Annual report of the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station

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North Carolina Sfafe Library
Raleigh
The Work during 1 895
of the N. C. Agricultural
Experiment Station
ISSUED BY THE
NORTH CAROLINA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
RALEIGH, N. C.
Eighteenth Annual Report
January 31, 1896
407
Publications will be sent to any address in North Carolina upon application
N. C. Agricultural Experiment Station,
Office of Director, Raleigh, JST. C.
To His Excellency\ Elias Carr,
Governor of North Carolina.
Sir : I have the honor to submit herewith a report of the opera-tions
of the North Carolina A gricultural Experiment Station for the
year ending December 31, 1895.
This report is made in accordance with the following portion of
section 3 of the Hatch Act of the Congress of the United States for
the maintenance of agricultural experiment stations in the various
States and Territories
:
" It shall be the duty of each of the said stations, annually, on or
before the first day of February, to make to the Governor of the
State or Territory in which it is located, a full and detailed report
of its operations, including a statement of receipts and expendi-tures."
Trusting that this report will prove satisfactory to your Excel-lency,
I am, very respectfully yours,
H. B. Battle, Director.
in
N. C. COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS.
THE NORTH CAROLINA
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION,
INCLUDING
THE FERTILIZER CONTROL STATION
AND THE STATE WEATHER SERVICE,
UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE
N. C. STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.
W. F. Green, Chairman, Franklinton.
W. S. Primrose .„__.. Raleigh. | J. H. Gilmer Greensbero*
D. A. Tompkins Chariot! e.
H. E. Fries _ Salem.
N. B. Broughton Raleigh.
R. W. Wharton Washington.
J. B. Coffield Everett's
J. R. McLelland Mooresville.
Cyrus Thompson Richlands.
H. E. King Peanut.
E. A. Aiken Jeptha.
J. L Nelson Lenoir.
W. R. Capeheart Avoca. i Frank Wood.. .Edenton.
STAFF OF THE EXPERIMENT STATION.
H. B. Battle, Ph. D Director and State Chemist,
F. E. Emery, M. S Agriculturist.
Gerald McCarthy, B. Sc... Botanist and Entomologist.
W. F. Massey. C. E . . _ Horticulturist.
C F. von Herrmann (U. S. Weather Bureau) Meteorologist.
F. E. Hege .. . Poultry Manager.
F. P. Williamson, D. V. S Consulting Veterinarian.
B. W. Kilgore, M. S __ . ; . Assistant Chemist.
W. M. Allen Assistant Chemist.
C. B. Williams, B. C _ Assistant Chemist.
S. E. Asbury, B. S ... Assistant Chemist.
Alexander Rhodes . Aesistant Horticulturist.
Roscoe Nunn (U. S. Weather Bureau) Assistant Meteorologist.
A. F. Bowen Secretary.
KALEIGH, N O
iv
5
-
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Letter of transmittal in
Report of Director . . ix
The fertilizer control station ix
Relative amount of fertilizer business in 1895. as compared
withl894.. xi
Digest of fertilizer laws now in force XII
Increase in the number of brands and the difficulty in a proper
control . . - - xin
Valuations of fertilizers and how they are determined xiii
Average percentage composition of fertilizer on sale for several
years . . . . .
' xv
Bulletins containing fertilizer analyses xv
The Agricultural Experiment Station xvi
Scope of work xvi
Divisions of the station ... _ xvm
Equipment xvm
Publications of the station xix
Publications during the year 1895 XXI
Of the regular bulletins xxi
Of the state weather service division xxni
Of the special bulletins xxiv
Of the weekly weather crop bulletins . _ xxv
Of the press bulletins ... xxv
Of the annual reports of the station xxvi
Of the annual reports of the meteorological division xxvi
The value of the station's publications xxvi
Acknowledgments xxvn
Books and pamphlets xxvm
Papers and journals outside the state, 1895 xxix
Papers inside the state, 1895 xxx
The new poultry division xxx
The working force at the station xxxn
Farmers' institutes xxxn
Soil tests . :..... _-_ xxxm
Trucking interests ... ... xxxm
Tobacco work of the station xxxm
Educational bulletins xxxiv
Dairy and stock interests xxxiv
Tuberculosis in cattle xxxv
Hillside ditching xxxv
Walclensian colonists xxxvi
Fruit culture . . xxxvi
Methods of fertilizer analyses xxxvi
Co-operative horticultural work at Southern Pines xxxvm
Object XL
Management ... ... XL
Location of the experimental farm XL
Geology, climate and soil ... . . . . xli
Plan of the experiments xli
The work of the agricultural division xli
The work of the chemical division xliii
The work of the botanical and entomological divisions xliv
The work of the horticultural division XLV
The work of the meteorological division of the state weather ser-vice
. . ... xlvi
The work of the veterinary division xlvi
The work of the poultry division xlvii
Report of the agriculturist .
.
xlviii
Report of the first assistant chemist Li
Report of the botanist and entomologist Lin
Report of the horticulturist lvi
Report of the meteorologist lviii
Financial statement lxi
TABLE OF CONTENTS. v ij
PAGE.
Fertilizer analyses of the fertilizer control, including official analyses of
spring and fall samples of 1894 (bulletin No. Ill) .. ... _...._. 1
Trucking in the south. Especially adapted to the needs of North Carolina
cultivators (bulletin No. 112) 27
The testing of milk, including—1, the Babcock milk test; 2, the detection
of adulterations in milk; 3, buying and selling cows by tests of their
milk; 4, the practical value of milk testing (bulletin No. 113) 97
Tests of dairy interests and practices, including tests with—1, the Berrigan
separator; 2, the horizontal De Laval separator; 3, the Cooley creamer;
4, the ordinary milk-setting system; 5, the U. S. hand separator; 6, the
Victoria hand separator (bulletin No. 114) . .
.
... . . 129
Miscellaneous agricultural topics contained in the press-service bulletins of
September, 1894, to February, 1895 (bulletin No. 1 15) . _ . 161
Milk records and tests, including—1, milk record at the experiment farm;
2, variations of milk yield caused by variations in milking; 3. a test show-ing
that cows are affected by changes in stable routine (bulletin No. 116) 181
Tuberculosis and its prevention, including description of tuberculin tests
at this station (bulletin No. 117).. 197
Cotton-seed hulls and meal for beef production, including a discussion of
the digestibility of the rations; the effect of meal on the digestibility of
hulls; the fertilizing constituents of the rations recovered in the manure
(bulletin No. 118) .... . ........ ... .. .... 217
Volumetric estimation of phosphoric acid, including—1, the estimation of
phoshoric acid by titration of the yellow precipitate of ammonium phos-pho-
molybdate, by B. W. Kilgore; 2, the estimation of phosphoric acid in
soils by double precipitation with molybdic solution, and titration of the
ammonium phospho-molybdate with standard alkali, by C. B. Williams
(bulletin No. 119) ... „ .. . .. 257
Cultivation of the peach tree, including—1, the peach tree and its para-sites;
2, the planting, pruning and cultivation of the peach (bulletin
No. 120).--. . . . 281
Hillside terraces or ditches, with plates showing fields with incipient hill-side
washes, and deep gullies caused by incomplete ditching, and a Man-gum
hillside terrace on the farm of the N. C. College of Agriculture and
Mechanic Arts (bulletin No. 121) _ 317
Types of tobacco and their analyses. Production of, in the United States;
varieties and classifications, soils, fertilizers, development of nicotine in
the plant, composition of, burning qualities, relation between chemical
composition and burning quality, general observations (bulletin No. 122) 329
Miscellaneous agricultural topics contained in the press-service bulletins of
August to November, 1895 (bulletin No. 123) 369
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
DIRECTOR
OF THE
N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION,
FOR 1895,
TO THE GOVERNOR.
The North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station, as
has been frequently stated, was established in March, 1877,
with a twofold object in view—first, to act as a Fertilizer
Control Station; and second, as an Agricultural Experiment
Station in the true sense of the word. Until 1887, the Sta-tion
was supported entirely by the State from the tax on fer-tilizers,
but by legislative enactment of that year it received
the funds derived from the United States Hatch Act for the
maintenance of experiment stations in the various states and
territories, and the scope of the work was largely increased.
The Station receives at present also an appropriation from
the North Carolina Department of Agriculture for conduct-ing
the work of the Fertilizer Control. The report of the
work of the Station for 1895 is embraced under each of its
legal functions, the first being
I. THE FERTILIZER CONTROL STATION.
It is hardly necessary to revert to the fact of the value
that the fertilizer control has been to the farmers of North
Carolina since its organization in 1877. Millions of dollars
have been saved, not only in the prevention of actual losses
in fertilizer materials, but also in the losses many fold in
excess which would have accrued from disastrous crops con-sequent
upon the use of worthless applications.
It will be remembered that up to 1891, the fertilizer trade
was subjected to a license tax on each brand of fertilizer
sold in the State. Commencing from that year, the present
tonnage charge has been in operation.
N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
In order to show the character of the trade for a number
of years past, the subjoined table is inserted, giving the
character of the different brands on sale in the State during
previous years. It will be noted, however, that as licenses
did not lapse with the calendar year, a single brand could
extend through portions of two years. The numbers, there-fore,
while showing the number of brands licensed, do not
show the actual number on sale during each year. The large
increase in the number of brands after 1890 is due to the
change from the license tax on each brand to a definite charge
upon each ton.
1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895
Acid phosphates or simple super-phosphates
9 11 10 9 12 16 59 81 86 86 105
Superphosphates with potash . 10 9 8 7 5 4 13 24 22 24 36
Ammoniated superphosphates.— 63 66 58 62 62 63 178 232 264 284 330
Ammoniated superphosphates
without potash __ __ .. __ __ 15 12 5 12 11
Kainit - - - - - 19 25 29 35 38
Other potash salts and chemicals __ __________ 3 4 6 6 4
Animal bone — — — — — 3 3 9
Fish scrap — __________ 4 5 4 2 4
Miscellaneous 341121468 10 4
Totals 85 90 77 79 81 84 295 389 427 462 541
The number of brands accredited to the several States is
as follows, and furnishes an interesting basis for comparison,
as it shows to what an extent the trade is distributed among
the several States:
1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1892 1893 1894 1895
Massachusetts 3146223333 Connecticut 3 1 2 1 1 1 ______
New York 4311 2 18 10 87 New Jersey 2324453722 Delaware 444333-562 Maryland 31 35 29 25 28 25 98 106 93 88
Pennsylvania 1 1 5 12 7 6
Virginia 18 21 14 12 12 16 96 106 146 189
North Carolina 9 10 11 13 14 18 78 89 98 137
South Carolina 11 11 10 13 15 13 85 82 97 96
Georgia - __ - __ 13 7 I
Missouri __ __ __ .. — __ — 1 11
Totals __ 85 90 77 79 81 84 389 427 462 541
A casual glance at the above table will show how the num-ber
of fertilizer brands accredited to the states of Virginia,
North Carolina and South Carolina have increased. This is
especially the case with North Carolina, where the increase
has been very marked. As further illustrating this increase,
the following calculation is inserted, which shows the propor-tion
of the brands on sale which were manufactured in the
three States before mentioned, as compared with the total
number sold for the different years:
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. XI
THE NUMBER OF BRANDS OE FERTILIZERS MANUFACTURED IN THE THREH
STATES, VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTH CAROLINA, FOR THE YEARS
1885 TO 1895, IN PER CENTS OF THE WHOLE NUMBER.
1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1892 1893 1894 1895
Virginia ")
North Carolina [-44.70 46.67 45.45 48.10 50.62 55.95 66.61 64.87 73.81 78.00
South Carolina j
In reference to North Carolina alone, the change is more
decided. If we consider only the number of licensed brands
before 1891 as showing the relative amount of fertilizer sold
and the actual proportion of tonnage sold by North Carolina
manufacturers after 1891, the increase is very noticeable.
RELATIVE AMOUNT OF FERTILIZER BUSINESS HANDLED BY NORTH CAROLINA
FERTILIZER MANUFACTURERS, IN PERCENTAGES OF THE WHOLE.
North Carolina manufacturers f 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1893 1894 1895
sold in the various years in J
percentages of whole fertil- 1 6.38 6.97 10.00 11.11 16.46 21.43 36.95 37.73 42.15 44.24
izer trade
:
L
It can easily be seen, therefore, that the prediction ventured
in 1888 is becoming true This was, that in ten years one-half
of the fertilizers sold in North Carolina would be made
within her borders. This means a great deal in a commercial
way, for in a large measure the money is kept at home and
is serviceable in further use in other industries.
RELATIVE AMOUNT OF FERTILIZER BUSINESS IN 1895 AS COM-PARED
WITH 1894.
The following table shows the number of firms doing busi-ness
in North Carolina, together with the location of the fer-tilizer
factories and the relative amount of business done
during 1895 and 1894, for the fiscal year ending November 30,
as determined by the sale of tags for the same periods:
FIRMS DOING BUSINESS IN NORTH CAROLINA IN 1895, WITH RELATIVE
AMOUNT OF SALES AS COMPARED WITH 1894.
Number
of firms.
Number
of brands.
Average
number
of brands
per firm.
Relative amount
of business
handled.
1894. 1895. 1894. 1895. 1894. 1895.
|
1894. 1895.
Firms in North Carolina-
Virginia _
30
21
17
43
25
21
14
29
98
146
97
121
137
189
96
119
3 5
7 9
pr. ct.
42.15
37.84
8.69
11.32
pr. ct.
44.24
40.71
South Carolina-other
States
6
3
7
4
7.15
7.90
Total 111 89 462 541 5 6 1 100.00 100.00
The first thing that attracts attention in comparing this
table with previous ones, is that the trade is being concen-
Xll N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
trated into the two states of North Carolina and Virginia.
