(‘lIO{_fl`;l]lll(‘l`.
E. F. IVORTHINGTON, SI1]>(’l'lHl(‘H('l(‘]lt of Farm.
Address of the Station.
` LEXINGTON, IYENTUCKY.

 \ /‘ i · —
.‘;Y,- I 1 / _
THE KEZVTUGKT AGRICULTURAL rl
EXPERIMENT STATIOZVT · X T
In Account with the UnitedStates Appropriation.
Hatch Adams •
l ` , Q Fund. Fund.
To Receipts from the Treasurer of the .
United States, as per appropriations 9 `
for fiscal year ended June 30, 1907,
under acts of Congress approved . `
March 2, 1887 (Hatch Fund), and
March 16, 1906 (Adams Fund) .... $15,000.00 $7,000.00
Expenditures : ‘ I
‘ By Salaries .................... $10,077.10 $4,908.32
Labor ............. -. . , ...... 935.59 · 6.15
Publications ................ 288.65
Postage and stationery ........ . 416.70 ‘
Freight and express ........... 187.33
Heat, light, water and power .... 586.87
Chemical Supplies ............ 440.82 458.99
Seeds, plants and sundry supplies 310.20 _
Library .................... 519.45 19.22 _ _
Tools, implements and machinery 124.68 218.00 .
Furniture and fixtures ......... 667.10 260.00 '
Scientific apparatus ........... 24.05 1,129.32 _-
Traveling expenses ............ 259.67
Contingent expenses .......... 15.00
Buildings and land ........... 146.79
Total ....................... $15,000.00 $7,000.00
\Vo, the undersigned, duly appointed Auditors of the Corpor-
ation, do hereby certify that we have examined the books and _ .
accounts of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station for
the fiscal year ended June 30, 1907; that we have found the

 i Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station vii
“ same wellkept and classified as above; that the receipts for the
year from the Treasurer of the United States are shown to have
been $15,000.00 under the act of Congress of March 2, 1887,
· and $7,000.00 under the act of Congress of March 16, 1906,
p , and the corresponding disbursements $15,000.00 and $7.000.00;
X for all of which proper vouchers are on file and have been
7 examined and found correct. . V
And We further certify that the expenditures have been solely
for the purposes set forth in the acts of Congress, approved
March 2, 1887,‘and March 16, 1906, and in accordance with r
_ the terms, of_said acts, respectively. r
LS ' (Signed) .
1- ` GEORGE B. KINKEAD,
‘ i p D. F. FRAZEE,
` (Seal)   . Auditors. ,
Attest: h _ `
` D. F. FRAZEE. 9 —
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 · l . { .
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
Kentucky Agncultural Expenment Station
FOR THE YEAR 1907. · T
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR
The Station as now organized consists of the following
divisions: - ` ,
Division of Correspondence, _ . I
Division of Chemistry, `
Division of Entomology and Botany,-
Division of Agronomy, .
Division of Animal Husbandry, 4
Division of Fertilizer Control \Vork, · `
Division of Food Control lllork, ‘
Division of Feed Control lvork,
and other inspection work.
The scope of tl1e Station work has been broadened by new
duties imposed. The Adains Act, approved Narch 16, 1906,
has given us opportunity for original research work. This Act,
as is known, provides additional appropriations for experiment
stations throughout the country, but the funds are available for
original research work only and the line of work undertaken .
must be approved by the Secretary of Agriculture. For the
fiscal year beginning July 1, 1907, we receive under this Act
$9,000.00; the next iiscal year we will receive $11,000.00, and
an additional two thousand dollars each year until the ainount
of $15,000.00 is reached, when this sum will be appropriated
annually. `
Obviously, only a few projects can be planned for at present,
under this Act, as they should be large, important undertakings
involving considerable expense, and it is essential that suiiicient

