Osberne's beaker method, described in bulletin No. 4, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Division of Agricultural Soils. The results are to be confirmed by the use of Prof. Hilgard's soil elutriator.

Coming to the duties so late in the year, the physicist was unable to determine the quantity of moisture in the soil in the field, but hopes this next season to make a thorough investigation of this important subject.

The following are some of the physical properties of the soils which are being examined as rapidly as circumstances will permit:

I. State of division.

2.

3.

Absorbent power of soils for gases.

Behavior of soil towards water.

4. Relation to heat.

5. Capillary power.

6. Cohesion and adhesion of the soil.

REPORT OF THE METEOROLOGIST.

The meteorological observations made during the present year have been similar to those of previous years. The equipment of the station consists of a complete set of instruments for obtaining the relative humidity, maximum and minimum temperature, pressure of the air, rainfall, snowfall, velocity and direction of the wind, evaporation, percentage of sunshine, and temperature of the soil at various depths. The velocity and direction of the wind is recorded by a self-registering apparatus, operated by an electric battery. All observations, excepting those that are self-registering, are taken at 7 a. m. and 7 p. m.

In addition to the records made at Laramie, the max

imum and minimum temperature, precipitation of rain and snow, and the percentage of sunshine have been recorded at the five Experiment Farms, and many volunteer observers throughout the state have co-operated with us in making monthly reports of the amount of precipitation and temperature in their respective localities.

The next bulletin to be issued from the Meteorological Department will be on the amount of sunshine throughout the state as compared with the total possible

amount.

REPORT FOR THE LARAMIE EXPERIMENT FARM.

W. H. FAIRFIELD, SUPERINTENDENT.

The general plans for this season's work have been fully carried out. The Agriculturist's duties, fortunately, did not call him away from Laramie during the summer, so our notes and observations upon the various crops are quite exhaustive.

The season proved to be an average one, and our results are very satisfactory.

The three years' test with potatoes was concluded. Work with various forage crops was continued and their growth and habits carefully observed. The amount of water used in irrigating the different crops was measured as accurately as possible. Work in sub-irrigation was continued. The test of the stooling power of grain planted at different distances apart has furnished some interesting data.

The new lines of investigation begun this season, which are to continue year after year, have been carried on successfully. In commencing the special study and work on the varieties of cereals best adapted to our condi

tions, seed of 613 varieties were obtained.

Out

of this Notes

number, 506 matured seed and were harvested. were kept for each individually.

In the sub-soil tests, wheat, barley, oats, turnips, beets, and potatoes were tried with varying results.

An acre plat was set aside for the permanent soil tests, one half being seeded with wheat, the other half with oats.

The usual amount of work was accomplished with general farm and garden crops. The total number of varieties planted and the different treatments given, with the different conditions under which the same varieties were planted, reached one thousand, requiring this number of entries in the crop report. Of this number 804 matured and were harvested.

Some much needed permanent improvements were made on the farm, consisting of a shed for the shelter of tools, and a small root cellar. Some necessary machinery was procured from the abandoned experiment farm at Saratoga, including a mowing machine, horse rake, potato digger, and plows, cultivators, etc. A light buggy and a one-horse thresher and tread-power were purchased.

These valuable additions to our equipment will enable us to do more and better work than was possible in the past.

The work on the farm is closed; but it will take the entire winter to get the notes recorded in permanent form and the yields computed.

REPORT OF THE LANDER FARM.

J. S. MEYER, SUPERINTENDENT.

I herewith submit the annual report of the Lander Experiment Farm for the year 1896.

The season, with the exception of a cold June, has been a favorable one, with more moisture than usual, particularly during July and August. First killing frost, September 27th.

Small grains have done well, the yields being rather above the average of former years. Forage crops were very successful, especially alfalfa. The new ground, about eighteen acres, and five of the old acre plats, that were seeded to alfalfa this spring, have made a fine growth, and as there is a good stand will undoubtedly make a good yield next season.

Half an acre each of orchard grass, red clover, rye grass, and sanfoin were sown, made a good growth, and have a fairly good stand.

The new forage plant, Australian salt bush, which was recommended so highly for alkali lands, has done best where the soil is not so strong with alkali, though the roots may spread another year and cover the ground where it is crusted with alkali. It has made a growth of twelve inches this year from the seed.

The flat pea (Lathyrus sylvestris) was transplanted this spring and made a good growth, but the vines kept to the ground so close that it could not be mown to any advantage. As I understand this plant is not expected to be of any value until the third year, we can expect no record of its hay value this year.

The farm now has some 26 acres seeded to grasses,

mostly alfalfa, with a mixture of timothy. Amount of seed used per acre this season, alfalfa, 18 pounds; timothy, 3 pounds.

The small grain stooling experiment was successful, both as to stools and yields.

On the sub-soil plat, crops yielded best on the half not sub-soiled.

All root crops have done well, and the twenty new varieties of potatoes, one pound each, sent us from the Laramie farm this season, have nearly all made good records.

well.

Garden vegetables, with a few exceptions, have done

The effect of the freeze of September, 1895, is very apparent in the orchard, fully 75 per cent of the trees having been killed. This is not altogether a total loss, as a large number have started growth above the graft, and in a few years will be as good as when killed. A few apples of the following varieties matured: Wealthy Yellow Transparent and Tetofsky.

The canes and vines of the small fruits, including grapes, made an excellent growth this season, but owing to the freeze of last September (1895), last year's canes fruited very little-not enough for record. A few nice bunches of the following varieties of grapes ripened this season: Concord, Wyoming Red, and Delaware.

The nursery stock set out in the spring of 1895 suffered severely in the September freeze of that year, nearly all of it killing down to the snow. As this covered the graft, there is no material loss beyond that of one year's growth. This season's growth has been stronger and thriftier than last.