The reason must be that, considering the item of freights,
the trade can be more easily supplied by near-by points; also,
that the cost of manufacture is cheaper, and to a certain ex-tent
the raw ingredients can more cheaply be procured. The
result of these facts is that North Carolina now handles nearly
half the trade, and North Carolina and Virginia nearly
nine-tenths.
It is noticeable that a larger number of firms from distant
States register brands, but their trade is trifling compared
with North Carolina and Virginia firms. The average num-ber
of brands per firm is twice as great in South Carolina
than in North Carolina. Virginia has a still greater propor-tion
as compared with North Carolina.
Digest of Fertilizer Laws Now in Force.
In order to give a short and concise statement of all laws
now in operation in regard to the fertilizer inspection and
control, the following carefully prepared digest of existing
laws is inserted
:
No manipulated guanos, superphosphates, commercial fertilizers, or
other fertilizing material shall be sold or offered for sale, unless a ton-nage
charge of twenty -five cents per ton has been paid. Each barrel,
package, or bag must have attached a tag representing this fact, which
tags are issued by the Commissioner of Agriculture according to regu-lations
prescribed by the Department of Agriculture. The Department
of Agriculture has power at all times to have samples collected of any
fertilizer or fertilizing material on sale, which must be taken from at
least ten per cent, of the lot selected. These samples are taken from the
goods in the hands of dealers after they are shipped from the manufac-tories,
and accordingly represent the true grade of fertilizers offered for
sale.
Every package of fertilizer offered for sale must have thereon a plainly
printed label, a copy of which must be filed with the Commissioner of
Agriculture, together with a true sample of the fertilizer which it is pro-posed
to sell, at or before the shipment pf such fertilizer into the State,
and which label must be uniformly used and not changed during the
y^ar. The label must set forth the name, location, and uade-mark of
the manufacturer ; also the chemical composition of contents and real
percentage of the ordinary ingredients claimed to be present, together
with date of analyzation, and that all charges have been paid. There
must be no variation in the guaranteed percentages, but the bags must
be branded with the exact chemical composition of the contents. No
fertilizer can be sold with a content less than eight per cent, of available
phosphoric acid, two per cent, of ammonia, and one percent, of potash,
though in mixed goods these percentages are allowed to vary if there is
a large excess of some of the ingredients. Cotton-seed meal is exempted
from paying the tonnage charge ; also land plaster, agricultural lime,
oyster-shell lime, marl, and bulk materials for manufacturing purposes.
It is a misdemeanor, and a fine of ten dollars for each bag, for an agent
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. Xlll
or dealer to offer for sale any such fertilizer or fertilizing materials not
properly tagged, or a consumer to remove it, or a railroad agent to de-liver
it.
Any fertilizer or fertilizing material that does not contain the ingre-dients
as represented by the label is liable to seizure, and, after being
established, its value recovered by the Board of Agriculture. Any
person who offers for sale fertilizers or fertilizing material without
having attached thereto labels as provided by law, is liable to a fine of
ten dollars for each separate package—one half , less the cost, going to
the party suing, and the remainder to the Department ; and if such fer-tilizer
is condemned, the Department makes analysis of the same and
has printed labels placed on each package, giving the true chemical
ingredients of the same, and fixes the commercial value at which it may
be sold. The Department of Agriculture can require agents of railroads
and steamboat companies to furnish monthly statements of the quantity
of fertilizers transported by them. The Experiment Station analyzes
the samples of fertilizers taken by the official inspectors, and publishes
the same whenever needful.
Increase in Number of Brands, and the Difficulty in
a Proper Control.
During the year 1890, the last year of the license tax sys-tem,
there were 84 brands of commercial fertilizers licensed
to be sold in North Carolina. It is very easy to see, under
those circumstances (where the number of brands was small)
how much easier it was to supervise the fertilizer trade than
under the present tonnage system, where the number of
brands is almost unlimited. Under the operations of the
latter system, the number of brands, including fertilizing
ingredients, offered for sale in the State, has increased from
84 in 1890, to 541 in 1895. The difficulties met with in the
proper control of the fertilizer trade, under these conditions,
have accordingly been very greatly increased, since it is
essential that each and every brand of mixed fertilizer or
fertilizing ingredient found on sale should be analyzed one
or more times during each season,
Valuations Of Fertilizers, and how they are
Determined.
The valuations of the three constituents, available phos-phoric
acid, ammonia, and potash, are intended to give the
market price for cash at the seaboard of the ingredients
making up the fertilizer. The cash prices for small lots in
bags, free on board cars, are intended. These valuations are
made up early in January of each year, to run through the
spring and fall seasons. It is expected that there will be
xiv N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
variations in the market prioe of the ingredients during the
year, but this variation usually is not great. This is because
fertilizing materials are largely contracted for in advance
before the opening of the year. In most cases the ingredients
are already purchased, and the fertilizers already manipu-lated
before the beginning of the season.
The valuations of the constituents are fixed by careful ex-aminations
of existing trade conditions, the markets at im-portant
centres, and also from actual quotations given by
seaboard manufacturers and dealers upon the various ingre-dients
used for manipulating fertilizers. These quotations
are for cash in small lots free on board and bagged.
The relative commercial valuation given to the three val-uable
ingredients for the year 1895 was
—
For available phosphoric acid 4^ cents per pound.
For ammonia 14 " •' "
For potash 5 " " "
The valuation for potash remains the same as for several
years past. The phosphoric acid is reduced one-half cent
per pound, it being 5 cents in 1894. The ammonia is also
reduced by 1 cent, it being 15 cents per pound in 1894. This
decrease was caused by a fall in the price of ammoniates and
acid phosphates.
These figures were based as usual on the actual retail cash
price of the unmixed ingredients at the seaboard, in bags.
From the commercial valuation of a fertilizer, a farmer, by
using these figures, can see the actual cash worth at the sea-board
of the unmixed ingredients used in the fertilizer. For
interior points, freight of course, must be added. In the
bulletins showing the analyses of fertilizers, a table giving
the various freight rates from seaboard to interior points is
always inserted for convenience of buyers.
The following table shows the average percentage compo-sition,
by analysis and by guarantee, of fertilizers sold in
1890, in 1891, in 1892, in 1893, in 1894, and in 1895. The rel-ative
seaboard value, both by analysis and guarantee, is cal-culated
on the basis of the last valuations employed for 1895.
Except in one slight case, all the materials are very mate-rially
higher in grade than is guaranteed.
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. XV
AVERAGE PERCENTAGE COMPOSITION OF FERTILIZERS ON SALE
FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
YEAR.
T1890
| 1891
J 1892
1 1893
| 1894
(.1895
'1890
1891
1892
' 1893
1894
.1895
fl890
| 1891
j 1892
1 1893
! 1894
1 1895
AVAILABLE
PHOS. ACID.
AMMO-NIA.
POTASH
RELATIVE
SEABOARD
VALUE PR. TON
OF UNMIXED
INGREDIENTS.
KIND OF FERTILIZER.
oa
>>
<
pq
6
sa
3
>>
PQ
12.25
12.06
12.01
12.04
12.00
12.21
10.90
10.29
9.97
9.60
9.77
9.32
8.53
8.24
8.10
8.05
8.06
7.78
0Q
'53
a
<
>> w
05
0;
fl
<3
s-i a3
>>
pq
0D
'55
a<
>>
pq
"S
cS
33o
pq
05
02
>>
a<
>>
pq
a
3
pq
12.92
12.21
12.25
12.93
13.73
13.29
12.01
11.17
11.22
10.38
11.27
10.78
9.11
8.11
8.70
8.37
9.04
8.84
$ 11.63
10.99
11.03
11.64
12.36
11.96
12.61
11.71
12.16
11.12
1188
11.72
16.96
16.75
17.84
17.35
18.63
19.94
— — — $ 11.03 10.85
10.81 Acid phosphates 10.84
10.80
10.99
Acid phosphates with pot-
1.77
166
2.06
1.78
1.77
2.02
2.02
2.20
2.65
2.56
2.51
2.91
1.42
1.50
1.53
1.40
1.47
1.93
1.71
1.88
2.12
1.97
2.21
2.45
11.25
10.76
10.50
10.04
Ammoniated superphos-phates
with potash
2.41
2.59
2.63
2.59
2.85
3.26
2.29
2.51
2.46
2.47
2.76
3.05
10.26
10.32
15.80
16.32
16.30
16.13
17.19
17 99
Bulletins Containing Fertilizer Analyses.
The plan adopted during the season of 1892 for the first
time, in publishing the analyses of fertilizers, has been con-tinued
during 1895. This plan proved very acceptable to
buyers, and gave them a complete record of the standing of
the various brands already analyzed. Early in January of
1895, an analysis bulletin was published which included the
various analytical determinations in detail, namely: mois-ture,
soluble, insoluble, reverted, and available phosphoric
acid, nitrogen and ammonia, potash, and the relative com-mercial
valuation. There were also given the guaranteed
percentage of available phosphoric acid, ammonia, and pot-ash,
and the guaranteed value, using the Station's figures for
the valuation of the unmixed ingredients at the seaboard.
All analyses that were made during the year 1894, both in
the spring and fall seasons, were inserted therein. As buyers
do not purchase their fertilizers to a great extent before
March 1st, this gave ample time to distribute the bulletins
into the hands of those who desired to use them in their pur-
XVI N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
chases. This first complete bulletin was sent to the full
mailing list of about 14,000 names. Upon the back of the
title page was stamped the fact that the analyses for 1895
would be sent out every two weeks during the season, and
that parties desiring them would be supplied upon applica-tion.
The bi-weekly bulletins contained only the main results
of the analysis of each sample of fertilizer, viz.: available
phosphoric acid, ammonia, potash, mechanical condition of
fertilizer, and relative commercial value, together with the
percentages and valuation guaranteed by the manufacturer.
These short forms were chosen to facilitate printing the bul-letins,
the object being to place the analyses at the earliest pos-sible
moment, before those who needed them. For most prac-tical
purposes these short statements of results answer as
well as the complete analyses, though the latter are always
included in the analytical work, and are printed in the com-plete
bulletin.
The methods of fertilizer analyses are those of the associa-tion
of official agricultural chemists as modified by each an-nual
meeting.
II. THE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT
STATION.
The second object designed by the State laws of 1877, was
the establishment of a true Agricultural Experiment Station.
Its functions were to be both scientific and practical, and
experiments were to be carried on in various branches of
agriculture. The work was commenced and elaborated from
time to time as funds would admit, until 1887, when its
scope was largely augmented by the means obtained through
the Hatch Act of the general government.
The work of the Station, thus enlarged, embraces
—
I. Chemical and Microscopical Work, including
1. The analysis of all fertilizers legally on sale in the State.
2. The analysis of agricultural chemicals, of composts and home-made
fertilizers, and all materials from which they can be made.
3. The analysis of soils, marls, and muck.
4. The analysis of feeding stuffs.
5. The examination of seeds with reference to their purity, and
capacity to germinate.
6. The examination of grasses and weeds.
7. The study of insects injurious to vegetation.
8. The analysis of milk, butter, and other dairy products.
9. Investigation of fungous diseases of plants, and remedies de-signed
to eradicate them.
10. Such other chemical and microscopical investigations as are
demanded from time to time.
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. XV11
II. Experimental Work in the Field, Stable, and Dairy, including:
1. The effect of different fertilizers on various soils of the State.
2. The study of improved methods for the cultivation of the staple
crops.
3. The study of the best treatment of worn-out lands.
4. The study of the best system for the rotation of crops.
5. Chemical investigations, with practical experiments with cattle,
on the value of the various forage crops, especially those com-mon
in North Carolina.
6. Investigations upon the growth of new crops for this climate, in
comparison with those we now have.
7. The construction of the silo, and value of ensilage.
8. The study of the growth of cattle using different feeding stuffs.
9. Investigations in the production of milk and butter under dif-ferent
conditions, and with various implements.
10. Digestion experiments with stock, to ascertain the real value of
various food stuffs.
11. Experiments with the various feeding rations, to ascertain how
far the feeding standards can be relied on.
12. Tests to compare the value of different varieties of fruits, vege-tables,
and other horticultural products.
13. Investigations designed to develop the vineyard and trucking
interests of the State.
14. Investigations upon the diseases of cattle and domestic animals,
and the dissemination of information concerning the treatment
of various diseases.
15. Studies as to the best methods of enlarging the poultry business
of the State, and placing it upon a profitable footing.
16. Such other work from time to time as may be deemed advisable
for the interest of the agriculture of the State.
III. The Collection and Distribution of Meteorological Data,
such as will directly aid the various agricultural and horticultural
industries of the State. The work is of benefit in:
1. The distribution of telegrams to various portions of the State,
giving the probable state of the weather for the succeeding
twenty-four hours.
2. A foreknowledge of the coming of frosts and cold waves, thereby
protecting fruit, trucking, and tobacco interests.
3. The collection of various meteorological data ; and by obtaining
a more perfect idea of the various climatic conditions, to
extend to other localities the crops found useful in portions of
this and other States. Also to be able to present to others a
better knowledge of the State's unexcelled climate.
4. The collection and distribution of weekly reports showing the
effect of the weather on crops during successive periods of
their growth.
IV. A Bureau of Information upon all subjects connected with the
agricultural industries of the State. Under this head is included
1. Publications of the Station, embracing six different classes of
bulletins and three of reports. These publications contain the
results of the investigations carried on, as well as a resume of
work done elsewhere, in order to instruct or advance the gen-eral
agricultural interests.
2. Direct correspondence, through the various divisions of the Sta-tion,
with individual farmers, information being always given
as promptly and carefully as possible by those most competent
to do so.
3. Personal contact of the Station staff with farmers and others at
institutes and fairs, and by visits to farms, etc.