 *   [{G’)ltt’Ll/Citi'}/' Agréeulturctb Exper/imemf Station tix
funds be allotted each, so that the investigation may be carried
out in a thorough and eitective manner.
Under this Aet, our Station has undertaken several lines of
i Work. Dr. Peter is making a systematic study of the soils of
the State and experimenting, both in the chemical laboratory
and in plots in field and greenhouse, to ascertain, if possible,
some quick chemical method of analysis by wliielrthe wants of
a soil,. so far as plant food is eonee1·ned, can be readily learned. ·
It is planned to extend the work on soils in eo—operation with
the State Geological Survey until a soil map of the State shall
have been completed. A large nuniber of samples have already .
been colleetedfor this purpose. ‘ ·
Professor Garman is studying the nodule bacteria on the_
_ various clovers and otlicr legiiminous plants for the purpose of
; learning if the nodule bacteria of one species of plant can be
appropriated by others, and_to find out through this work, if
. possible, the cause ot` "elover'sickness."
Mr. Good is studying the.question of contagious abortion in
domestic animals, with`ttheiobject of learning whether or not `
{lll:lllX\lS("fl11 he made innnnne to the abortion germ.
The Adams Fund has given to the Stations a researeh tund
_ and thus given theiuian opportunity to undertake work, the ‘
results of ivhieh may, or may net. be sueeesstul and whieh may
take years to aeeoniplish. But. it one important discovery is .
made, it will he worth all the money and eiiiort given.
A law passel two years ago, entitled ‘_‘r\n Aetx regulating the
y sale ot eoneentrated eon;n1ereial feeding stuils. detining same ~
g, and tixing ptnalties tor violations thereot,” has also greatly
L, increased the duties ot the Station. The work beeanie so heav_Y
lt that a division was torined to earry it out properly, and Xlr.
_I. Turner was ilaeed in eharge ot the detail of the work. We ·
H I have had some ditlienlty in thoroughly executing this law, but
B we hope that the reeentr imposition of several lines upon dealers
,1: in Louisville, Newport. and (`ovington will bring good results.
d Our analyses show eonelusively the neeessity tor sueh a law, as
it a large pereentage ot teeds were tound on tirst. inspeetion to be
d adnlterated. The ineome from the teed work the past year was
$l—t.t1t1.oo.
JE, Therelis a great. demand tor Station workers to attend Idarni-
rs ers lttstttlttes, and we have had one or more members in insti-
it tnte work eontinuously during the past year.

   l ·` · - Q
· i V . V I \
X Twentieth Amzual Report of the
lVe have also had numerous requests for some member of the °
Station force to inspect creameries and dairy plants and to
make official tests of the butter and milk. of dairy cows. A
I mp1·0eei2i1en.ts.—Y\le have added greatly to our laboratories in
the way of apparatus, such as microscopes, bacteriological appa- ;
ratus, incubators foixgrowing germs, etc. » - ~
A laboratory for the Agriculturist has been fitted up in the _l
Station building for the mechanical separation of seeds and for
other work connected with plant breeding investigations, thereby
greatly increasing our facilities for this kind of work.
A new tobacco barn, for experimental purposes, has been »
erected on the Station farm and a small experimental laboratory _
_ has been fitted up in connection with it. The main object of -'
these new buildings is to experiment as to the cause and preven— i
tion of "house burning" of tobacco. The buildings are equipped '
with a blower, engine, boiler, heating coils, and the like, so that V? i
` the temperature can be kept-at any degree desired, and the -
amount of air controlled perfectly and kept either moist or dry ' ·_
as the experiments may indicate. - ` ,
A piggery of modern design has been erected for the purpose
- of making a number of experiments with pigs as to their growth, `_
fattening, etc., including a study of the improvementiwhich may
_ be effected in the soil by feeding or pasturing hogs in feed a11d
. pasture lots. V —— ’_
A new greenhouse has been constructed, which will be used _
for the study of soil fertility as demonstrated by pot experi- °
ments and in growing and studying insects, plants, plant dis-· `
cases, etc. This is as inodernybuilding in every respect, consist-
ing of two fifty—foot steel frame glass houses and a spacious head · ·
house, with work room and storage space. ‘
The Shelby Kinkead farm, consisting of forty acres, pur-
chased last spring, is now in the possession of the Station, and _
it will be surveyed for the purpose of establishing plot work
upon it. s ~ .
Pu?}Zieatfous.——Dui·ing the year we have published the fol- I
lowing bulletins:
Bulletin No. 129. 1,
Tobaceo— -
1. Selection of Seed Plants and Clare of Seed. ·
9. linprovcd Methods of ltlandling the Crop.
Y}. ldliminatiou of Undcsirable Varieties.

