/-, fr x^ SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL REl^ORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE STATE BOARD OF AGEICllLTDRE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN For tlie Year Xlnding: jVxxgfiist 31, 1878. LIBRARY NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN LANSING : W. S. GEORGE & CO., STATE PRINTERS AND BINDERS. 1878. /y: v7, /y ;k Si4G 41 Special appropriations 705 75 Students' labor 1,493 30 Cr. By cash receipts — on account of Greenhouse - $278 00 Vegetable garden - Team Labor Orchard Shop, lumber, etc Compost Tools Old iron (sold) Total - To increase of inventory balance - §3,745 46 225 91 342 13 674 27 3 50 12 31 27 03 9 70 4 87 $1,577 72 97 67 2,070 07 $3,745 46 FARM HOUSE In Account vnth Agricxdtural College. Dr. To bills receivable of 1877 $121 24 cash disbursements 1,121 21 decrease of inventory 22 82 Ck. By ca'^h (board of employes) $1,244 S3 balance 20 44 Totals §1.205 27 $1,265 27 rv COLLEGE ACCOUNTS. 11 LIBRARY In Accoxmt xcith Agi'icuUural College. Dr. To cash disbursements— on account of special appropriations $830 21 cash current expense 151 63 students' labor 100 35 Cr. By cash receipts (sales) #118 80 increase of inventory (by donations and purchase) 947 01 balance IG 29 By cash of R. C. Kedzie.. students. increase of inventory, balance Totals §848 61 Totals $1,082 19 #1,082 19 I - = CHEMICAL DEPARTMKNT In Account with Agricultural College. Dr. To cash disbursements — on account of special appropriations ^^i^l 59 cash, current expense 151 02 Or. $9 95 95 30 431 53 311 83 $848 61 MUSEUM la Account with Agricultural College. Dr. To cash disbursements — on account of special appropriation.. $346 52 students' labor 23 70 balance 90 67 Cr. By cash (sale of articles) |9 25 increase inventory (purchase and donation) 451 64 Totals $460 89 $460 89 APIARY In Account with Agricultural College. Dk. To cash disbursements $126 82 students' labor 34 22 decrease of inventory 184 45 balance 8 18 Cr. By cash.... $314 5'2 transfer of inventory to Mechanical Department 39 15 Totals.. $353 67 $353 67 12 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. MECHANICAL DEPAKTMENT In Account with Agriculturnl College. To inventory transferred from Apiary §159 li> " Farm Department 93 28 cash disbnrsements 1S7 96 students' labor 26 00 Ck. By cash - inventory balance Total S346 39 SI 57 48 1G3 29 25 62 §346 39 BOAKD. The summary of warrant account shows the disbursements on account of board, and the Secretary's account shows the amount of cash received from students on account of board till August 31st. Students are boarded at cost. The cash received from them on account of board is simply the balance wliich they are indebted to board after being credited with the amount of their labor. Board, including fuel, cost during the autumn term, |2.45; spring term, $2.40; summer term, §2.10. An average for the year of two dollars thirty-one and two-thirds cents per week. STUDENTS' LABOR. The several departments have heeu charged, and the students have been credited, daring the year witli labor as follows : DEPAKTMENT. No. of Hours. Aiiiuuiit Farm Department 31 Horticultural I 15 President's oHice Secretary's office I.ibrarv Buildings. Organ. Museiun I'.cl! :\Iail A pi ary Botanical Museum Surveying and Maj) Drawing Mechanical Department ,289 ,020 161 i.i ,003i.< 795 " 168 237 577 802 34 2 H 321 169 260 1 ,100 .493 16 21 100 79 16 23 57 80 34 32 16 26 68 30 15 57 35 50 80 70 70 20 22 i"o •to 00 $5,099 17 COLLEGE ACCOUNTS. 15 SUMMARY OF INVENTORY. ItUILDINGS. ' Collep:e hall $15,000 00 Chemical laboratory 12,000 00 Williams hall 45,000 00 AVells hall 25,000 00 Farm house 3,500 00 Two brick cottages 0,000 00 One brick cottage 4,000 00 One brick cottage 3,400 00 Herdsman's cottage GOO 00 Six barns at Professors' houses 1 ,800 00 Horticultural barn and shed 1.100 00 Cattle barn and shed 8.200 00 Sheep barn 2.500 00 Horse barn 3.000 00 Pi gge ry 2,000 00 Brick work-shop 600 00 Blacksmith shop, tool house, feeding house 400 00 Windmills, water supply, etc 500 00 Three new Iiouses (President's and two frame houses) 20,728 00 Greenhouse 8,000 00 Bee house 280 00 .^1 58,608 00 Twelve fire extinguishers 500 00 INVENTORY OF FARM. 676 acres @ $70 per acre 47,320 00 Farm department — horses .151,105 00 cattle 6,210 00 sheep -. 816 00 swine 697 00 machinery and steam power 1,488 00 implements, tools, miscellaneous 2,523 25 offices, produce, etc 4,072 02 16,911 27 Horticultural department — greenhouse, plants, fuel, etc |3.599 60 team, implements, produce, etc 2.516 35 '■ 6,115 95 Farm house — furniture, produce, etc 673 99 Chemical department — apparatus, chemicals, etc 5.790 72 Library — books, pamphlets and furniture.. 10,440 68 General museum— specimens, cases, etc... _. 