North Carolina State i.!h ( sry
Raleigh
Xviii N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
V. Samples for Examination.—Samples, when sent by citizens of the
State, fcr chemical or other examination, will be examined and their
value reported free of charge, under certain conditions and stipula-tions
—
1. If the experimental work of the Station will not be retarded
thereby.
2. If the work is of an agricultural character.
3. If the samples come from the sender's own lands.
4. If they are of sufficient public interest, and the Station is free to
publish the results.
5. If the samples are taken and sent according to the Station's
printed forms, and are fully described.
Divisions of the Station.
In order to facilitate the work of the Experiment Station,
it has been subdivided into
—
1. Executive Division. 6. Horticultural Division.
2. Chemical Division. 7. Meteorological Division.
S. Agricultural Division. 8. Poultry Division.
4. Botanical Division. 9. Veterinary Division.
§. Entomological Division. 10. Division of Publications.
Equipment.
The headquarters of the station are in the Agricultural
Building, Raleigh, immediately north of the State Capitol.
In the north wing are located the offices, the chemical labora-tories,
mailing room, and storerooms. On the basement floor
is the document room, where are kept the publications of the
station. On the third floor is situated the mycological labo-ratory,
botanical and entomological work-rooms; also the
meteorological division of the station, organized as the State
Weather Service, and co-operating with the United States
Weather Bureau. On the roof of the building and on the
third floor are located the various instruments for recording
meteorological observations. A thirty-five-foot staff for dis-playing
flags to disseminate weather forecasts is also upon
the roof, from which point the signals are visible from a con-siderable
distance.
The Experiment Farm is located about one mile and a
half west of the city, and adjoins the fair grounds of the
State Agricultural Society. It is in close proximity to the
grounds of the North Carolina College of Agriculture and
Mechanic Arts, and the students have access to the experi-ments,
and study their progress and their results. On the
farm are located the experimental dairy, silos, and barn, in
which are the cattle under test for production of beef, milk,
and other purposes. Here is also located the poultry work
of the station, comprising eight yards and the necessary
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. XIX
equipment for carrying on the work. Field-crop tests are
also conducted, as far as is possible, upon the land of the
farm. Here, also, is a portion of the field and plant-house
work of the horticultural division, the remainder being con-ducted
at Southern Pines. The experiment farm is con-nected
by telephone with the city offices. The electric cars
on the Hillsboro street line of the city, stop within easy walk-ing
distance of the farm.
Publications of the Station.
The publications of the station have been classified to
facilitate preparation, as well as preservation. The bulletins
and reports being of such varied character, and mailed to
different lists, there must necessarily be some confusion
unless this be done.
Accordingly, the following classification has been adopted:
A. Regular Bulletins.—Each edition 14,000 to 26,000
copies. For popular reading, with scientific .terms
avoided as far as possible. Numbered consecutively
82, 83, 84, etc. Sent to all names on the mailing-list.
Last issued during 1895 was No. 123.
B. Technical Bulletins.—Each edition 3,000 copies.
Numbered consecutively 1, 2, 3, etc.; also with corre-sponding
number of regular bulletin according to
date of issue, 77b, 80c, etc. Sent only to scientific list
and exchanges. Summaries of these issues appear in
regular bulletins. Last issued was No. 7—91d. This
series of bulletins since 1893 have been merged into
the series of Regular Bulletins.
C. Meteorological Bulletins.—Meteorological Division
(State Weather Service). Each edition 1,800 copies.
Numbered consecutively 1, 2, 3, etc. Sent only to
meteorological list and to exchanges. Subject-matter
is mainly meteorological data from various stations in
North Carolina. Last issued during 1895 was No. 75.
D. Special Bulletins.—Each edition varying in number
from 500 to 60,000 copies. For special purposes, as
occasion demands. Numbered consecutively 1, 2, etc.
Sent only to special names, as occasion demands.
This series includes the bi-weekly fertilizer bulletins.
Last issued during 1895 was No. 30.
XX N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
E. Weekly Weather Crop Bulletins.—Each edition
1,600 copies. Numbered consecutively 1, 2, 3, etc.,
during the year of issue. Gives weekly the effect of
the weather upon crops during the growing season.
Sent only to crop bulletin list and exchanges. Last
issued during 1895 was No. 27.
F. Press Bulletins.—Each edition 600 copies. Num-bered
consecutively 1, 2, 3, etc. Short reading articles
for newspaper columns. First number published was
May 24, 1890. Sent to newspaper exchanges and to
chairmen of experimental committees of alliances and
granges. Last issued during 1895 was No. 73.
G. Annual Reports of the Station.—Each edition 1,000
copies. Numbered consecutively with years, 1-1878,
2-1879, 3-1880, etc. Prior to 1888 these reports con-tained
results of the year's work, and took the place
of the separate bulletins which appeared thereafter.
The annual reports now contain copies of the regular
bulletins issued during the year. Sent to exchanges
only, and not to general mailing-list. Last issued was
seventeenth annual for 1894.
H. Annual Reports of the Meteorological Division,
constituting the State Weather Service. Each edition
2,000 to 4,000 copies. Numbered consecutively with
years, 1-1887, 2-1888, 3-1889, etc. Includes monthly
and annual means of meteorological data at various
stations in North Carolina and for the State, with other
records made and work done during the year; also
copies of meteorological bulletins of series C issued
during the year. Sent to meteorological exchange list
only. Last issue was eighth annual for 1894.
I. Biennial Reports of the Station.—Sent to the Gov-ernor
for transmission to the General Assembly.
Each edition 500 to 3,000 copies. Numbered consec-utively
1-(1887, 1888), 2-(1889, 1890), 3-(1891, 1892),
etc. These reports are demanded by State authorities,
and are not intended for general distribution. Last
issue was Eighth Biennial Report for the years 1893
and 1894.
J. Information Bulletin.—Designed for distribution to
collect information concerning practical and useful
plans of farm management or methods of cultivation
of different crops, etc., to be collated thereafter for use
in general bulletins. The last issue was No. 5.
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. XXI
Since the above general plan was adopted, it has been
found that some confusion occurred in the classification of
A and B (regular and technical bulletins). To remedy
this, it was decided to merge the latter series into the former,
and to give a popular summary of the technical work, which
summary is alone to be sent to the general list of farmers
throughout the State. The full detailed report of the tech-nical
work is mailed, as usual, to the scientific and exchange
lists. Others can secure each of these publications by spe-cial
application therefor. This plan prevents wasteful dis-tribution
of bulletins to those who do not have the time or
the inclination to investigate the detailed portions of the
technical work, and supplies to farmers only what they most
generally wish to know, i. e., the results of the work.
Publications During the Year 1895.
During the year 1895, seventy distinct publications have
been issued, subdivided as follows:
Series A—Regular Bulletins—13 bulletins, containing 384 pages.
" C—Monthly Meteorological Bulletins—12 bulletins, containing
200 pages.
" D—Special Bulletins—9 bulletins, containing 120 pages.
" E—Weekly Weather Crop Bulletin—27 bulletins, containing 27
pages.
" F—Press Bulletin—7 bulletins, containing 7 pages.
" G—Annual Report of Station—1 report, containing 88 pages.
" H—Annual Report State Weather Service—1 report, contain-ing
52 pages.
Total during 1895, 70 publications, containing 878 pages.
A. OF THE REGULAR BULLETINS, 13 ISSUES.
No. 111.—Fertilizer Analyses of the Fertilizer Control.
January 12, 1895. 26 pp. Including official analyses of spring and
fall samples of 1894. The Fertilizer Control Station. When analyses
of fertilizers are made for farmers. The necessity for accurate
sampling. The need of fertilizer analyses. Terms used in an an-alyses.
How the valuation of constituents are determined. How
values per ton are calculated, and how they can be utilized by
farmers. Table of freight rates from th« seaboard to interior points.
Analyses of 266 samples of fertilizers taken and analyzed during the
year 1894.
No. 112.—Trucking in the South.
Januarv 16, 1895. 70 pp. Especially adapted to the needs of North
Carolina cultivators. Preface. Introduction. Varieties of vege-tables
and their culture, including asparagus, beans (snap and
lima), beets, early and late cabbages, cauliflower and lettuce,
cucumbers, celery, egg plant, kale, muskmelons, watermelons,
onions, peas, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, radishes, tomatoes, and
turnips. Appendix. The mixing of fertilizers for trucking crops.
XX11 N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
Needs of certain trucking crops. Table of average weight of fertil-izing
constituents in 1,000 lbs. of trucking crops. Table of average
yield of trucking crops, and the weight of the fertilizing ingredi-ents
contained in them. Ingredients used in mixing fertilizers.
Table of average percentage composition of fertilizing ingredients.
Average cost of fertilizing ingredients. Special mixtures for special
crops. How to calculate the proportions of a fertilizer to yield defi-nite
percentages. Total cost of the ingredients in mixed fertilizers.
Table of freight rates from the seaboard to interior points, in car
load lots. Mixing the ingredients. Special formulas suggested for
trucking crops.
No. 113.—The Testing of Milk.
June 15, 1895. 32 pp. Preface. The Babcock milk test. The detec-tion
of adulterations in milk. Buying and selling cows by tests of
their milk. The practical value of milk testing.
No. 114.—Tests of Dairy Implements and Practices.
June 20, 1895. 32 pp. The Berrigan separator. The Horizontal De
Laval separator. The Cooley creamer. The ordinary milk-setting
system. The U. S. hand separator. The Victoria hand separator.
Table of contents. Comparisons with the Berrigan separator, the
Horizontal De Laval separator, the Caoley creamer, and the ordi-nary
milk- setting system in water and in air.
No. 115.—Miscellaneous Agricultural Topics.
June 22, 1895. 20 pp. Articles contained in the press service bulle-tins
of September, 1894, to February, 1895.
No. 116.—Milk Record and Tests.
June 24, 1895. 16 pp. Milk records at the Experiment Farm. Vari-ations
of milk yield caused by variations in milking. A test show-ing
that cows are affected by changes in stable routine.
No. 117.—Tuberculosis and its Prevention.
June 28, 1895. 20 pp. Introductory. Tuberculosis. Tuberculin testa
at this station. Test with Tuberculin by Dr. Joel Hill, Arcadia.
No. 118.—Cotton-seed Hulls and Meal for Beef Production.
July 6, 1895. 40 pp. A discussion of the digestibility of the rations.
The effect of meal on the digestibility of hulls. The fertilizing con-stituents
of the rations recovered in the manure.
No. 119.—Volumetric Estimation of Phosphoric Acid.
August 15, 1895. 24 pp. The estimation of phosphoric acid by titra-tion
of the yellow precipitate of ammonium phospho-molybdate.
The estimation of phosphoric acid in soils by double precipitation
with molybdic solution, and titration of the ammonium phospho-molybdate
with standard alkali.
No. 120.—Cultivation of the Peach Tree.
September 18, 1895. 36 pp. The peach tree and its parasites. Appa-ratus
and formulas. Insect enemies of the peach tree. The fungous
parasites of the peach tree. Legal measures for repressing infec-tious
diseases of the peach and plum. Varieties of peaches. The
planting, pruning, and cultivation of the peach. Shall we plant
seedlings or budded trees? Site and soil for a peach orchard. Plant-ing
an orchard. The kind of trees to plant. Planting the trees.
Pruning the tops after transplanting. Starting the top. Cultiva-tion
of the peach orchard. Fertilizers for the peach. Gathering
the crop. Varieties. Canning. The peach belt of North Carolina.
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT, XX111
No. 121.—Hillside Terraces or Ditches.
October 15, 1895. 12 pp. Plate showing field with incipient hillside
washes, and deep gullies caused by incomplete ditching. The level-ing
instrument. Plate showing a Mangum hillside terrace on the
farm of the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic
Arts. Crops are planted and cultivated upon the terrace. Laying
off the terrace. Farming the terrace.
No. 122.—Types of Tobacco and their Analyses.
November 7, 1895. 40 pp. Introduction. Production of tobacco in
the United States. Varieties and classification of tobaccos. Tobacco
soils. Fertilizers. The development of nicotine in the tobacco
plant. On separating the stem from the leaf in tobacco analyses.
The composition of various tobaccos. Burning qualities. Relation
existing between chemical composition and burning quality. Gen-eral
observations.
No. 123.—Miscellaneous Agricultural Topics.
December 14, 1895. 16 pp. Articles contained in the press service
bulletins of August to November, 1895.
C. OF THE STATE WEATHER SERVICE DIVISION, 12 ISSUES.
No. 64.—North Carolina Weather during January, 1895.
January 31, 1895. 16 pp. General remarks. Notes by voluntary
observers. Summary : atmospheric pressure, air temperature, pre-cipitation,
humidity, wind, and weather. Dates of thunderstorms,
hail or sleet, solar and lunar halos, and fog. Charts showing nor-mal
temperature and precipitation for January in North Carolina.
Tables of daily mean, maximum and minimum temperatures, and
daily precipitation. Monthly summaries from 54 observers.
No. 65.—North Carolina Weather during February, 1895.
February 28, 1895. 16 pp. Contents similar to No. 64. Monthly sum-maries
from 55 observers.
No. 66.—North Carolina Weather during March, 1895.
March 31, 1895. 18 pp. Contents similar to No. 64. Monthly sum-maries
from 56 observers.
No. 67.—North Carolina Weather during April, 1895.
April 30, 1895. 18 pp. Contents similar to No. 64. Monthly sum-maries
from 60 observers.
No. 68.—North Carolina Weather during May, 1895.
May 31, 1895. 18 pp. Contents similar to No. 64. Monthly summa-ries
from 56 observers.
No. 69.—North Carolina Weather during June, 1895.
June 31, 1895. 16 pp. Contents similar to No. 64. Monthly summa-ries
from 58 observers.