 I
y Kentucky Agricultural Escperintent Station xi
he Bulletin No. 131]
tg V A Concentrated Commercial Feeding Stuifs—
_ 1. Operation of the Feeding Stuffs Law.
m 2. Analyses of Inspectors’ Samples. i ·
m` V 3. Registrations for 1907. ` _ t '
', Bulletin No. 132; .
be · Commercial Fertilizers. · , p. , . A
Or The work of the several divisions ofthe Station during the
by year is herewith outlined: W . ‘ I
Oltcnuical Dt2'oision.——The work includes the complete analysis I
QH ` of 630 samples, including soils, minerals, waters, wheat, ores, `
YY -, forage plants, limestones, etc. Some interesting results have
Of . ` been obtained in a study of the percentage of phosphorus in the
m` soil of the Experiment Station farm at different depths. The
Gd V j . differences observed at any given point were very considerable,
mt ` and much larger percentages were obtained than had been an-
116 V ` ticipated. At one point ongthe farm the percentage of plies- .
YY i. phorus pentoxidei  P205) ranged from 1% at the first 6 inches
· to nearly 18 at the depth of 6 feet. The total amount of phos-
me _ phorus pentoxide in the whole depth of 7 feet of soil at this g .
Chr · `point, if calculated to the acre, would correspond to about two
ZW million pounds. . S l
ud As heretofore, many samples of rocks,—minerals and other ma-
,· teri als from all parts of the State have been tested, which are not
GSI p - counted in the foregoing number. The principal work of the K
T1` _` laboratory, however, has been upon soils, and a large number of _
IS" samples from different parts of the State have been analyzed to
$l?' determine the fertilizer requirements and to aid us in making
ad   i Suggestions for their treatment. Also a study of the presence of _
toxic substances of the soil has been made, especially as to the
U" influence, of certain decomposition substances which act as
Hd ~ poisons on tobacco plants.
mk Division of Entomology and Botany.—Tn this division the
t . time of part of the force has been occupied with work under the
O1" Adams Act, as stated before. The inspection of nurseries car-
_ ried out under the State law has afforded exceptional oppor-
· tunities for the studying of pests of fruit trees, and a bulletin
‘ along this line has been prepared, No. 133 of the Station series.
` - The testing of forage plants has been continued in the plots on
the Experiment Station farm} Other plots in the same tract
are devoted to entomological field work of different sorts, the

