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Show Research Aids To Agriculture Shown in Report Widespread help through research resea-rch given to farmers and others dependent upon agriculture for a livelihood is shown in the biennial report of Utah Agricultural Experiment Exper-iment Station for 1948-50, just pub lished and released by Dr. R. H. Walker, director. The Experiment Station is one of the three divisions of USAC and is supported by both state and federal appropriations as well as by gifts from private concerns. con-cerns. . Scientists of the station are now. conducting research on 127 problems pro-blems of concern to western agriculture, agri-culture, according to the report. These investigations are made in every part of the state. The solution solut-ion of the problems involved will mean increased agricultural in -come and a better standard of living for the farmers and others. While some of the questions being be-ing investigated are of long standing, stand-ing, other projects are new, having been initiated to solve problems that have arisen with the development develop-ment of new agricultural industries or the expansion of old ones with the changing times. For example, the growth in importance im-portance of turkey production has created many problems, some of which are now being investigated by the Experiment Station. Research Resea-rch is now being conducted on the development of a breed of turkeys better suited to Intermoutnain conditions. con-ditions. The cause and control of certain serious turkey diseases are also being studied. The Station is continuing earlier research into economical ec-onomical turkey feeds and on the use of oxygen to increase the hat-chabil'ity hat-chabil'ity of turkey eggs. Utah's agriculture is rapidly becoming be-coming more intensive and more highly specialized. The intensive use of the soil creates more soil management problems, more in -sect pests, more plant and animal diseases. Continued irrigation cre- ates difficulties of drainage. Changes Chan-ges of population create marketing market-ing problems. New research projects pro-jects have been initated by the Experiment Station to help solve many of these problems. Among these are studies of insect pollination; pol-lination; soil moisture studies; stu dy of factors involved in the deterioration det-erioration of irrigated soils; studies of new insecticides, weedicides, & hormone sprays; studies of virus diseases of plants and animals, research re-search into the improvement of domestic animals through breed -ing; use of radioisotopes in the study of reproduction; nutritional studies ol normal and rheumatic fever children, study of the development devel-opment of the non-game fisheries resources of Utah as a source of cheap protein supplements for poul try and other domestic animals. Other investigations have been concluded and the results made av ailable to the public in the publications publi-cations of the Experiment Station. Studies of the cost and eficiency of producing celery and peaches have ben published along with a study of consumer preference for peaches of varying degrees of mat urity. A study of the vitamin content con-tent of peas was also published and one on nutrient deficiences found in Utah orchards. In irrigation and drainage, studies stu-dies were completed and published on the drainage districts in the state and on reclamation of saline-alkali saline-alkali soils in the Delta Area by leachng. Other publications were issued on weeds, poisonous plants, pollen and nectar plants, on growing alfalfa alf-alfa for seed, and one on selecting and using fertilizers. A study of what the development of the waters of the Colorado River will mean to Utah agriculture was completed and published during biennium. The research of Utah Agricultural Agricult-ural Experiment Station is under the direction of Dr. R. H. Walker and is conducted by 125 staff mem bers. However, many of these scientists are also on the college teaching staff and spend only part of their time in research. 33 are employed by the U. S. Department of Agriculture but work under the direction of the Station. The report relates briefly accomplishments accom-plishments of some of the research a list of research projects; organ-igation organ-igation of the station; the locat- ion of the research work; the cooperative co-operative agreements with other agencies, the publications issued, a list of the staff and a financial report. re-port. Copies may be obtained free by writing to the station at Logan. |