No. 70.—North Carolina Weather during July, 1895.
July 31, 1895. 18 pp. Contents similar to No. 64. Monthly summa-ries
from 57 observers.
Xxiv N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
No. 71.—North Carolina Weather during August, 1895.
August 31, 1895. 20 pp. Contents similar to No. 64. American As-sociation
of State Weather Services, with topics for discussion at
the fourth annual convention to meet at Indianapolis, Indiana, Octo-ber
16 and 17, 1895. Monthly summaries from 58 observers.
No. 72.—North Carolina Weather during September, 1895.
September 30, 1895. 18 pp. Contents similar to No. 64. Monthly
summaries from 53 observers.
No. 73.—North Carolina Weather during October, 1895.
October 31, 1895. 18 pp. Contents similar to No. 64. Monthly sum-maries
from 55 observers.
No. 74.—North Carolina Weather during November, 1895.
November 30, 1895. 16 pp. Contents similar to No. 64. Monthly
summaries from 49 observers.
No. 75.—North Carolina Weather during December, 1895.
December 31, 1895. 16 pp. Contents similar to No. 64. Monthly
summaries from 52 observers.
D. OF THE SPECIAL BULLETINS, 9 ISSUES.
No. 22.—Fertilizer Analyses of the Fertilizer Control.
February 16, 1895. 12 pp. First bi-weekly edition, season of 1895.
The present fertilizer laws. Terms used in an analysis. Howtheval-uations
of cc nstiUunts are determined. How values per ton are cal-culated,
and how they can be utilized by fartneis. Table of freight
rates from the seaboard to interior points. Analyses of 49 samples
analyzed by the fertilizer control.
No. 23.—Fertilizer Analyses of the Fertilizer Control.
March 2, 1895. 14 pp. Second bi-weekly edition, season of 1895.
Contents similar to No. 22. Analyses of 96 samples analyzed by the
fertilizer control.
No. 24.—Fertilizer Analyses of the Fertilizer Control.
March 16th, 1895. 16 pp. Third bi-weekly edition, season of 1895.
Contents similar to No. 22. Analyses of 133 samples analyzed by
the fertilizer control.
No. 25.—Fertilizer Analyses of the Fertilizer Control.
March 30, 1895. 18 pp. Fourth bi-weekly edition of the fertilizer con-trol.
Contents similar to No. 22. Analys-es of 179 samples analyzed
by the fertilizer control.
No. 26.—Fertilizer Analyses of the Fertilizer Control.
April 13, 1895. 20 pp. Sixth bi-weekly edition, season of 1895. Con-tents
similar to No. 22. Analyses of 224 samples analyzed by the
fertilizer control.
No. 27.—Fertilizer Analyses of the Fertilizer Control.
April 27, 1895. 4 pp. Sixth bi-w eekly edition, season of 1895. Issued
as a supplement to No. 26. Analyses of 31 additional simples ana-lyzed
by the fertilizer control.
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. XXV
No. 28.—Agricultural Suggestions to the Waldensians.
May 4, 1895. 26 pp. General suggestions. Growing wheat. The
corn crop and subsequent rotation. Irish potatoes. Cabbages for
winter use. Sweet potatoes. Turnips. Early spring cabbages.
What is manure? Recuperative crops and the rotation of crops.
Taking care of home-made manures.
No. 29.—Fertilizer Analyses of the Fertilizer Control.
May 11, 1895. 4 pp. Seventh bi-weekly edition, season of 1895. Con-tents
similar to No. 27. Analyses of 50 samples analyzed by the fer-tilizer
control.
No. 30.—Fertilizer Analyses of the Fertilizer Control.
May 25, 1895. 4 pp. Contents similar to No. 27. Analyses of 53 sam-ples
analjzfd by the fertilizer control.
E. OF THE WEEKLY WEATHER CROP BULLETINS, 27 ISSUES.
Nos. 1 to 27.—Weekly Weather Crop Bulletin.
April 8, 1895, to October 5. 1895. Issued every Monday afternoon dur-ing
the cr< p season. 365 reporters, representing all of the 96 coun-ties
of the State.
F. OF THE PRESS BULLETINS, 7 ISSUES.
No. 67.—February 25, 1895.
Articles: The Experiment Station bulletins. Fertilizer analyses for
1895 Hog cholera. The ox warble or heel fly. How relative values
per ton are calculated for fertilizers, and how they can be utilized
by farmers. Cotton-seed feed. Questions and replies. Influence
of the moon. Feeding cotton-seed products. Top-dressing for
clover. Building a silo. Cutting oats for feed.
No. 68.— March 15, 1896.
Articles : Cow-peas for distribution. Teosinte. Sacaline.
No. 69.— August 20, 1895.
Articles : Harvesting and threshing cow-peas by machinery. Insect
pests of shade-trees. Advanced monthly summary of meteorologi-cal
reports for North Carolina, July, 1895. North Carolina weather
during 1894. Feeding calves. Questions and replies. Acid phos-phate
of different grades. Grasses for hay and comparative values
of hay. The lesser lccust injuring crops.
No. 70.—October 28, 1895.
Article : Co operative creamery associations.
No. 71.—October 29, 1895.
Articles: Crop conditions during September, 1895. Rust in small
grain. Advanced monthly summary of meteorological reports for
North Carolina, September, 1895. The North Carolina Agricultural
Experiment Station during 1894. Co-operative dairying. Truck-ing
in ihe South. Questions and replies. Onions for market. The
harlequin bug. Beets for stock feed. Variety of trees for peach
orchard. Varieties of trees for apple orchard.
XXvi N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
No. 72.—November 20, 1895.
Articles: Bae culture at the Experiment Station. Bee culture. The
care of bees in winter.
No. 73.—November 30, 1895.
Articles : Buying and selling cows by tests of their milk. Beware of
travelling seed-peddlers. The new poultry division. Advanced
monthly snmmary of meteorological reports for North Carolina,
Ootober, 1895. The testing of milk. A new cabbage pest. Ques-tions
and replies. The growing of onions. Do oats impoverish the
soil more than wheat?
G. OF THE ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE STATION, 1 ISSUE.
No. 17.—The N. C. Agricultural Experiment Station during
1894.
January 31. 1895. 88 pp. Bound with the bulletins issued during
1894, pp. 606. Report of the director. Letter of transmittal. Offi-cers
of the Board and Experiment Station. Illustrations showing
some of the station work at Raleigh. The fertilizer control station.
The agricultural experiment station. Report of the agriculturist.
Report of the first assistant chemist. Report of the botanist and
entomologist. Report of the horticulturist. Report of the meteo-rologist.
Financial statement. Bulletins Nos. 94 to 110 inclusive
issued during 1894.
H. OF THE ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE METEOROLOGICAL
DIVISION, 1 ISSUE.
No. 8.—North Carolina Weather during the year 1894.
April 19, 1895. 52 pp. Bound with the bulletins issued during 1894.
256 pp. Publications of the North Carolina State Weather Service
for 1894. Collection of meteorological data, and list of meteorolog-ical
stations and observers during 1894. Weekly weather crop bul-letin
and list of crop correspondents during 1894. Weather and
temperature forecasts, and lists of stations in North Carolina re-ceiving
forecasts during 1894. Brief account of the river and flood
service in North Carolina. Annual meteorological summary for
1894. Comparisons of temperature and precipitation at stations in
North Carolina, United States, and in foreign countries. Charts of
normal annual temperature and precipitation for North Carolina.
Bulletins Nos. 52 to 63 inclusive, issued during 1894.
The Value of the Station's Publications.
Of the value that the station's publications have proven
to readers, we are constantly receiving evidence from one
end of North Carolina to the other, and from other states
and countries. The plan of sending to each name listed
popular summaries of the subjects treated, in place of the
more elaborate and complete details where such will be of
little general interest, has continued to be appreciated in
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. XXV11
the same measure. The following extract from the New
York Weekly World will illustrate the favor with which this
plan is received:
"The condensed summary of bulletin No. 93, of the North
Carolina Station, is short, simple, and admirably adapted to
the purpose in view—that of compelling the attention of the
man who throws the ordinary bulletin aside unread. Nor
is he entirely to be blamed for this neglect. The farmer,
tired after a hard day's work, cannot be expected to have
any inclination to wade through a long scientific account of
experiments described in language which necessitates the
constant use of a dictionary. He wants facts, expressed sim-ply
and tersely. This the North Carolina Station has at-tempted
in its recent bulletin, and it is to be congratulated
on the result. The feeding experiments it reports will be
read with interest and profit by all those interested in fat-tening
beeves for market."
Another advantage which results from the adoption of the
plan is that the Station is enabled to issue more bulletins
wilh a given amount of printing fund.
The press service bulletins continue to prove of much in-terest
and value to many. These popular articles for gen-eral
reading present the work of the Station in a short, con-cise
way, and include other information of general agricul-tural
interest. A special feature of these bulletins is the
Question and Reply column.
A revision of the mailing lists of the Station has been
found necessary, on account of the many removals, deaths
and other causes. This has been successfully accomplished,
though the task is tedious and expensive. The list at this
writing includes 16,482 names, the large majority being
names of farmers in North Carolina. It is needless to say
that the list is constantly increasing.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
The Station takes pleasure in acknowledging the receipt
during 1895 of the books and pamphlets, journals and news-papers
stated below. The reports and bulletins of the U. S.
Department of Agriculture, and of the various experiment
stations in the different states, Canada, and abroad, are not
included in the list, but are regularly received.
XXviii N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS.
Royal Agricultural Society, London, England. Journal of Society;
vol. 5, part 4; vol. 6, parts 1, 2 and 3.
Prof. E. A. Smith, State Geologist, University Alabama. Geological
Map of Alabama. Coastal Plain of Alabama. Report on Coosa Coal
Fields.
Georgia Department of Agriculture, Atlanta. Publications of the De-partment
for 1894,
Col. F. H. Cameron, Raleigh. Report of Adjutant- General of North
Carolina for 1894.
North Carolina Railroad Commission, Raleigh. Report for 1894.
California Board of Horticulture, San Francisco. Report for 1894.
North Carolina Bureau of Labor Statistics, Raleigh. Report for 1894.
Society for Promoting Agriculture, Boston, Mass. Infectiousness of
milk.
Florida Horticultural Society, Jacksonville. Proceedings for 1894.
Dr. J. L. Miller, Goldsboro. Report of Superintendent of Eastern
Hospital, Goldsboro, N. C. ; for 1894.
Minnesota Dairy and Food Commission, St. Paul. Report for 1894.
W. A. Burpee & Co., Philadelphia. Work at Fordhook Farm.
New York Board of Health, Albany. Report for 1894.
New York City Health Department. Scientific Bulletin, No. 1.
American Museum of Natural History, New York City. Bulletin,
vol. 6, 1894.
German K*li Works, New York City. Die Kalidiingung.
Society of Natural History, Cincinnati, Ohio. Journal for 1894.
Michigan Board of Health, Lansing. Proceedings for 1894.
Prof. T. Jamieson, Aberdeen, Scotland. Proceedings of Agricultural
Research Association for 1894.
Oregon Board of Horticulture. Portland. Report for 1894.
Schimmel & Co., New York C.ty. Semi-annual Report for 1894.
C. G. Lloyd, Cincinnati, O. Drugs and Medicines of North America.
Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society, Chapel Hill, N. C. Journal of the
Society for 1894; parts 1 and 2.
Kansas Board of Agriculture, Topeka. Report for 1894.
North Carolina B^ard of Htalth, Raleigh. Fifth Biennial Report for
1893 and 1894.
Mac sachusetts B3ard of Agriculture, Boston. Report for 1894. Re-port
on the Gypsy moth, 1894.
North Dakota Department of Agriculture and Labor, Bismarck. Re-port
of Commissioner for 1894.
Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis. Report for 1894.
University of Iowa, Iowa City. Laboratory Bulletin, No. 3.
Auditor of North Carolina, Raleigh. Report for 1894.
Depart mf nt of Health, Chicago, 111. Report for 1894.
Florida Department of Agriculture, Tallahassee. Report of Commis-sioner
for 1894.
New Hampshire Board of Agriculture, Concord. New Hampshire
Agriculture for 1894.
Michigan State Board of Health, Lansing. Rep >rt for 1894.
Dr. J. A. Lintner, State Entomologist, Albany, New York. Bulletin
of New York State Museum, Vol. 3, No. 13.
A. I. Root, Medina, Ohio. A B C of Bee Culture.
Maine State Board of Health, Augusta. Report for 1894.
Sir J. B. Lawes, Rnthamsted, England. Memoranda of Origin, Plan
and Results ( f Field Experiments at Rothamsted for 1894.
Prof. J. R. Hunter, Richmond, Va. Relation of the Anilides of Or-thosulphobenzoic
Ac'd.
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. XXIX
Minnesota Horticultural Society, Minneapolis. Report for 1894.
Ontario Department of Agriculture, Toronto. Report for 1894.
Ohio Dairy and Food Commission, Columbus. Report of the Com-missioner
for 1894.
E. Willis, Charleston, S. C. Trade Review of Charleston, S. C, for
1894.
Thomas Sturgis, New York City. Proceedings of the New York
Farmers for 1894.
Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane, Norristown. Report on Bovine
Tuberculosis. Clinical and Pathological Notes.
Wm. B. Phillips, Birmingham, Ala. Notes on Magnetization and
Concentration of Iron Ore.
Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Boston. Transactions of Horti-cultural
S ciety, 1894; part 2.
Department of Interior, Washington, D. C, (by courtesy of Hon. B.
H. Bunn.) Eleventh Census. Churches. Indians. Selected Indus-tries.
Transportation by Water.
American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, Pa. Report for 1895.
3^ J PAPERS AND JOURNALS OUTSIDE THE STATE, 1895.