 xii Twentieth Annual Report 0f the _
plots in all numbering one hundred and seventy-tive. In addi-
tio11, this division has conducted a series of experiments in farm
rotation on twentieth-acre plots in eo—operation with the United .
_ States Department of Agriculture, tl1e latter paying for the ’
labor a11d supervision and the Station furnishing the land, tools
and teams necessary. The object of these experiments is to show
the best 111etl1ods of maintaining fertility in the soil in Kentucky
by the rotation of crops. Under this division, we have recently
established in Eastern Kentucky, at Hindman, tl1irty—two addi-
tional tenth-acre plots devoted to showing tl1e forage plants best
adapted to tl1e mountain counties of Kentucky. The farmers of
this section are pa1·tieula1·ly anxious to.get pasturage, especially
on the land from which the timber has been cut away. \Ve will
keep this up as a sort of sub-station fo1· a few years, when we
hope to reach 1·esults. \Ve are desi1·ous of making similar ex-
periments in lllestern Kentucky, especially on those lands west W
of the Tennessee River, and ifrfunds_are availahle,Awe hope to
begin our work there 11ext fall. V T
The seed inspection has occupied considerable time of one or
more members of the Division of Entomology and Botany dur-
ing the fall, winter and early spring months. Since July 1,
1907, 1'ive hundred a11d nineteen samples of seeds have been
collected and seven hundred and nineteen samplesj of seeds have
been examined for impurities, some of _these being collected
prior to July first of last year. ldourteen samples were found to
be adulterated and were reported to the prosecuting HitOl‘11€yS. 1
Nunierous samples sent us by farmers 2l11(l seedsmen have also
bee11 examined for impurities, and in some eases tested for-
germination. This work has been done without chargej —
The State Board of Healtli and the (lounty health authorities
have sent us a number of samples of drinking water, supposed
to be contaminated, from which they desired, especially, bac-
teriological examinations. Professor Garman has had this work
under his charge. The health authorities are beginning to real-
ize the necessity of such examinations, and we are receiving
more samples from year to year. 1\s this increases, it will be
a question as to whether it will not be necessary for the Station
to make some restrictions regarding this work, otherwise, it will
em·roa<·h upo11 our legitimate work bearing upon agricultural
lines. lllhile the food law does not contemplate the analysis

 '_ Kentucky Ag1`fC‘lLZttL7`dZ Experiment Station xiii
il of waters, still I believe this work might properly be turned
do _ over tothe State. I ,° I
Q , Diotszon of Ammal Husbaitdry.—Experiments in feeding p
S pigs have been made during the.year, especially with a com-
Qv parison of feeding corn alone and corn in connection with tank-
age. The. results of these experiments will be published in the
Y form,of a bulletin. The investigations relative to contagious
  abortion among horses and cattle have been continued. Astudy
it of the number of germs found in a given. quantity of milk
)f obtained from different dairies in the—State 1S now under way. I
Investigations in regard to sheep seab are also in progress, this
% work being taken up in response to requests from a number of
,6 sheep breeders in. the State. Mr.’Good has attended a number
Q- ef live stock meetings and farmers. institutes during the year.
gt The Station, under Mr. Good, has cooperated uvith the
to ~ United States Department of Agriculture,Dairy D1\`]SIO11,·111
~ placing a dairy expert in the State for the purpose of getting
dairymcn interested in testing their cows and keeping records I
Hi of feeds fed, also to visit co—operative creameries to give aid
in and S_llgg€Stl()I1S`l.11‘ all the problems confronting them. The
’ department furnished a man for this work, subject to the order '
in of the Director of the Station, the salary being paid by the
JG former. The department, as well as the Station, desires to con-
2% tinue the work during the next year.
y Division. of A,g1·o¢1on1y.—Mi·. Scheriiius, who is in charge of
iS' this division, has been conducting experiments on the Station t
SO farm and has also co—operative experiments with farmers in
O1" various parts of the State. ilixtensive experiments with tobacco
` have been conducted in co-operation with the United States
CS Department of Agriculture. For this purpose the department
gd furnishes two men and, in addition, pays three hundred dollars
tc` of Mr. Scherffius’ salary. The cooperative experiments were
lik conducted in several paris of the State and one in Tennessee
ll? last year. This year, on account of tobacco conditions in Ken-
JS tueky, the only experiments in the Burley district will be at the
be Station farm. Besides tobacco experiments with farmers, there
?n will bc co-operative experiments with clover, which will be con-
lll ductc_d at Bristow and IIoplr. lice Creams ...... _ ................ 3 34
Meat Products ................. ,. 79 20
Milk ......................... ; .493 154
Molasses, Syrup and Honey   . ...... 24 10 W
EKY Olive Oil ........... ". _. . :. . ._ ..... 6 . .
TO - Oil (table) ...................... 1 .. `
EN- Oysters and other Fish Products . , . . . 32 . . _ '
A\V. Pickles, Pepper and other Spices .   . . 25 31
y Preserves . . , .................... 6 28
Food Served in Restaurants ......... 15 9
Soda Fountain Syrups ............. 34 48 _
Vinegar ......................... _ 3 6 15 5
mbly I lVater from Pop Factories .......... . . ‘ 4
State Total, not found adulterated Q ............ 861 V
make Total, found adulterated . . ._ ............. 559
orod— I n.s·pection.—lnspections have been made in Ashland, Bards-
il not . town, Bardwcll, Beattyville, Benton, Bloomfield, Bowling
v be Green, Brownsville, Campbellsville, Carrollton, Clay City, Clin-
rizcd ton, Corydon, Covington, Cynthiana, Danville, Dixon, Ed-
Gcn— monton, Elizabethtown, Elkton, Eminence Falmouth, Fisher-
ville, Franklin, Frankfort, Fulton, Georgetown, Ghent, Glasgow,
Agri- Greensburg, Hazel, Henderson, Hickman, Irvine, LaGrange,
f the Latonia, Lawrenceburg, Lebanon, Lexington, Louisville, Lynn-
_ ville, Marion, Mayfield, Maysville, Midway, Morgantleld, Mur-
l,420 ray, Newport, Nicholasville, Owenton, Owensboro, Paducah,
t the Paris, Russellville, Shelbyville, Springfield, Stanton, Taylors-
—nine ville, Uniontown, Versailles and Warsaw.
, 332 »