5,644 00 Apiary — bees, tools, honey, etc 434 25 Department of Mathematics and Civil Engineering — models, surveying, apparatue, etc 5,523 00 Mechanical Department — tools, lumber, etc 163 29 Boarding Hall— furniture, provisions, etc 3,119 34 Furniture in chapel and recitation rooms — stoves, seats, tables, etc 735 70 President's office— furniture, stationery, etc 201 91 Secretary's office — safe, furniture, stationery etc 584 00 Botanical Museum — specimens, microscopes, etc 4,851 60 Total 1267,617 70 SUPPLEMENTARY STATEMENT OF THE SECRETARY. The College vear now commences ^vith the Autumn term, which befirins during the first week of September, and closes with the Summer term, which ends in the last week of August. It is much more convenient and satisfactory to make the fiscal year correspond with the College year. A resolution was therefore adopted by the State Board of Agriculture instructing the Secretary aud other officers of the College to report on the olst of August. In conse- quence of this change, the foregoing statement of receipts and expenditures for the fiscal year ending August 31st, covers a period of eleven months only. At the close of the fiscal year all bills against the College rendered to the Secretary were paid ; also the salaries of the several officers and employes. The special appropriations made to the College for the years 1877-8 have all been drawn from the State Treasury. The following balances of these appro- priations are yet to be expended : Buildings, furniture, and repairs $187 21 Farm department 217 95 Library 110 78 Chemical department 12 Go Museum 87 04 Horticultural department 42 95 Improvement of Cedar lliver 91 57 Total unexpended of special appropriations Aug. 31st, 1878 $750 15 These balances will probably be all expended before the close of the calendar year 1878, as purchases and improvements have been authorized by tlie Board which are much needed, even on a more extended scale, but are authorized only under limitations that will not allow the expenditure to go beyond the a])propriations. From the nearest approximate estimate that we can make of the current expenses of the College for the four months of the calendar year yet remaining, and a similar estimate of the resources available to meet these expenses, I feel confident that we shall be able to pay all demands up to January first, 1879 ; thus closing tlie year without debt, altiiougli the receipts from the Congressional Land Grant fund for tlie years 18'* 7-8 have fallen short of the auiount estimated for these years about three thousand dollars. SUPPLEMENT TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT. 15 Permit mc to suggest in connection with this statement of the general financial condition of the College, that there being no provision for its expenses after the first of January, 18?!» (except the interest from the land grant fund, none of which will be available for that year till April 1st), until an appropria- tion is made by your Honorable Body, it is exceedingly desirable either that the appropriation for the College should be passed as early in the session as possible, or that a law should be enacted allowing the College to draw from the State Treasury for its current expenses at the same rate as provided for the two previous years until the appropriation is made. In the accounts of tlic Farm Department as presented in this report, the excess of the debits over the credits is much larger than in former years, but it should be noticed also in connection with this tliat the cash receipts are consid- erably in excess of the actual cash disbursements. The chief causes of the heavy balance against the Farm Department are : 1st, The depreciation of property represented in the inventory, — specially heavy in the one item of blooded stock ; 2d, The unusually large amount charsced to the farm on account of students' labor, occasioned bv the increased number of students. With regard to the former, the depreciation in the value of blooded stock and in nearly all kinds of farm produce has been fully recognized in the taking of inventory. The result is that although there is really more stock on the farm and more })roduce on hand than there was a year ago, and important improvements have been made with the special appropriation to the Farm Department, still the department is charged with 11,976.82 decrease of inven- tory. The labor of students is a very important feature of the Agricultural Col- lege, both for its moral and educational influence, and also as a means of ena- bling young men of limited resources to obtain an education. But it is impos- sible to make it remunerative to the Institution. It is confessedly educational. It requires more supervision than ordinary labor, and so large a number of hands working three hours each day cannot be so profitably managed as a cor- respondingly smaller number working the whole day. These facts should be taken into consideration in connection with the cost of the industrial depart- ments of the College. The above remarks in regard to inventory and students' labor, except in rela- tion to blooded stock are as applicable to the Horticultural as to the Farm Department. COLLEGE LANDS. An Act of Congress, approved July 2, 18G2, donated to each State public lauds to the amount of 30,000 acres for each of its Senators and llepreseuta- tives in Congress, according to the census of 1860, and the "endowment, sup- port, and maintenance of at least one college, where the leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including mili- tary tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts." The Legislature accepted this grant, and bestowed it upon the Agricultural College. By its provisions the College has received 235,673.37 acres of land. The sale of these lands is under the direction of the Agricultural Land Grant Board, consisting of the Governor, Auditor General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Attorney General, and Commissioner of the State Laud Office. 