Agricultural Epitomist Indianapolis, Ind.
Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales Sydney , Australia.
Agricultural South _ Atlanta, Ga.
American Agriculturist New York, N. Y.
American Dairyman New York, N. Y.
American Farmer .Washington , D. C.
American Grange Bulletin and Scientific Farmer. Cincinnati, Ohio.
American S wineherd Chicago, 111.
Baltimore Sun ..Baltimore, Md.
California Cultivator and Poultry Keeper Los Angelas, Cal.
Carolina Planter _ ..Florence, S. C.
Clover Leaf South Bend. Mich.
Cotton Plant . Columbia, S. C.
Elgin Dairv Report .Elgin, III.
Farm and Dairy Ames, Iowa.
Farm and Home Springfield, Mass.
Farm and Home Melbourne, Australia.
Farm and Fireside Springfield, Ohio.
Farm and Orchard Las Cruces, N. M.
Farm, Field and Fireside Chicago, III.
Farm Journal Philadel phia , Pa.
Farm Magazine Knoxville, Tenn.
Farmers' Advocate Burlington, Vt.
Farmers' Advocate. London, Ontario.
Farmers' Guide _ Huntington , Ind.
Farmers' Home Dayton, Ohio.
Farmers' Magazine . Springfield. III.
Florida Farm and Fruit Grower Jacksonville, Fla.
Gleanings in Bee Culture Medina, Ohio.
Grange Visitor Charlotte, Mich.
Hoard's Dairyman Fort Atkinson, Wis.
Home and Farm Louisville, Kv.
Homestead Des Moines, Iowa.
Horticultural Gleaner Austin, Texas.
Hospodar Omaha, Neb.
Industrial American Lexington, Ky.
Louisiana Planter New Orleans, La.
Mirror and Farmer Manchester, N. H.
XXX N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
National Dairyman and Messenger .Kansas City, Mo.
Ohio Farmer Cleveland, Ohio.
Oregon Agriculturist Portland, Oregon.
Pacific Coast Dairyman Tacoma, Washington.
Peninsula Farmer ...Federalsburg, Md.
Practical Farmer Philadelphia, Pa.
Progressive South. Richmond, Va.
Southern Cultivator Atlanta, Ga.
Southern Farmer New Orleans, La.
Southern States Magazine Baltimore, Md.
Swine Breeders' Journal _ Indianapolis, Ind.
Trade Journal Baltimore, Md.
Wallace's Farmer Ames, Iowa.
Weekly Times Melbourne, Australia.
PAPERS INSIDE THE STATE, 1895.
Alamance Gleaner (Graham). North Carolina Baptist (Fayette-
Asheville Citizen. ville).
Beaufort Herald. Patron and Gleaner (Lasker).
Caswell News (Yanceyville). Press and Carolinian (Hickory).
Caucasian (Raleigh). Progressive Age (Aurora).
Charlotte Democrat. Progressive Farmer (Raleigh).
Charlotte Observer. Roanoke News (Weldon).
Chatham Record (Pittsboro). Salisbury Watchman.
Concord Standard. Stanly News (Albemarle).
Concord Times. Statesville Landmark.
Davie Times (Mocksville). Southern Poultryman and Dairyman
Durham Sun. (High Point).
Economist-Falcon (Elizabeth City). Tarboro Southerner.
Eastern Reflector (Greenville). * Tar Heel Poultryman (Shelby).
Elizabeth City News. Union Republican (Winston).
Franklin Press. Warrenton Record.
Free Press (Kinston). Washington Progress.
Greensboro Patriot. Washington Gazette.
Headlight (Goldsboro). Waynesville Courier.
Henderson Gold Leaf. Western Sentinel (Winston).
Hendersonville Times. Wilkesboro Chronicle.
Mecklenburg Times (Charlotte). Wilson Mirror.
Messenger and Intelligencer Wilson Times.
(Wadesboro).
Monroe Enquirer. North Carolina Medical Journal
Monroe Journal. (Wilmington).
Morganton Herald. Bulletin North Carolina Board of
Murphy Index. Health (Raleigh).
The New Poultry Division.
The Station has added during the latter part of the year
another division to the several already in operation, known as
the Poultry Division. It has long desired to commence op-erations
in this particular line of work, and it is with much
satisfaction that the work can now be commenced. The
smaller industries of any state or nation are really those that
prove of greater benefit to the masses. It is more easy to
embark in them, on account of smaller capital and labor
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. XXXI
required. Experience has shown that the multiplication of
these industries gives better and more promising results than
do a few large manufacturing or other plants that only benefit
a limited section.
This will apply equally as well to agricultural industries.
Poultry is one of these smaller industries, and can be con-ducted
by almost every household with direct benefit to them-selves,
and as a prospective money crop when they are suf-ficiently
able to supply the market with these productions.
There is no sufficient reason why the various sections of this
State should not produce and ship these products to other
markets. By proper instruction in the care, management
and shipment, it will not be long before valuable results will
be reached. The large markets consume at high values all
of the best poultry shipped to them, and we are sufficiently
near for us to supply them from this State. It can only be
a question of time before the proper methods for managing
such a problem can be thoroughly communicated to those
interested, before an important money crop can be added to
our other diversified industries.
The relative amount of poultry raised in North Carolina,
as compared with the whole country, can be seen below, as
well as the quantity of eggs produced during the year pre-ceding
the time (June 1, 1890) when the data contained in
the eleventh census was collected
:
In North Carolina. In United States
.
On Farms, June 1, 1890
—
Chickens 7,507,593 258,871,125
Turkeys 197.420 10,754,060
Geese 375.991 8,440,175
Ducks-. 169,409 7,544,080
Produced during 1889—
Eggs (dozens) 11,755,635 819,722,916
In relation only to population, compared with the whole
country, the State should produce fully twice as great a
number of eggs as at present; and considering her other
advantages, the increase should be many times as large.
As to the actual work that will be attempted, it can be
roughly outlined as follows:
1. The employment of a suitable specialist to have the de-tailed
charge of this division.
2. The procuring of various breeds of poultry, and by ac-tual
breeding tests to show the most desirable ones suited
for the special object in view—whether for producing early
XXX11 N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
poultry for shipping, for egg production, for crossing on com-mon
stock, etc. The poultry yards have been located at the
Experiment Farm, where they are at the same time con-venient
to visitors at the State Fair. Tests will also be made
with the artificial hatching and raising of chickens.
3. The publication of educational bulletins will be inau-gurated
in this division to draw the attention of the people
of the State to this important branch, and to suggest the
best methods for taking care of and raising poultry, the dis-eases
met with and best treatment for them, the best plans
for shipping and marketing such products, etc.
The poultry manager who has been selected to be placed
in charge of the division is Mr. F. E. Hege, a poultryman of
large experience and of wide resources, formerly of the River-side
Poultry Farms of Newbern, N. C. He entered upon his
work in December, on the farm of the Station adjoining the
State Fair Grounds.
The Working Force at the Station.
The working force of the Station has been the same as in
past years, with the following exceptions: Mr. B. W. Kilgore
was granted leave of absence dating from October of the
current year to June, 1896, for the purpose of pursuing adt
vanced studies. Mr. S. E. Asbury, instructor in chemistry a-the
A. & M. College, was temporarily employed to do chem-ical
work in the laboratory of the Station during the above
time. Mr. F. B. Carpenter resigned his position as second
assistant chemist early in November, and the place has not
been filled at the end of the present calendar year. In the
poultry division newly organized, Mr. F. E. Hege of New-bern,
N. C, has been employed as poultry manager, and be-gan
work December 1.
Farmers' Institutes.
The Station has aided the Commissioner of Agriculture in
holding farmers' institutes in various portions of the State
by sending, whenever possible, without detriment to the
work in hand, some representative from its staff. It is be-lieved
that much good has resulted from these institutes,
and that the time of the representatives has been wisely
spent. #
eighteenth annual report. xxx111
Soil Tests.
The Station has again attempted during the past year a
series of soil tests in co-operation with farmers throughout
the State, mainly old students of the agricultural college.
The conditions surrounding the work are, however, so di-verse,
that coupled with the impracticability of sending a
station representative to each locality to be present at impor-tant
dates during the raising of the crops, the results have
been inconclusive, and make it hardly advisable to continue
the work during succeeding years.
A notable soil test with Irish potatoes was begun on the
experiment farm with over 250 varieties, but unfortunately
the bad weather conditions caused the crop to fail, and the
results are of but little value.
Trucking Interests.
The trucking interests of the State being of such great
magnitude, a special publication was issued during the early
part of the year, intending to give information upon every
branch of the industry, and to embrace all of the crops that
are usually grown or could be grown with profit. The sub-ject
of fertilizing was treated in detail, as ordinarily too little
care is taken in reference to this very important part of crop
growing. The subject of the use of glass for forcing early
truck crops and for securing plants for early transplanting,
also was fully discussed in this publication. The applica-tions
for this bulletin embraced all sections of North Caro-lina,
nearly all of the Southern States, and many other states
as well.
Tobacco Work of the Station.
During the year, another publication was issued regarding
tobacco. The types of tobacco grown throughout the United
States in comparison with those grown within our borders
were described and discussed, and careful and complete an-alyses
of the leaf of each variety and type was made. The
object was not only to determine their relative composition,
but also to ascertain what ingredients were extracted from
the soil by their growth. An improvement in the manner
of making these analyses was instituted. It consisted in the
separate analysis of the leaf independent of the midrib, and
again of the midrib itself. Heretofore analyses have been
usually made of the leaf portion alone, without consideration
XXXIV N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
of the midrib. In the analyses above referred to, the two
portions analyzed were also combined in proper and relative
proportions, and the analysis of the whole leaf was obtained
as well as of the separate parts. The percentage of the mid-rib
in the whole leaf varied from 17 to 34 per cent. The
subject of burning quality was also carefully considered, and
the relative burning capacity for each type was determined.
Educational Bulletins.
The Station has often had opportunity to see the very
great value the system of educational or popular bulletins,
which it inaugurated some years ago, has proven to the peo-ple
at large, for whom they were written. As the name im-plies,
the bulletins are free from technicalities as far as pos-sible,
and embrace subjects of practical and immediate value.
They are written to meet the standpoint of the farmer who
desires the subjects to be treated in a plain but comprehen-sive
way, and such as will give him the exact information
he desires, consistent with the many conditions, local and
otherwise, which must be considered. The appreciation of
such a series of publications is shown by the large number
of applications, not only from our own State, but from other
states and countries, as well as from the letters that are re-ceived
and expressions that are heard regarding their value.
The system of press bulletins continue to be an important
adjunct to the educational bulletins, in more widely distrib-uting
information of the subjects treated, as well as the gen-eral
work also being conducted at the Station. The plate-matter
plan for these press bulletins we regard of very great
value, and cordially recommend it. Its operations have
proved of such value that the columns prepared for this ser-vice
have been reproduced in the regular bulletins of the
Station in two instances during the year.
Dairy and Stock Interests.
To assist in furthering the dairy interests of the State, the
Station has in the past year issued three bulletins relating
to the subject, including the following: The Testing of Milk,
including the Babcock milk test, the detection of adultera-tions
in milk, buying and selling cows by tests of their milk,
and the practical value of milk testing. Another bulletin
treated of: Tests of dairy implements and practices, includ-ing
the Berrigan, DeLaval, U. S. Hand and Victoria separa-
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. XXXV
tors, the Cooley creamer, and the ordinary milk-setting sys-tem.
A third bulletin discussed milk records and tests, in-cluding
milk record at the Experiment Farm, variations of
milk yield caused by variations in milking, and a test show-ing
that cows are affected by changes in stable routine.
The result of feeding and digestion experiments for the
year have been partially recorded in bulletin 118, descrip-tive
of the work on cotton-seed hulls and meal for beef pro-duction.
The digestion work on the more common feed
stuffs has been continued, and will be presented in forth-coming
bulletins. The object of this work1 will be to draw
attention to the real value of these foods, either alone or in
combination, and to the worth of certain rough stock foods
that are now to a great extent allowed to go to waste.
Tuberculosis in Cattle.
Attention has been drawn to this subject by the publica-tion
of a bulletin on " Tuberculosis and its Prevention." Be-sides
describing in detail the nature of this disease and its
effect on the human family, through infection by means of
milk, certain plans well tried and recommended by eminent
authorities are given, which will tend to prevent the spread
of this contagious and distressing disease. The bulletin also
details the result of the examination of the Station herd, and
one other herd in the State, with the use of tuberculin, which
was kindly furnished by the Veterinary Division of the United
States Department of Agriculture.
Hillside Ditching.
As such a large area of the State is hilly, being consider-ably
more than one-half, and the question of preventing
wasteful washes upon them of such great importance, it was
considered that, if public attention was drawn to the fact that
an easily-constructed system of ditching or terracing could
be put in operation on every farm, that the publication of
this fact might prove of great permanent advantage to a very
large portion of the State. The construction of what is known
as the Mangum hillside terrace was fully described and illus-trated
in a bulletin of the Station. The great advantage of
this system is that crops can be planted and cultivated upon
the terrace, which fact prevents the waste of land ordinarily
caused by the usual hillside ditch, and also renders impossi-ble
the growth of weeds and other noxious growths which
usually spring up along their sides.
xxxvi n. c. agricultural experiment station. 1895.
Waldensian Colonists.
A few years ago a colony of Waldensians from the moun-tain
regions of Italy was established in Burke County, about
five miles east of Morganton, its county-seat. The colonists
were an agricultural people, but thoroughly unacquainted
with the conditions of crop growth in this State and in the
section in which they settled. At their request, the Station
sent a representative (Prof. W. F. Massey, its horticulturist)
to visit the locality, examine their needs, and ascertain what
course of treatment should be advised as to the crops to plant,
rotation to pursue, and methods to adopt. In the outset the
Station was hindered in transmitting such advice as was
decided to give, by the fact that the colonists understood no
English, and what was told to them was through means of
an interpreter. In order to obviate this difficulty, it was
decided to print a special bulletin embodying the advice thus
offered, and give it in English alongside their native language.