 l ; ' '
xviii Twentieth Annual Report 0/* the `
Cases Reported and Cotiztuiczfious Ol)t(Ll·7L€d.—\VG have re- s
ported 470 eases to the various Commonwealth’s attorneys and
268 convictions have been secured; while 153 eases are still pend-
ing. Convictions have been obtained for selling spirit vinegar
as apple vinegar; canned corn sweetened with saecharin; eat-
snps containing anilin dye and an antiseptic; baking powder not
· labeled to show its class and character; `French peas colored. with
copper; fruit coloring made from poisonous coal—tar dyes; arti-
fieial flavoring extracts; mince meats adultcrated with glucose
and an antiseptic; sausages adultcrated with boraeie acid and
artificially colored; sweet mixed pickles adultered with saecha-
rin; oleomargarine adultcrated with boraeic acid; marasehino
cherries adultcrated with coal—tar dye and an antiseptic.; rasp-
berry preserves aduterated with glucose; apple stock, saccharin
and artificial color ; black pepper adultcrated with ground olive
pits; soda fountain syrups adultcrated with artificial color and
antiseptics; milk adultcrated. with formaldehyde and horacic
acid; milk adultcrated with added water and by skimming; milk
adultcrated by being produced in barns and from cows kept in
filtthy conditions; and unhygienic milk being kept in unclean
refrigerators and unclean depots.
- Special attention has been given to milk. As it is a product
so extensively used as a food for invalids and infants, it not only
should be free from adulterants but should reach the consumer
pure and clean. The milk should be produced from healthy
cows; the stables should be in a. sanitary condition; the milk
utensils and milkcrs should be clean and; if the milk is delivered
to depots, it should be kept iu clean refrigerators until delivered.
\\'e have made a thorough investigation of the milk supply of
Louisville, (j`ovington and Newport, and the work is being ex-
tended to other places.
f)(lI·l'[.(’.$ 1'l(’I’{]I·llf] ]}[s/I/Zcvjzj SZop.—lVe found the conditions in
dairies feeding distillery slop in and around liousville very un-
satisfactory. The cows were kept in close; unventilated; badly
drained barns and rarely; if ever, taken out. The primary
object was to fatten. the cows and sell them for beef, the milk ·
being a by-produet. .\n investigation showed that these condi-
tions had existed for a longtime, and that the city health author-
ities seemed unable to cope with the situation.
l§`inding such conditions, Xlr. ll. XXI. Allen; in charge of the _
Food Division of the Station, went to; l,ouisville with instruc-

 Kcmfuclcy Agricultural Experiment Station xix T
?‘ ` tions to examine thoroughly tl1e enti1·e milk