16 STATE BO.ARD OF AGRICULTURE. Any iuforniatioii in regard to these lauds may be obtained by applying to tlie Commissioner of the State Land Office. The interest at seven per cent, of the fund accruing from the sale of tiiose lands is applied to the support of the Agricultural College. The following tables, for which we are indebted to the courtesy of the Com- missioner of the State Land Ottice, give a detailed account of tiie sales of College lands up to September 30, 1878, also the number of acres of these lauds vet unsold and the counties in which thev are located. Showing Number of Acres of Original Sales and Forfeited Lands liesokf. and Amount Sold for from JSGS to Sept. 30th, 1878, inclusive. Original Sales, Acres. .\iiioiint Sold lor. YEARS. Forfeited .\cres Resold. Amount Sold for. 520.00 $2,600 00 43.000 00 11,280 00 31,637 32 65,660 75 54,177 67 6,519 75 14,796 97 6,101 19 4,904 25 12,504 40 1868 13,480.00 1869 3,280.00 1870 9,372.44 1871 20,580.25 17,205.89 2,039.95 4,798.99 1872 1873 1874 .1875 40.00 40.00 40.00 520.00 200.00 1,135.73 $145 00 120 00 120 00 1,953.73 1,634.75 4,034.80 1876 1877 1878 2,280 00 600 00 4.443 65 78,900.80 $253,182 30 1,975.73 7.708 65 AGRI(::ULTURAL COLLEGE LANDS. Showing, by Coxinties, Amount of Lands Sold at Original Sale: also Forfeited Lands Resold from Sept. 30, 1877, to Sept. 30, 1878, being for the Fiscal Year. COUNTIES. Original Acres Sold. Forfeited Acres Sold. rrice. Amount Sold for. Amount Paid. Amount Due. Alcona 200.00 200.00 594.80 495.73 $5 00 3 00 3 00 3 00 3 50 3 00 3 00 3 00 3 311, 3 00 3 00 3 00 3 00 $3,478 65 600 00 1.784 40 120 00 140 00 240 00 1.080 00 960 00 265 00 1.920 00 l.()80 00 2,760 00 1,920 00 $3,478 65 J 50 00 446 09 30 00 35 00 60 00 510 00 254 00 (M 25 480 00 420 00 1.050 (Ml 480 00 Alpena Antrim $450 00 1,338 31 Benzie 40.00 40.00 90 00 .i 105 00 Charlevoix 80.00 320.00 120.00 180 00 Cheboyfr.in Grant! Traverse.. 40.00 200.00 80.00 80.00 80.00 570 00 706 00 198 75 Kalkaska 560.00 480.00 920.00 560.00 1.440 00 Maiiif^tee Otsego 1.260 00 1.710 00 Wexford 80.00 1,440 00 4.034.80 1,135.73 16,948 05 7,459 99 9,488 06 SUPPLE^iIENT TO FINANCIAL STATE]\IENT. 17 TABLE Showing by Counties the total Number of Acres which have never been sold; also Total Acres Forfeited to the State, makimj total Number of Acres Slandinrj Vacant on September 30, 1S7S. COUNTIES. Alcona Alpena Antrim Benzie Charlevoix Cheboygan Grand Traverse. Iosco . Kalkaska Leelanaw Manistee Missaukee Montmorency. .. Oscoda -- Otsego - Presque Isle Wexford Total. OriKiiial Acres Vacant. 25,910.4.3 520.00 9,672.38 5,920.00 3,G04.9S 4,775.04 520.00 26.995.88 5,276.74 8,120.00 3,837.49 9.922.95 17,065.27 5,470.13 960.00 28,100.00 FoiiViteil Acres ■\'acaiit. 156,731.29 560.00 40.00 160.00 240.00 120.00 80.00 40.00 1,120.00 518.40 120,00 198.06 1,720.00 4,916.46 Total Acres A'acant. 26.470.43 520.00 9,712.38 6,080.00 3,604.98 4,775.04 760.00 27,115.88 5,356.74 40.00 9.240.00 4,355.89 9,922.95 17,185.27 5,470.13 1,158.00 29,880.00 161.647.75 SALARIES OF THE FACULTY AND OTHER OFFICERS OF THE COLLEGE. Theopilus C. Abbot, LL. D., President, Professor of Mental Philosophy and Logic, $3,000. Robert 0. Kedzie, A. M., M. D., Professor of Chemistry and Curator of the Laboratory, $3,000. George T. Fairchild, A. M., Professor of English Literature, and Librarian, $3,000. Albert J. Cook, M. S., Prof essor of Zoology and Entomology and Curator of the General Museum, $3,000. William J. Beal, A. M., M. S., Professor of Botany and Horticulture, and. Curator of the Botanical Museum, $3,000. Alfred B. Gulley, Superintendent of the Farm and Garden, $3,000. Robert G. Baird, Secretary, $1,350. Rolla C. Carpenter, M. S., C. E., Instructor in Mathematics and Civil En- gineering, $1,000. Charles L. Ingersoll, M. S., Professor of Practical Agriculture, $1,000. Robert F. Kedzie, M. S., Assistant in Chemistry, $800. Frank A. Gulley, Foreman of the Garden, $400. James Cassidy, Gardener, $G00. Emery C. Fo.x, Steward, $600. Alfred B. Gulley was employed as Superintendent of the Farm and Garden till Nov. 30, 1877, with salary at the rate of $3,000 per annum. 3 DEPARTMENT REPORTS. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. State Agricultural College, Lansing, Michigan, August 31, 1878. 