In this way the advice would be immediately given, and in
addition the bulletin would also furnish a means for learning
the corresponding phrases in English, so that they could
become better acquainted with the language of the people in
the midst of whom they had settled. The bulletin was
issued in May, and was not intended to be a complete manual
of agricultural instruction, but merely to give usefal hints
to aid them in their every-day operations.
The subjects treated were deep plowing, winter grain and
crimson clover, plows, rotation of crops, and treatment of
land. Growing wheat was also discussed, as well as the corn
crop and subsequent rotation, Irish potatoes, cabbages for
winter use, sweet potatoes, turnips, and earlv spring cabbage.
The subject of taking care of homemade manure was treated
as well as the recuperative crops. It is hoped that by this
publication the Station has rendered assistance to the colon-ists,
and helped to make their homes in North Carolina
pleasant and their stay profitable.
Fruit Culture.
In several sections of the State the subject of fruit culture
is of growing importance, and orchards of trees, vines and
small fruits are being planted. In order to add another in-dustry
to those already within our borders, the Station has
always striven to aid the industry, and has from time to
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. XXXVll
time published exhaustive bulletins for the proper planting,
caring and gathering of these various fruits. The peach in-dustry,
promising to be especially remunerative, a bulletin
of 36 pages was prepared and distributed, and a special
spraying calendar was subsequently issued. The latter gave,
in summarized form, the many formulas and modes of treat-ment
which were more fully detailed in foimer publications.
North Carolina has been remarkably exempt from many of
the most troublesome insects and fungous diseases, but this
immunity cannot be expected to be long continued, as expe-riences
of other locality s prove that these diseases and pests
eventually, sooner or later, find a foothold in newer-planted
localities. It is therefore all the more urgent that growers,
in buying their stock for planting, use the greatest care in
purchasing, and deal only with the most reliable nurseries,
known to be free from all plant diseases and insect ravages.
And if ever these diseases and pests do find a foothold, it
will be their only salvation to fight them with the latest ap-proved
methods, and to do so in co-operation with each
other, so that a united effort may in the beginning thoroughly
stamp out the pests and prevent any further destruction.
This is the only salvation for the fruit industry now so
promising in several localities in the State. The Station, as
always, has been ready to aid whenever occasion arises,
and offers also to identify and prescribe remedies for any in-sect
or disease which may be noticed by any fruit culturist.
Methods for Fertilizer Analyses.
The work of the fertilizer control is a very important part
of the experiment station, and from the earliest time, atten-tion
has been given to all subjects relating to the fertilizer
trade in the State and the most improved plans to secure
greater accuracy in the proper conduct of the fertilizer in-spection,
not only in the actual drawing of the fertilizer
samples, but in improvements to secure greater uniformity
and accuracy in the analysis of the samples. In the past,
special attention has been devoted to the methods for deter-mining
nitrogen in these analyses with much success, and a
method which was brought forward by this Station is now
one of the official methods of the Association of Agricultural
Chemists, and was long used by this Station and by others.
During the past year, through the labors of one of the chem-ists
of the Station (Mr. Kilgore) who had served two terms
XXXV111 N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
as reporter on phosphoric acid for the Association, there has
been developed a method for the rapid estimation of phos-phoric
acid which promises to be accurate as well as saving
of very considerable time. As there are three determina-tions
of phosphoric acid in each fertilizer, and the method
now used requires such extended time to finish a determi-nation,
the substitution of a convenient, accurate and short
method would prove of great commercial and financial im-portance.
The method spoken of was considered at the last
meeting of the Association, and is now being studied by the
several states having fertilizer control with the view of its
adoption as one of the official methods of analysis.
Co-operative Horticultural Work at Southern Pines.
The institution of very important horticultural work is
chronicled for the past year. This is co-operative investiga-tions
on the part of the N. C. State Horticultural Society, this
Experiment Station, and the German Kali Works.
Early in the present year an offer was made to the State
Horticultural Society by the German Kali Works to donate
a sum for the purpose of conducting extensive tests upon the
growth of orchard crops and other horticultural products.
These Works represent the only potash deposits in the world,
and they are desirous of ascertaining in what way and in
what proportions, with other ingredients, potash should be
used upon these crops. It will be recalled that potash is one
of the three ingredients which is always present in a com-plete
fertilizer, and one that the plant must have in order to
obtain a vigorous growth and reach best maturity. The
Horticultural Society, recognizing the great importance of
the proposed work, accepted the proposition. The President
of the Society is Mr. J. Van Lindley, of Greensboro, and the
Secretary is Mr. Gerald McCarthy, Botanist and Entomolo-gist
of the Station. Its members are interested in horticul-tural
pursuits, and are located in various sections of the
State, and several of the Station's staff are members. The
Society was confronted with the fact that they would be un-able
to carry on scientific work necessary in the proper man-agement
of such experimental tests, and they accordingly
asked the cooperation of the Station in the proper manage-ment
of the experiments in order to secure the best results
possible in the work. A letter was received from the Presi-dent
of the Society asking the co-operation of the Station,
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. XXXIX
a^d a committee was appointed to wait upon the Station to
ascertain in what way it could be secured.
The following extracts from the communication from the
Society will further explain the nature of the proposed work:
"The North Carolina State Horticultural Society has com-pleted
an arrangement to undertake a joint experiment in
growing fruits with chemical fertilizers on a commercial
scale on naturall}T infertile soil situated in Moore county,
N. C. This will serve as an object lesson to our own people
and as an elucidator of what our State is capable of in this line
to horticulturists from abroad. We believe very great and
lasting benefit will accrue from this enterprise if carried out
skilfully. To this end we respectfully solicit the co-operation
of the N. C. Experiment Station. To carry out this experi-ment
with the greatest economy, and to insure the utmost
possible success, we need the counsel and practical assistance
of experts in the various sciences concerned in plant-growth.
It would be difficult, if not impracticable, for the Society to
employ such experts on its own account. Inasmuch as the
Station has regularly in its employ such men, and as the ex-periment
is wholly for the public benefit, so far as the So-ciety
is concerned, we trust you will agree to co-operate with
the Society in this matter. The Society is willing to make
any convenient arrangement as to publication of the results,
only giving due credit to all concerned."
In the reply to this communication, the following was
sent:
"Regarding co-operation with the North Carolina State
Horticultural Society in the conduct of the proposed experi-mental
farm in the county of Moore, North Carolina, I have
given the matter much thought, and have considered every
phase of the subject. I believe the proposed work will, if
properly managed, redound to the benefit of North Carolina,
and especially to the horticultural interests within her borders.
Such being the case, this Experiment Station will be glad to
assist the Horticultural Society in conducting the proposed
work, provided the accompanying conditions and proposi-tions
be accepted. In behalf of the Station, please allow me
to thank the Society for the confidence in the work of the
Station, implied by your request."
An agreement being decided on acceptable to all parties,
the work was begun early in the year.
The following extracts from a preliminary announcement
from the committee having the work in charge, will more
xl N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
fully explain the details in connection therewith which will
be of public interest:
1. OBJECT : The object of the work conducted on the Experimental
Farm of the North Carolina Stale Horticultural Society is to ascertain :
First, the relative proportion of the three principal fertilizing ingredients —phosphoric acid, nitrogen (and ammonia), and potash—needed by va-rious
fruit and vegetable crops for their best development; and second,
to study the adaptability of the soil of this locality, which represents a
large area in this state and adjoining states, for the growth of vegetable
and orchard products, and also to study the best methods to accomplish
these results. The clearing of the land was commenced February 18,
1895, and the trees and vines were first set out in the spring of that year.
The vegetables are to be planted during the spring of 1896.
2. MANAGEMENT : The work is conducted by the North Carolina
State Horticultural Society in co-operation with the North Carolina Ag-ricultural
Experiment Station, and the German Kali Works. The work
is carried on under the auspices of the Society, the Experiment Station
contributing the various scientific work in the horticultural, botanical,
entomological, and chemical lines of the investigation, with the incident
expenses; and the German Kali Works contiibuting financially towards
the general expenses of the Farm. The Society and the Station are in-terested
in ascertaining the best solution to the above questions for the
benefit of the people of this state, as well as those living elsewhere. The
German Kali Works are interested in the rational use of potash, as the
only source of these salts of commercial importarce is from their mines,
and potash is a necessary ingredient in all complete fertilizers.
The direct charge of the work is in the hands of a Supervising Com-mittee,
composed of three members selected by the Horticultural Society,
two members selected by the Experiment Station, and one member by
the German Kali Works. The personnel of this Committee is as follows:
H. B. Battle, Director North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Sta-tion,
Chairman.
J. Van Lindley, President State Horticultural Society.
W. F. Massey, Horticulturist North Carolina Agricultural Expeirment
Station.
C. D. Tarbell, Member State Horticultural Society (resident member).
Gerald McCarthy, Secretary State Horticultural Society.
B. von Herff, German Kali Works.
3. LOCATION OF THE EXPERIMENTAL FARM: Moore County,
North Carolina, was selected for the location of the Experimental Farm
because it furnished the following advantages : The soil and climate had
already been shown by actual trial to be adapted to the growth of fruit;
and large ar« as of land could be selected with practically uniform soil
containing but little quantity of plant food. The soil is accordingly the
best kind for experimenting, as the presence of special ingredients is not
likely to interfere with tbe general results. It represents large areas,
and is therefoie typical. It is practically level, which is of great value.
A location could be secured which was never before cultivated or even
cleared, consequently no previous treatment of crops, cultivation, and
fertilization could interfere wiih it.
The farm consis s of two tracts [aggregating about 130 acres] which
are located on account of the above reasons, near the town of Southern
Pines, N. C, ^bout one mile from its northern limits, and is easily
reached by public roads, and also by tbe electric car line which is oper-ated
between the two noted health resorts of Southern Pines and Pine-hurst.
One of the tracts adjoins the celebrated Van Lindley peach
orchard, which covers several hundred acres.
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. xli
4. GEOLOGY, CLIMATE, ^ND SOIL: The geology of this region is
similar to a large area extending from Maryland to Florida and beyond,
and is made up of the eroded particles of older formations. The main
formation here is the Potomac, although other formations are also found
to a limited degree.
5. PLflN OF THE EXPERIMENTS: The experiments embody field
tests with fertilizers upon an extended scale, both upon vegetables and
and fruits. There are nine fruit crops, and eight vegetable crops, as fol-lows:
Fruits. Vegetables.
1. Strawberries. 1. Onions.
2. Blackberries. 2. Sweet potatoes.
3. Raspberries. 3. Cabbages
4. Grapes. 4. Asparagus.
5. Peaches 5. Tomatoes.
6. Plums. 6. Snap beans.
7. Pears. 7. Cucumbers.
8. Apples. 8. Irish potatoes.
9. Chestuuts.
The cultivation of each of the fruit crops embraces twenty-nine plats
of one-tenth acre each, except that the small fruits of the first three
series, have ^ acre each, and each plat has a different application of
fertilizing ingredients upon it. No commercial brand of fertilizer is
used, and only fertilizing ingredients in different proportions are em-ployed.
Two plats in each series are left without any fertilizer, so that
a fair average can be had of the capability of the soil without any arti-ficial
fertilizer, for comparison with other plats. The same general plan
will be followed with the vegetable crops.
The work is thus upon a scale both extensive and com-plete,
and the results will doubtless be watched with interest
by fruit growers, truckers, and market gardeners here and
elsewhere.
The Work of the Agricultural Division.
The work in this division has been continued in the lines
already commenced and has been mainly in feeding, breed-ing,
and digestion work with cattle and sheep, and in dairy-ing.
A portion of the work thus summarized has been con-cluded
and published under the following titles:
Bulletin 113. The testing of milk.
114. Testing of dairy implements and practices.
115. Milk records and tests.
118. Cotton seed hulls and meal for beef production.
In the latter work, extended to a point not heretofore
reached, beef stock were successfully fed for fattening purposes
upon a ration of two pounds of hulls to one of meal, and
3
Xlii N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
even one and one-half of hulls to one of meal. Furthermore
the results are the more surprising as the health of the ani-mals
were maintained in their usual vigor throughout the
experiment. The Station was one of the pioneers in conduct-ing
these tests of feeding cotton-seed hulls and meal for beef
production, and for maintenance. The result of past work
can be seen by reference to Bulletins 80c, 81, 87 d, 93, 97, 106,
and 109. In the experiments reported above, a very decided
effect was noticed in the increase of digestibility of the hulls
caused by contact with the meal in the ration. The definite
result obtained was an increase of digestibility of carbohy-drates
of the hulls as compared with the hulls alone, and a
small loss in the digestibility of protein due to the combina-tion.
The net gain of digestibility however was quite marked
and increased the digestible dry matter from 0.81 per cent,
in the broader ration, to 8.66 per cent, in the narrower ration
of 3 of hulls to 1 of meal. The fertilizing constituents of the
rations were accurately determined as well as those obtained
in the manure, and it was shown that an average of 90 per
cent, of the total manurial value was excreted in the dung
and urine as compared with the original food. Of this 90
per cent., 42.5 per cent, was contained in the urine, and 47.5
per cent, in the dung. These figures show what is possible
to be saved from such feeding, and how much is wasted if
the proper care is not used to preserve it. They show also
the very large proportion of value in the urine (amounting
nearly to an equal amount) as compared with the solid ex-crement.
How necessary it is, then, that the liquid excre-ment
should be carefully saved and utilized for further use
in growing crops.
