DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY.

In general the work of the year has been in many ways similar to that of the preceding year. The Chemical Department is interested in the following lines of investigation, some of which are being studied conjointly with other departments of the Experiment Station.

I The study of steamed silage.

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A study in crop rotations and their effects upon the soil.

3 The effects of summer fallow are being studied.

4 The conservation of moisture in the soil.

5 Hop drying-The effects of high and low temperature in the curing of hops. 6 The availability of plant food in the soil.

7 Acid soils in Oregon.

8 Studies in fruit drying-prunes and apples.

9 The effects of fertilizers on prune trees.

IO The amounts of plant food-especially potash in old apple orchard soils. The use of lime in the straw heap. Does it hasten or retard the decomposition of the straw?

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12 Feeding silage to cows.

13 Protein in vetch hay. 14 Miscellaneous work.

Does it effect the quality of the milk?

I. STEAMED SILAGE.

The investigation with steamed silage which was carried on in small experimental silos the first year was enlarged considerably this last year when three of the large Station silos were piped and steamed. At the time of filling each of the large Station silos, samples were taken of the fresh material, and the sugar, acidity and moisture determined. A large sample was also taken, dried, and carefully put away for future analysis. Later in the year, when the silos were opened and the silage fed to the stock, a second series of samples was taken for analysis. Samples were taken each Monday from the silage as it was taken from the silo. The samples were put in air-tight jars and taken to the laboratory immediately. As soon as the samples were received, the acidity, sugar and moisture were determined. A large sample was also dried and put away

for future analysis. Care was taken to determine the sugar and acidity as soon as possible after the samples were taken from the silo before fermentation set in. By the foregoing method, we have carefully dried samples of the material as it went into the silo and also samples of the material as it came out of the silo. By comparing these samples we can ascertain the changes which have taken place in the large silos. At the present time complete fodder analyses are being made of these carefully dried samples.

Partial analyses giving the results for sugar and acidity in the steamed silage the past year are as follows:

In two silos the acid in the silage as it came from the silo averaged over one per cent. In neither of these cases was the material steamed. In all others the material was steamed and the amount of acid in the silage was considerably less than one per cent.

The steaming of the large silos was not entirely satisfactory. Too much time was apparently consumed in the operation. This perhaps was due to an excessive loss of steam which it is hoped will be obviated in future experiments.

Even though considerable steam was lost in steaming the material in the silos, the operation was quite beneficial and the steamed silage was much better than that which was not steamed. Stall-fed animals were able to eat, without the least injury, 50 to 75 pounds of this steamed silage per day.

An interesting experiment was tried by steaming a silo filled with frosted corn fodder. The immature corn was caught.by an early frost and ordinarily it would have been ruined for feeding purposes. This fodder was cut immediately and put in a silo and steamed. This silage, when fed in the winter, was found to have suffered very little injury by the frost. The silo which contained the frosted corn fodder leaked air at the bottom as well as at the top, consequently considerable fermentation took place at the bottom. The changes which the corn fodder underwent are directly proportioned to the amounts of acid found in the silage. The weekly samples contained the following amount of acid calculated as acetic acid:

The complete fodder analyses of this frosted corn as it went in and as it came out of the silo are as follows:

An examination of the above results shows that the material when taken from the silo compared very favorably with the material when it was put into the silo.

On Feb. 5, 1903, a sample of corn silage was obtained from the silo of Mr. M. S. Woodcock for the purpose of seeing how it would compare with the steamed silage. The analysis of Mr. Woodcock's silage is as follows:

By comparing this silage, which was put up in the ordinary way with the steamed silage, it is seen that it underwent considerably more chemical or biological changes than did the steamed silage, these changes being indicated by the large increase in acidity and decrease in sugar.

In pursuing the investigation of steamed silage, we have learned that corn fodder is much more easily and thoroughly steamed than other materials, such as clover or vetch. Bacteriological changes and the formation of acid are much more easily prevented in corn fodder than in cut clover or vetch.

During the present season it is the intention to make the bottom and side joints in each silo perfectly tight so that no steam will be wasted. This season the silos will be filled with cut corn and steamed. No steaming will be tried on clover or vetch.

II. CROP ROTATION.

In connection with the Agricultural Department, a series of crop rotations is being studied. The Chemical Department is especially interested in the effects of these different systems of rotation upon the chemical composition of the soil and also upon its texture or physical condition. This work has been under way three years and is to be continued for a number of years. Composite samples of the soil were taken before the investigation started, and each year since