1 have o^iveu instruction to the Seniors during the year ending August 31, 1878, in Psychology, the Constitution of the United States, and in Inductive Logic. The changes iu the working force of the College, indicated in my last report as likely to be made, have been carried out, — Mr. Charles W. Gartield leaving the fornianship of the Gardens October 1, 1877, and Professor A. 13. Gulley, the Superintendency of the Farm and Gardens November 20th. Mr. L. S. Hudson vacated the Stewardship which he had held for one term, November 30, 1877. Mr. Ransom H. McDowell, graduate of tlie class of 1874, was selected by Professor Ingcrsoll as Assistant Foreman of the Farm, and entered on duty December 1, 1877. Mr. Frank A. Gulley was made Foreman of the Horticul- tural Department March 1, 1878, and Mr. Emery C. Fox was appointed Steward of the Boarding Hall, January 30. MORE ROOM FOR STUDENTS. The Spring term brought an accession of sixty-six new students into the Freshman class. The applicants for admission are likely soon to exceed our accommodations, and the question arises. What shall be done? We might raise the standard of admission. We now examine in Arithmetic, Geography,Gi*ammar, Reading, Spelling and Penmanship. The examinations are very thorougli, as these brandies are not taught here, and a knowledge of them is requisite to the studies that are entered upon. In Arithmetic, a knowledge of rules and definitions, and the doing of easy problems throughout tlie science will not be accepted as sufficient. The applicant must show ability to think. Seventeen applicants for admission were rejected when we took in the last Freshman class. The objections to raising the standard of admission are — that we are, in the words of the law of the State — to take "the graduate of the common school." Although many of the common schools teach Algebra, Rhetoric, and History, yet they cannot be depended upon to do so. The students who come to us arc for the most part dependent on their own earnings for their sui)})ort, they are the sons of farmers, living at a distance from the graded and higher sciiools, and have received all the education they have iu the home schools. We desire DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 19 to retain tliis class of students, a class who may not have had the opportunity to go further than the niininuuu laid down by the lavT of the State, as requi- site for admission here. The larger part of the students who come to the College have had a course of instruction in Algebra, and it is desirable that they should have had it ; and sometimes the students are divided into sections on their knowledge or igno- rance of algebra, but no student is excluded, or put in any way of exclusion for ignorance of any branch not required on entering. Were we near the city, students for whom we cannot find rooms might find them there, and be present at the College exercises regularly. W'e are three and a half miles from the city, and in the spring, and sometime in autumn, and throughout the winter, might as well be thirty — so impassable are the roads. A street railway from the city to the College, which would not cost so much as a new hall, would afford opportunity for indefinite growtli to the College. Students could find rooms in the city. If there were a way for the State to help such an enterprise, and she should do so, tliat niattcr of room for students would hereafter be set at rest. Otherwise there seems to remain to us but two courses, — to build a new hall at once, or to let students go home, telling them that we have no room for them. We shall have about forty places that can be filled next spring. Should they be taken, we shall have in September, 1879, only such places for the freshman class coming in at that time, as are made vacant by the occasional leaving of students. DORMITORIES. There are two dormitories for students. Williams Ilall, named after Joseph R. Williams, the first President of the College, was built in 18G9, at a cost of $34,550. It is also the boarding hall of the students, and the steam heating and cooking apparatus, tiie gas pipes and furniture cost $13,075. There are thirty-eight rooms in this building, accommodating (one room being adapted to but one) seventy-five students. Wells Hall is named after the Hon. Hezekiah C Wells of Kalamazoo, pres- ident or acting president of the Board of Agriculture from 18G1, when the Board was first established, to the present time. This Hall was built in 1877 at a cost for construction, heating apparatus and furnishing, of $25,000. The ihall contains sixty-nine students' rooms, accommodating one hundred and twenty-seven students. The whole number of students that can be accom- modated with rooms is two hundred and two. GENERAL ACCOUNT OF THE COLLEGE. No general account of the College has appeared in our reports for some years. As calls are frequently made for more information than is contained in the catalogue, I propose to give in this place some account of the College and its several departments. My own appointment to a professorship in the faculty was made by the Board of Education, at that time in charge of the College, on February 5th, 1858, only nine months after the opening exercises. I was appointed treasurer of the College at tliat time. In 18G1 the charge of the College was transferred from the State Board of Education to a State Board of Agriculture, created for the purpose by the Legislature. Under the reor- ganization the work that had devolved on the treasurer was mostly transferred to the secretary, and I was made secretary, and performed the duties of that office until I was made president of the College, December 4th, 18G2. I have 20 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. thus had the pleasure of tlie personal acquaintance of all the members of the boards having control of the College, of its ofliccrs, and of many of its work- ing friends, from before its organization ; and the furtlier j)leasuro of seeing it Avin the regard, from year to year, of men who at first