The breeding experiments with cattle have embraced the
breeding up of common cows by means of a thoroughbred
short-horn (devon) of a milking strain. For this purpose a
bull of good breeding has been secured, and it is expected
that the grade stock obtained from this plan will prove useful
and important additions to dairy and stock industry. Where
milkers cannot be procured, the stock will be of sufficient
size to warrant their being fattened and sold for beef, or else
utilized for work animals.
The breeding experiment with sheep continues, and the
crosses that are being made are with common ewes and thor-oughbred
rams, horned-dorset, merino, Shropshire, and south-down.
The digestion experiments with sheep have included stud-
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. xliii
ies on the more common feeding stuffs, such as timothy hay
and cotton-seed meal, crab grass hay, cut corn-stalks, etc.
The agriculturist, besides attending several of the farmers'
institutes conducted during the year, has been of material
aid in forming and conducting the State Dairymen's Associa-tion,
and the Swine-breeders' Association. His aid in the
correspondence of the Station upon agricultural subjects has
been of marked value and importance.
The usual farm operations have been conducted on the
farm, the soil and locality of which prevent the trial of soil
tests with fertilizers or varieties. During the year eight tests
were instituted in various portions of the State, and mainly
with former agricultural college students.
The Work of the Chemical Division.
A large proportion of the time of this division has been
devoted to the fertilizer control. In order to make the value
of this work more complete, the analyses are made very
promptly on receipt of the samples from the official inspec-tors.
The publications by this means are thus printed and
distributed in time for the buyers of fertilizers to use them in
their purchases. A very complete equipment is thus re-quired,
which embraces all apparatus and reagents for the
handling with rapidity the several determinations of a fer-tilizer
analysis. The usual analysis includes : three forms of
phosphoric acid, nitrogen or ammonia, potash, and moisture.
Oftentimes duplicate and triplicate determinations are nec-essary,
which very largely increase the quantity of work.
The number of chemists has also been increased, so as to
finish the analyses as soon as possible. In addition to the
official samples, such other samples of fertilizers have been
analyzed that have been sent in by farmers, and sampled
after instructions received from the Station. It is not neces-sary
that the name of the brand be sent with the sample, but
it must be given to the Station after the analysis is com-pleted
and furnished to the sender of the sample.
In addition to fertilizer samples, others of natural fertili-zing
ingredients, marls, phosphates, mucks, composts and
home-made mixtures, cotton seed and its products, etc., have
been made. Such of the work of the other divisions de-manding
chemical examination has also been done. Promi-nent
among them have been the stock digestion work in co-operation
with the agricultural division, in which much
xliv N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
time has been devoted. During the year the chemical work
in this connection has been more complete than before, and
has included, together with the digestion of the several
foods and combinations, the proportions of the fertilizing in-gredients
recoverable in the manure.
The division has also been of material aid in the opera-tions
of the field work at Southern Pines with fertilizers on
horticultural crops as elsewhere described. The time of one
chemist for a portion of the year has been almost constantly
devoted to this work. The tobacco work of the past has
been continued and extended to include the examination of
many types of tobacco grown in various parts of the United
States in comparison with home-grown varieties. The re-sult
has been published during the year.
The study of the best chemical methods for analysis has
continued, not only in connection with the various reporters
of the association of official agricultural chemists, but inde-pendently,
and with very promising results. The work on
the determination of phosphoric acid in fertilizers and soils
has been issued in one of the bulletins of the Station.
During the year, among others, were analyzed 359 sam-ples
of fertilizers, 24 fertilizing ingredients, 11 samples for
fertilizer methods, 64 health waters, 62 mineral waters, fod-ders
23, and 128 ores and minerals identified.
The Work of the Botanical and Entomological
Divisions.
A bulletin on "'Parasites of Domestic Animals" has been
in preparation, and is almost ready for the printer. Another
has been prepared on "Insect Pests of Garden Vegetables."
The work of identification of specimens and effects of fun-gous
diseases has continued, and statements regarding the
utility or noxious quality have been promptly returned to
the sender. In field work, twenty-seven varieties of cow- peas
have been on trial, and also other forage plants, including
importations from Japan, Australia, and Italy. Of the best
varieties of cow-peas, including the "Wonderful" or ''Un-known"
variety, and the "Red Ripper" variety, 350 half-pound
packagps were distributed to applicants for trial in
different parts of the State. In this way the merits of these
varieties of important forage crops have been studied by the
applicants, and the value, in comparison with the common
seed, has been shown. The division has also been of benefit
in assigning true values to the various grasses and plants
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. xlv
which are almost annually brought out by seedsmen, with
exorbitant claims as to their utility. The botanist has also
rendered valuable aid in connection with the State Horticul-tural
Society in keeping its work alive and before the public
and calling attention to the horticultural possibilities of this
State. During the year and in the past, two valuable re-ports
have thus been issued by the Society, almost entirely
through his efforts. Much of the time of the botanist and
entomologist has been required in connection with horticul-tural
work at Southern Pines.
The subject of fibre plants has also received some atten-tion,
and several varieties, including jute, have been studied.
If a successful machine can be obtained that will extract the
fibre from the plant after growing, it is likely that the cul-ture
of this plant may assume some importance. It is gen-erally
known that the jute so largely used in the manufac-ture
of cotton bagging is raised in India and is imported to
this country via Dundee, Scotland. The twine and bagging
is made in the fibre mills of St. Louis, Mo.
The Work of the Horticultural Division.
A field test of a very considerable number of varieties of
Irish potatoes was conducted during the year, but unfortu-nately
the seasons proved so disastrous that the result was
incomplete and not conclusive. The work heretofore done
on the growing of flowering bulbs for commercial sale has
been continued, with very satisfactory results. It includes
all the more common bulbs, such as Roman hyacinths, lilies,
narcissi, gladioli, tulips, freesias, etc., most of which are now
imported in large quantities from Holland and Bermuda.
This work has attracted considerable attention, and large
importers look upm it with much favor. The bulbs grown
here and in this State have compare 1 most favorably with
foreign-grown bulbs, and in many cas^s are superior to them.
In addition, it has been proved that these bulbs can be
forced under glass. It is very probable that a remunerative
industry may be the result of this investigation. A bulletin
has been issued during the year on "Trucking Crops in the
South," which has received wide appreciation. Another is
in preparation on the growth of garden vegetables for home
use, which will be issued during the coming year. The di-vision
has necessarily been of great service in the conduct of
the horticultural work conducted at Southern Pines, and
xlvi N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
most of the horticultural work of the Station will likely be
transferred to that point in the future, as it has become nec-essary
in the conduct of the co-operative work there, that the
assistant horticulturist be present there for a large portion of
his time.
The Work of the Meteorological Division
(State Weather Service).
This division has been conducted as in the past with the
co-operation of the U. S. Weather Bureau, and two of its ob-servers
are located at this point, and assist in the conduct of
the Weather Service. The publications of this division have
been continued as in the past. They embrace the monthly
meteorological bulletin, which includes observations of the
weather observers in various parts of the State. There are
sixty-six of these, fifty of which send complete reports, and
sixteen partial. Copies of these bulletins are bound with the
annual report of the Weather Service, issued at the end of
the year. The weekly weather crop bulletins were also sent
out as usual, 27 numbers being distributed during the grow-ing
season. There were 350 reporters, representing all of the
96 counties. The number thus being enlarged and widely
distributed, the value of the summary of these reports has
consequently increased over former years. These bulletins
are sent out immediately after the receipt of reports from
these reporters, so that no time is lost. The daily forecasts
were distributed as in the past, and 44 stations receive tele-graphic
warnings of the condition of the weather for the fol-lowing
day, and the approach of cold waves and the occur-rence
of frost. By the distribution of cards through the mails
and weather maps, 264 additional places are reached, and
with the logotype system in distributing the forecasts from
nine centers, 178 additional offices are reached. Counting
all methods 583 points, including the surrounding localities,
are provided with indications showing the probable state of
the weather for the ensuing twenty-four hours.
The Work of the Veterinary Division.
In conjunction with the agricultural division, a bulletin
has been issued upon the subject of " Tuberculosis." It de-tails
the results of the tests upon the Station herd with tuber-culin,
together with a similar test conducted at another point
in the State. A popular discussion of this disease, and how
to prevent its infection and spread, are also inserted in the
publication.
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. xlvii
A disease among the horses in the extreme eastern part of
the State, which seemed to be of an infectious origin, occurred
during the year. It was investigated by the veterinarian,
with the result that it was pronounced pleurisy, caused by
exposure. Remedies for the proper treatment were suggested,
as well as methods for future prevention.
The Work of the Poultry Division.
Active work had hardly begun at the expiration of the cur-rent
year, consequently only preliminary statements can be
given at the present time. These have been already out-lined
in the previous pages, and need not be repeated here.
It is expected that the work of this division will prove of
great advantage to different sections of the State, and that
poultry raising and other industries connected with it may,
on account of its establishment, be greatly extended, and con-sequent
beneficial results will accrue.
xlviii N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 1895.
REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURIST.
Dr. H. B. Battle, Director.
Sir: During the past year, this division has carried for-ward
the feeding and dairy records as indicated in bulletin
116, which has been issued within the year. This also gives
summaries of the previous records made, together with notes
on the cows in the herd. It is believed that the outbreak of
abortion has been suppressed and that calves can now be
bred. To this end and for the purpose of carrying forward
the trial of grading up native and grade stock with the dairy
short-horn, another bull has been purchased and his use be-gun.
The cows and heifers now in the herd have made
records for themselves and it remains to secure from as many
of them as possible female progeny in order to test the value
of this line of breeding, by showing better or poorer quali-ties
in offspring than the dams possess. Others have and are
testing the relative merits of pure bred animals of the vari-ous
breeds of cattle for milk, butter, cheese, and beef. This
is well, but the great majority of farmers must for a long
time be content to breed and feed common stock, or to grade
up common stock by use of pure service bulls. We believe
the breeding of the older importations of short-horns has done
more for the improvement of the common stock of the coun-try
than any, and perhaps all other breeds, and that it should
be fostered and encouraged. To this end and to help those
most needing the example and encouragement, we have led
off in this at present not very popular line. Those who can
afford pure bred cows, and special-purpose stock are not ex-pected
to be disturbed; but we wish to urge those who cannot
do this, to try the kind of cattle which make of the well-fed
progeny, animals fit for work, for the dairy or beef, and which
rank close up to, if they do not equal, the special-purpose
stock in their own special lines of productions. With the
new bull, if epizootic abortion is now eradicated, we have
again made a strong start, and hope to see success rest on this
effort.
Of the sheep purchased a year ago, the Horned Dorsets,
the offspring and one ewe have died. The Merinos were
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. xlix
merely lambs when purchased. They are thriving and one
of the ewes has yeaned a lamb which is doing well. During
the fall, a trio of Shropshire sheep has been purchased of
Occoneechee Farm. These are fine sheep, and are doing well.
A trio of Southdown sheep has also been purchased in Penn-sylvania,
but only the ram has arrived. He is a good lamb
and is also doing well here. The native ewes purchased have
brought forth a satisfactory number of young, and most of
them are thriving as well perhaps as could be expected after
so hot and dry a season, when they were obliged to pick
most of their own living from very short pasturage.
A feeding experiment with four cows in milk, conducted
to test rations prepared for a correspondent, occupied consid-erable
time last winter, and part of it may be repeated this
winter.
Digestion experiments were resumed again last July, and
have been continuously conducted ever since to test the
effect of cotton-seed meal on the digestibility of timothy hay.
At this writing the results are not calculated far enough to
report; but so far as seen, the indications are that the results
obtained by similar feeding and digestion with corn silage
and with cotton-seed meal, will be supported by this series
when completed.
It is expected that a few more southern cattle foods, which
have never yet been subjected to digestion experiments, will
be thus treated and their values determined this winter.
The bulletin No. 109, issued the latter part of last year,
was well received, and the quotations and kind words from
the agricultural press have brought calls for it from a con-siderable
number of States. The subject of pig feediug espe-cially,
has become one of increasing interest among our cor-respondents.
The correspondence from this division has not decreased
in interest or volume during the past year. The press ser-vice
bulletins serve to show something of the character of it,
yet much is of too special a character to be thus used.
Through this means, this division has endeavored to be of
assistance to the dairy interests outside of the usual channels
by aiding in the organization of the N. C. State Dairymen's
Association, and by giving information to associations of
farmers who desired to establish co operative creameries, and
in preventing them from purchasing high-priced outfits and
useless machinery.
Field experiments have included a successful seeding with
1 N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
timothy and other grasses from November, 1894, seeding.
We have cut timothy hay this year from that seeding, and
if the bulbs have survived the September heat, and drought
no one need go outside of North Carolina to raise timothy
hay if he will enrich his land enough to grow it well. A
soil test with the black cow-pea has also been concluded.
Soil tests have also been conducted under our supervision as
follows, many of them being former students of the A. & M.
College
:
M. W. Buffalo, Raleigh, with tobacco.
S. D. Coley, Raleigh, with tobacco.
W. A. Meacham, Raleigh, with corn.
L. A. Cowper, Gatesville, with corn.
C. W. Gold, Wilson^ with cow-peas.
C. B. Foy, (Glenoe Stock Farm), Verona, with corn.
B. W. Hawkins, Horse Cove, with corn.
R. D. Patterson Jr., Durham, with corn.
T. B. Wetmore, Woodleaf, with corn.
The improvements during 1895 have embraced:
Painting and some repairs on the cottage.
One coat of paint on the office building.
Some repairs and ventilator on the dairy.
Coat of paint on all roofs.
Bridge at the barn has been renewed and yard graded.
Yard fence for stock has been placed around the barn
with gates at convenient points, and old grass plats turned
into a yard.
Drainage for north-east slope of dairy has been provided
for by a drain to discharge below the barn tank.