doubted the usefulness and final success of the institution. LOCATION. The Agricultural College is on a farm of G76 57-lOOth acres, lying three and a half miles cast of the city of Lansing. The Ked Cedar Kiver runs througli the farm. The soil is very various, embracing heavy clay, clay loam, sandy loam, sand, peat, and alluvial soil. It is subject to early and late frosts, and lies, according the National statistical atlas of the United States, in a re- gion more subject to droughts than the lands east, west, or soutli of us. The site was selected bv the officers of the State Agricultural Societv. under the restriction which the friends of the College did not approve, but which was part of the statute of organization, that it sliould be within ten miles of Lan- sing, and not cost over $15.00 an acre. Latitude of College Hall, as determined by Prof. Carpenter (see his report), is 42° 54" .23, its longitude 84° 29' 00". GO west of Greenwich. Its time is 5m. 43-508 sec. behind Detroit time, and 17-504 sec. ahead of Lansing time, and 12m. 30-606 sec. ahead of Chicago time : and the elevation of the water-table of Col- lege Hall is 244.52 feet above the level of the Detroit river, and 810.13 feet above the level of the sea. The land at the time the college was located on it, was almost in a state of nature. It has now become, as Gov. Baldwin was wont to express the desire that it might, one of the most beautiful places in the State. Its buildings and small fruits are scattered over a park of eighty acres. Tlie Farm, Horticult- ural and Botanical Departments divide up the remaining portion of the land. THE PIRST COLLEGE. The Michigan Agricultural College is the pioneer of its sort in the L'nited States, and has served to a great extent, as the model upon which the others were founded. The Maine Agricultural College professor of Agriculture spent a week with us, and it selected its first instructor of horticulture from among our graduates. All three Presidents of the Massachusetts Agricultural College have visited us, — the first one, Judge French, before the organization of their own. Ezra Cor- nell, the founder of the New York College, the Hon. A. D. White, its Presi- dent, visited us at two different times, a Professor of Agriculture elect spent sev- eral days with us, and their professor of botany is a graduate of this College. Their present farm manager has recently spent a week here. Oflicers of the colleges in Maryland, West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas and Minnesota have visited us. Iowa chose for its president a former member of our Board, and a graduate for its professor of Botany and Horticulture. AVisconsin has a graduate for its professor of Chemistry. Missouri's professor of Agriculture is a graduate of ours; so is the professor of Agriculture in Kansas Agricult- ural College. Tiie ])rcsidcnt of the Illinois Industrial University was once secretary of the Board having cliarge of the Michigan Agricultural College. Harvard University, Cornell University, Minnesota University, have all em- ployed graduates of ours as assistants, and one graduate is the professor of Chemistry in Oberlin University, Oliio. Tlie methods pursued here are therefore widely known, and have, to a con- DEPAKTMENT REPORTS. 21 siderable extent, served other colleges as patterns for tlicirs. Especially, the success of tiie system of manual labor here, has induced other colleges to try it. The College with its one unusual course of study is of course a small affair in comparison with the University, with its many and well established courses of study, but in its limited sphere, it will be found to have a reputation second to no other of its sort. It engaged the largest share of the attention of the Industrial section of the National Educational Society in the centennial year, at Baltimore, and a delegate from California came to the College to see personally the working of the labor system. It would be easy to multiply (}uotations from persons standing high in the educational and agricultural world, as to the excellent reputation the College has won. Dr. Angell, when he first came from the east to take charge of the University, publicly stated that it was looked upon in the east as the most successful of its kind. Mr. Gilmore, who from being })rofessor at Yale, became President of Cali- fornia University, and is now President of John Hopkins University, Balti- more, visited some years ago the industrial schools of the country as U. S. Special Commissioner. In his report he speaks of this College, alone of all, as having a well assured success. James McDonal, who was sent out by the Edinburgh Scotsman to report on the cattle raising of the United States, wrote a prize essay on tlie Agricultural Colleges of this country. He selects ours as the one to describe at length, as being one of the oldest and best. Since we in the State live so near the Institution as to see whatever imper- fections it has, it seems to me not unbecoming to suggest that it has also a relative standing ; and to show that in its success, the reputation of the peo- ple of Michigan for her educational institutions is not endangered, but is enlarged. AVe should all be glad to see the College so supplied with competent instructors in all branches of agricultural science in the largest extent of the term, with libraries, museums, collections of plants, animals, and the like, as to make it the fitting resort of those who seek information on anything rclat- ing to agriculture and kindred branches. ENDOW.MENT AND SUPPORT. 1. The Michigan Agricultural College owes its establishment to a provision of the Constitution of the State, adopted in 1850. The Constitution says, in Article 13 : "The Legislature shall, * * as soon as practicable, provide for the establishment of an Agricultural School." The College was opened to students in May, 1857, with appropriate exercises, being thus the first of the existing Agricultural Colleges of the country. An act of Congress, approved July 2, 1862, donated to each State public lands to the amount of 30,000 acres for each of its Senators and Eepresenta- tives in Congress, according to the census of 18G0, for the "endowment, sup- port, and maintenance of at least one College, where the leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agricul- ture and the mechanic arts." The Legislature accepted this grant and bestowed it upon tlie Agricultural College. By its provisions the College has received 235,673.37 acres of land. These lands have been placed in market, and 78,900.80 acres have been sold, giving a fund of $253,182.30, the interest of which at seven per cent is applied to the support of the College. The sale is under the direction of the Agricul- 22 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. tural Land Grant Board, consisting of the Governor, Auditor General, Secre- tary of State, State Treasurer, Attorney General, and Commissioner of the State Land ollice. Any information in regard to these lands may be obtained by fvpplyiug to the Commissioner of the State Land Office. The income from the College lands will increase as the sales of these lands increase. Tlie State is forbidden bv LTnited States enactment from snfferino- this fund to be diminished, from making any charge for its management, and from using it, or the interest of it, for the erection or repair of buildings. 2. The income derived from students is small. Tuition is free, and board is furnished at cost; any balance at the close of one term's board account is carried to the next term's account. The fees for matriculation and diplomas go to the increase of the library, while the fees for room rent and incidentals are designed to cover the expense of small rejiairs, care of the halls, printing of work bills, blanks, and the like. 3. The Legislature has made from the lirst, appropriations of money, both for current expenses, and for buildings. Tlieso have been made with the liberality for which the State is noted in its dealings with its educational institutions. The sum appropriated for 1878 was $11,830.80. The same was appropriated for 1877, witli an additional $25,U00 for a new hall. THE GOVERNING DEPARTMENT. Board of Agriculture. The Board of Agriculture to whose care the College is committed, is com- posed of two members ex-officio — the Governor of the State and the President of the College, and of six members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. One-half of the appointed members must be practical agricul- turists. Their term of service is six years, two going out of office every second year. They receive no compensation for their services. It may not be improper in me to speak of the members of this Board. At its head is the Hon. II. G. Wells, of Kalamazoo, whose late services as ]n'Gsiding judge of the Court of Commissioners of the Alabama Claims have had the rare fortune to be universally approved and appreciated. Judge Wells has been on our Board since its organization in 18(51. and has sometimes given several weeks successively to the interests of the College. lie rcin-csents tiie College on [)ub- lic occasions, and in its relations to the government and otiier institutions; authorizes the receiving of its funds from the State; draws u\) all deeds, con- tracts and other important papers, and negotiates the sale of the larger tracts of swamp lands. Mr. Wells was once President of the State Agricultural Society; is familiar with fruits and their cultivation and has a wide and varied knowledge of horticulture and iloriculture, and of trees. He is a member of the Horticultural Committee of the Board, lie was, in 1817, reappointed by Gov. Croswell for six years more of service. Mr. J. AV'ebstcr Childs, of Ypsilanti, is now in the 0th year of his service ou the Board. Ue is too well known as a farmer and orchardist and for his long continued services in the Senate and House of Ilei)resentatives to need any mention here. His inilucncc was given — rather his unremitting work in behalf of the College was given to it long befure he became a member uf its Board. After being for some years at tiie head of the Committee on Farm Manage- ment, he is now the chairman of the Committee on Buildings and College property. DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 23 Mr. Geo. W. Phillips, of Romeo, came upon the Board by appointment of Gov. Baldwin, in 1871, and has been reappointed by Gov. Croswcll. He is well known as a prosperous farmer, as having been for many years — ten at least, I do