Sink drain from office has been continued from three feet
outside of the wall to a well of stone which extends to the
drain from the cellar to some distance across the field.
F. E. Emery, Agriculturist.
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT.
REPORT OF THE FIRST ASSISTANT CHEMIST.
Dr. H. B. Battle, Director.
Dear Sir: I present herewith a report of work in the
chemical division of the Experiment Station for the year
1895. There have been made analyses of
—
Commercial fertilizers 359
Cotton-seed meal 7
Cotton-seed hull ashes .
.
1
Ashes 1
Plaster 1
Marl 8
Tobacco dust 1
Soil. 2
Soil , reporter's samples 4
Reporter's samples for potash.
2
Reporter's samples for nitrogen
,
2
Reporter's samples for phospho-ric
acid ._ 3
Sulphate potash 2
Pine straw 1
Cow-peas 1
Carried forward 395
Brought forward .395
Young cow-pea plants 1
Slaked lime 1
Fertilizer material 1
Fossil coral 1
Ores 2
Boiler water _ 1
Health waters. -. 64
Mineral waters 62
Milk.... 1
Fodders 3
Fodders in connection with di-gestion
experiments 20
Urine 1
Ores, minerals, and rocks iden-tified
and values reported 128
Total 681
In addition to the work involved in the above analyses,
the workers of this division have devoted some time to the
study of methods used in these analyses. We have taken
part in the study of methods for determining phosphoric acid,
potash, nitrogen, and for soil analysis, for the association of
official agricultural chemists. The undersigned was the re-porter
of the above association on phosphoric acid and de-voted
considerable time in securing data and preparing a
report on the subject. This report has been published in a
bulletin from the chemical division of the United States De-partment
of Agriculture.
Digestion Work.—A bulletin embodying the results of the
fourth year of progress in determining the digestibility and
feeding value of North Carolina feeding stuffs has been pre-pared
by this and the agricultural division. This completes
our investigation for the present of the digestibility of cotton-seed
products and rations of them, and includes also a consid-
lii N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
eration of the effect of cotton-seed meal upon the digestibility of
cotton-seed hulls and other coarse foods. Several experiments
have been completed, and others are now under way for de-termining
the digestibility of rations of cotton-seed meal and
hays, and if possible the effect of each upon the digestibility
of the other.
Publications.—In addition to the bulletin on digestion
work, a bulletin on the Estimation of Phosphoric Acid, em-bodying
the results of considerable work done from time to
time during the past two years, has been prepared and pub-lished.
This bulletin is devoted mainly to an investigation
and development of the volumetric method of determining
phosphoric acid by titrating the ammonium phosphomolyb
date precipitate with standard alkali.
The Experimental Farm of the State Horticultural Society.—
This division assisted in laying out the plots and putting out
the plants on the farm at Southern Pines, and fertilized them,
and in addition made analyses of all fertilizing materials
used.
Equipment.—The laboratory is in very good equipment for
the work before us, and will only need the necessary chemi-cals
and apparatus for the usual investigations.
In conclusion, I desire to say that the work of the division
is shared as nearly equally as possible by the different ana-lysts,
each man devoting his time as far as possible to special
lines, and to each is due corresponding credit for the work
accomplished.
Respectfully submitted,
B. W. Kilgore,
First Assistant Chemist.
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. Hii
REPORT OF THE BOTANIST AND ENTOMOLOGIST.
Dr. H. B. Battle, Director.
Sir: I have the honor to make the following report of
the working of the Botanical-Entomological Division of the
Station for the current year of 1895:
A bulletin on " Parasites of Domestic Animals" has been
prepared and has been ready for the press for some time, ex-cept
as to the cuts which had to be ordered from Europe.
This will comprise a very elaborate and detailed treatment
of the most important worm and insect parasites of cattle,
horses, mules, sheep, goats, hogs, dogs, cats and poultry, to-gether
with most appropriate remedies for the same. No
such work is at present available to farmers, and it is hoped
that this will fill an acutely-felt need.
A bulletin on "Diseases of the Peach Tree" has also been
prepared and is now in press. This bulletin was called forth
by the personal observations of the writer in the principal
fruit-growing districts of the State. During the fruit season
of 1895 the peach crop was about the only one that returned
a good profit to the grower. Although peaches were for-merly
grown for the market to a considerable extent in
North Carolina, the industry gave way some years ago to
grape-growing, which crop is less troublesome to grow and
formerly yielded better returns than peaches, because the
Delaware growers then commanded the peach markets of
the country. Of late, the grape industry has been somewhat
overdone, and growers have again commenced to plant
peaches. Those who have planted the most suitable varie-ties
and taken reasonably good care of them have realized
such profits as will likely extend further the peach growing
industry during the next few years. The peaches shipped
from North Carolina this year have brought the highest
market rates paid for extra fancy fruit. But no industry is
without its drawbacks, and the recent multiplication of
peach orchards has also introduced and multiplied the para-sitic
enemies of this fruit. The much-dreaded disease,
"peach yellows," which has caused such devastation in the
liv N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895
once-renowned orchards of the Delaware peninsula, has
hitherto been absent from our State, but unless our peach
growers are more careful than they are at present, our im-munity
will not long continue. Several new and destruc-tive
peach parasites have already been detected in peach
orchards just coming into bearing.
All these are described, illustrated, and remedies pre-scribed
in the bulletin now in press.
In addition to the above, the botanist and entomologist
has contributed a number of papers to the press bulletin
service of the Station, and other papers to different agricul-tural
journals and meetings.
The plats at the Experiment Farm devoted to testing new
grains, forage and economical plants, have been removed to
a drier and higher location so as to more nearly approach
the average cultivated soil of the State. Many new plants
have been under observation this year, but the season has
been so abnormal that results so far are not of general ap-plication.
The greatest success of the year has been with
jute. The seed of this plant was sown in the drill in the
field early in May. Notwithstanding the cold, wet and late
spring, the plants gave a good stand, held their foliage well
through the long, severe drought, grew about seven feet
high, and finally ripened seed, thus completing the cycle of
growth. That this crop should do so well under the ex-tremely
unfavorable weather of the past summer shows in a
most emphatic manner that with intelligent management,
jute can be made one of the staple agricultural products of
this State if a convenient machine for stripping the fibre
from the plant can be secured, which now seems likely.
While our past season's experiment shows that this plant
can be successfully grown on rich upland loams, yet it is by
nature a moist land plant, and will give best results on rich
river bottom fields. At present ship-loads of the dried stems,
known in commerce as "jute butts," are imported into this
country from India via Dundee. It is manufactured into
cotton bagging chiefly at St. Louis, Mo. There are some ten
or twelve factories engaged in the trade.
During the past year, a very considerable part of the time
of the botanist and entomologist has been occupied by field
work at Southern Pines, N. C, in connection with the Expe-riment
Farms of the State Horticultural Society there located.
The work there begun is on a very extensive scale, and if
carried out according to present plans, it must have a far-
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. lv
reaching influence on the horticultural interests of the State.
During the present year, the work of note-taking and spray-ing
has fallen wholly upon the Station Botanist and Ento-mologist,
and has proved extremely onerous.
For the coming year it is suggested that this division
make a specialty of the jute plant—growing the plants and
distributing them where most likely to succeed. In order to
ensure success, it will be necessary to give personal advice
and attention to their growth. A bulletin on the subject,
with all possible details, illustration of machinery, etc., can
be prepared if this investigation be continued. The experi-mental
plots at the Farm should be continued and new
plants tested. A bulletin on enemies of garden and truck
crops will be ready by March 1, and one on those of grain
crops later. A bulletin on medicinal plants has been begun,
but this subject will require another year's study and obser-vation
of growing plants.
Very respectfully,
Gerald McCarthy,
Botanist and Entomologist.
lvi N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
REPORT OF THE HORTICULTURIST.
Dr. H. B. Battle, Director.
I beg leave herewith to submit my report of the operations
of the horticultural division for the season of 1895.
Owing to the constant inquiries as to varieties of the Irish
potato from various parts of the State, it was thought advis-able
to attempt a test of a large number of varieties the past
season, so that some data could be had from which advice
could be given as to the best sorts for our climate. Over 250
varieties were procured and planted, but partly owing to the
exceedingly wet and cold spring weather and partly to the
fact that many of the samples procured from the north were
in a badly weakened condition, a large portion of them failed
to grow at all, but rotted in the ground, and the result with
the remainder was so unsatisfactory that no conclusions
of any value could be arrived at from the trial. I do not
think it advisable to renew the test with an equal number
of sorts, but there are a number of varieties that may prove
to be of value, and we propose to make a further trial of these
another season.
One new variety of late potatoes from Georgia promises to
be a valuable acquisition, and we have secured from the crop
of this season enough for a more complete test during another
season.
The experiments in the culture of flowering bulbs have
been continued with gratifying results. Messrs. Peter Hen-derson
& Co. sent us last fall a large lot of bulbs of different
kinds for the purpose of testing their growth here, they pay-ing
the freight both ways and we returning them an equal
number of bulbs. The natural increase in the lilies was
not large in one season, while the narcissi increased very
rapidly. The bulbs when returned to New York, after one
season's growth here, excited a great deal of interest, and the
Garden and Forest, the leading horticultural paper of New
York, stated that they were far superior to any imported
bulbs, and that it only remained to see whether they would
force under glass as well as the imported ones. We have
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. lvii
heretofore tried some of them successfully, and the present
winter will force some of all the bulbs we have grown, so as
to be able to s^eak authoritatively upon this point. We are
more than ever satisfied that in the near future the culture
of these bulbs will develop into a remunerative industry in
North Carolina.
In fruits, the chief work that has been done this season has
been the fruiting of a large number of seedling grapes, grown
by Mr. Munson, of Texas. While most of these are remark-able
for great vigor and healthfulness of vine, there are few
of them that promise to be of any greater value than varie-ties
we already have. We will give them one more season's
test before reporting finally on the varieties, though it seems
evident that few of them possess sufficient value to make
them worthy of culture here. The work with bulbs will be
continued next season, and we wish to renew the study of
the tomato, which was interrupted this season by the extent
of the planting of potatoes. Some seedling grapes of our own
growth should give fruit next year, and we are hoping for
something good from them.
All of which is respectfully submitted,
W. F. Massey,
Horticulturist
Iviii N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1895.
REPORT OF THE METEOROLOGIST.
Dr. H. B. Battle, Director.
Dear Sir: In compliance with your request, the follow-ing
brief report of the operations of the North Carolina State
Weather Service during the past year, is submitted.
Meteorological Observers: Reports have been received dur-ing
the year from sixty-six voluntary meteorological obser-vers,
of which number fifty have rendered complete data,
and sixteen only partial records. This indicates a very high
percentage of faithful and painstaking observers. The num-ber
of changes during the year have been relatively few.
Four stations were established, namely, at Armour, Rulher-fordton,
Salem, and Settle. Five stations have been discon-tinued,
namely, Armour, Erie Mills, Bailey, Marion and
Shelby. From the last two named, though not yet officially
discontinued, no reports have been received since May, 1895.
Instruments have been ordered for equipping stations at
Edenton, Monroe, and Jefferson—all important points, fill-ing
out vacant sections in the State. The Chief of the
Weather Bureau has informed this office that the instru-ments
would be shipped in time to commence observations
by January 1, 1^96. The establishment of stations at Beau-fort,
Jacksonville, Sparta, and Troy, is also contemplated.
This work of establishing new stations cannot cease until at
least every county is represented.
The reports of voluntary observers are, as a rule, very re-liable.
The data has been published as usual in the monthly
bulletins, under the title, "North Carolina Weather During
" The number of the last monthly bulletin—that for
October—is 73. In the early part of the year, tbe Eighth An-nual
Report for 1894 was issued. Of the monthly bulletins
1,800 copies are printed, of wbich 500 are distributed imme-diately,
and 1,300 are reserved for binding with the annual
reports.
Forecast Display Stations: The year opened with 64 dis-play
stations, receiving forecasts by telegraph at government
expense, and generally also supplied with flags by the Na-
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. llX
tional Weather Bureau. This number could only be kept
up because forecasts were telegraphed conditionally, that is
no telegrams were sent when the forecasts were for fair
weather, stationary temperature; but upon the appointment
of the new Chief of the Weather Bureau, Prof. Willis L.
Moore, on the first of July, 1895, a return was made to the
older method of issuing weather forecasts by telegraph reg-ularly
every day. As, however, by the method, the fund for
telegraph expenses of the Weather Bureau was rapidly ex-hausted,
the number of display stations at the beginning of
November was lessened to 44. The 20 discontinued are
chiefly those which could almost as readily be reached by
mail, hence it is believed that the interests of the public
have not suffered. On the other hand, the number of places
receiving weather forecasts by mail has considerably in-creased.
Forecasts by mail are now being distributed by the logo-type
system from thirteen places in the State, as follows:
From Charlotte, N. C, to 20 postoffices.
From Norfolk, Va., to 13 postoffices in North Carolina.
From Raleigh, N. C, to 264 postoffices.
From Wilmington, N. C, to 54 postoffices.
Also
—
From Mocksville, N. C, (Will. X. Coley, displayman,) to
27 places.
From Nashville, N. C, (J. H. Collins, displayman,) to 5
places.
From Rutherfordton, N. C, (J. W. Harris & Son, display-men,)
to 11 places.
From Winston, N. C, (S. H. Smith, displayman,) to 7
places.
From Tarboro, N. C, (E. W. Rawls, displayman,) to 38
places.
From Lenoir. N. C, (Jno. W. Kirby, displayman,) to 14
places.
From Connelly's Springs, N. C, (J. W. Dorsey, display-man,)
to 18 places.
From Sanford, N. C, (J. W. Scott, displayman,) to 3