not know how many more — a member of the Executive Committee of the State Agricultural Society and usually acts as superintendent of the stock at the fair. He is a breeder of Short-horns, and has an acquaintance, not only with the management, but with the families and pedigrees of stock that make his services of great value to us. His connection Avitli the State Agricultural Society, as does that of Mr. Childs, also serves as a bond of friend- ship between us and that Society additional to the community of our interests. There exists, I believe, the most cordial good will between the College and the Society. Mr. Phillips is Chairman of the Committee on Farm Management. Mr. Franklin Wells of Constantine is the next name on our general cata- logue. He was appointed by Gov. Bagley in 1873. As chairman of the Col- lege Committee on Finance he seems to me to be as nearly perfect as a man can be. His acquaintance with business affairs is extensive and accurate to a remarkable degree. He keeps in mind the state of the accounts of each de- partment of the College, solves the perplexities that arise in the complicated business of a school that is also a farm, and audits every account that is paid by the institution. I do not believe his private business receives a more careful scrutiny than do the affairs of the College. I know better than any one else what this means. For ten years previous to Mr. Wells' advent on the Board each officer brought his accounts in person to me to have them audited. We ran through them item by item, and I spent a full half of the long winter vacation in classifying these items and draw- ing up one full statement of the College receipts and expenditures. A new system of accounts and of auditing throws this burden, — a great one, — upon the Secretary of the Board and the chairman of the Finance Committee. Mr. Wells has a quick appreciation of the beauty of good stock and good farming, and takes a keen interest in every department of the College. Mr. A. Smith Dyckman was appointed to a place on the Board in 1873. He was President of the State Pomological Society, and is well known as one of the largest and most successful fruit-growers of the west. He is known also as a public spirited man, awake to the interests of whatever advances a com- munity in education. He is the chairman of the committee on the Horticul- tural Department of the College. Mr. Milton J. Gard was appointed in 1875 by Governor Bagley. The Gov- ernor was looking for a farmer of acknowledged success, whose intelligence was keeping pace with his success, and found him in Mr. Gard, a gentleman well known in his own part of the State. Mr. Gard is on the Committee on Farm Management, and heads the Committee on Employes. Under the charge of these six men, in sympathy with all the work of the farmer, zealous for his enlightenment and prosperity and dividing the com- mittee work among themselves, is the farmers' College of the State. How could one better it? THE FACULTY. The charge of the education, and of the labor of students, is committed to a Faculty consisting of a president, six professors, and a secretary, assisted by, at present, one assistant in chemistry, two farm foremen, and a gardener, a garden foreman, and a carpenter. The salary paid the president is $3,000, 34 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. and house rent. The ])rofcssors receive 1^2,000, and house rent, and the others various lesser sums. Various considerations weighed with the Board in mak- ing no reduction of salaries consequent on a reduced income for the years 1877 and 1878. The cares and duties of the professors have been greatly enlarged with the growth of tlie institution, without a corresponding increase in the number of officers. The ofHicers are far more heavily pressed with work than is usual, or is usually thought warrantable in those colleges in which a high class of scien- tific instruction is given. They have also, at the beginning of the only vaca- tion tliat exceeds a week in length, to prepare for, and in January, to hold a scries of Farmers' Institutes, which, although a pleasant, is a laborious work, that almost exhausts the time they would like, and should have for the prepar- ation of lectures for the coming college year. I am sure no farmer or mechanic does, because no one can, devote more time or severer effort, to his work than the otiicers of the college ; nor is their work anything so exhausting to the health and nervous system as ours. The officers surely earn, and are worth to the State all that is paid to them. The Board have by severe economy, by a vacancy for some time unsup])lied, by the abandonment of one office, and through otlier favoring circumstances, main- tained the salaries at their old rate, as they thought justly due to men who were giving all their time, and efforts, for the good of the 8tate. That these efforts are not fruitless is now universally admitted by the farmers of the State Avho have kept themselves informed as to the influence the College has exerted . COURSE or STUDY. The course of study is four years in length. Students who take the full course are graduated witii the degree of Baclielor of Science. The College and its classes are. however, always open to students who come to take select studies, and we have had many who after taking Chemistry and Jiotany and a few other select branches have not cared, or not been able to complete the course. Tlio following is the course of study: FRESHMAN CLASS. Autumn Tcrni. — Algebra, Olney's University ; History, Swinton's Outlines; Elements of llhetoric, D. J. Hill. Spring Term. — Algebra Completed, Olney's University; Book-keeping (three weeks), Mayhew's Practical ; Botany, Gray's Structural ; Agriculture, JiCctures. Summer Term. — Geometry, Olney; Botany, Gray's Structural, Wood's Man- ual; French, Otto's Grammar, Bocher; Elementary Chemistry (two weeks). Lectures. SOPHOMORE CLASS. Autumn Term. — Geometry completed, Olney's; Elementary Chemistry, Lec- Burcs, lioscoe; French, Bocher's Otto's Keader. Spring Term. — Trigonometry, Olney ; Surveying, Lectures ; Organic Chem- istry, Lectures; Blowpipe and Volumetric Analysis; French, Bocher's Otto's Reader. Summer Term. — Mechanics, Peck; Analytical Chemistry, Kedzie's Hand Book. DEPAKTMENT REPOllTS. 25 JUNIORS. Autumn Term. — Mechanics completed, Peck; Anatomy, Lectures; Agri- cultural Chemistry, Lectures ; TTorticulture, Lectures. Sj)n'ii(/ Term. — Principles of Human Physiology, J. C. Dalton ; Chemical Physics, ]\Iiller; Principles of llhetoric, A. S. Hill. Summer Term. — Entomology, Lectures, Packard, Cook's Apiary; Meteor- ology, Lectures; English Literature, Lectures, Cliambers' Encyclopedia. SENIORS. Autumn Term. — Zoology, Lectures ; Geology, Dana's Text Book ; Agricul- ture, Lectures; Psychology, Bascom. Spring Term. — Drawing, Minifie's Geometrical ; Astronomy, White; Botany, Laboratory work ; Constitution of the United States, Andrews ; Moral Philos- ophy, Fairchild. Summer Term. — Civil Engineering, Lectures, Trautwine ; Political Economy, Lectures : Landscape Gardening, Lectures ; Liductive Logic, Fowler. TEXt Books. — As text books are liable to be changed, students are advised not to purchase books in advance without consulting officers of the College. Slight variations from this course of study will be necessary for the next year, as shown in the catalogue. THE CHEMICAL DEPARTMENT. The Chemical Department received a better recognition from the authori- ties of the College from the start than any other. Modern agricultural chem- istry was not twenty years old when the College was founded. Li 1840 neither Liebig, Boussingault, nor James F. W. Johnston had written on the application of chemistry to agriculture. Before the opening of the Col- lege to students, in May, 1857, the room now used for the library was fitted up as a chemical laboratory and put in charge of Professor L. K. Fisk, now president of Albion College. Having been reared on a farm, and being familiar with its operations, he saw at once the rich field of investigation that lay before the agricultural chemist in the double work of investigating the laws of husbandry and in qualifying others by his instructions for such investigations. He could do little among the stumps, however, in out of door w^ork, but he at once prepared and gave a course of lectures on Agricultural Chemistry. When Dr. Fisk left at the close of six years' service, the College was fortunate enough to fill the place (Jan. 28, 18G3), with R. C. Kedzie, M. D., the present professor of Chemistry. In 1871 a Chemical Laboratory was constructed, according to a plan made by Dr. Kedzie, after a careful examination of eastern laboratories. Its cost was $11,507.13. It was the first, I believe, of American colleges to put in the Bonn Self-Ventilating Evaporating Hoods, which were in the Bonn building, but had not yet been tried. It was the first also to have the working tables end against the windows instead of between them. The laboratory is supj^lied with water, and (1877) with gas, A description of the building and its several rooms is given in the report for 1871, pages 9 to 20. It remains to be said that this building, which was thought to be ample for all needs of the College for many years, is now outgrown. Neither the lecture room, nor the working room will longer accommodate, with any crowding, the students in chemistry and its applications. The Legislature will probably be asked for an appropria- tion for its enlargement. 26 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTUEE. The regular instruction in Chemistry embraces a course of daily lectures for a term, and two weeks in Elementary Cliemistry ; a term's daily instruction in Organic Chemistry, and in IJlow-pipe and Volumetric Analysis; a term in Laboratory practice in Analytical Chemistry, three hours each day ; a term's lectures in Analytical Cliemistry; a term's recitation in Chemical Physics; and a term's lectures in Meteorology. The illustrative experiments are numerous. Each student is required to make an analysis of at least one hundred substances, embracing commercial and natural productions, manures, ashes of i)lants, technical minerals, and soils. Omitting the synopsis of the other lectures, which is given in the catalogue, I will here transcribe the synopsis of the course in Agricultural Chemistry : AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY. Eormation and composition of soils; the relations of air and moisture to vegetable growth ; connection of heat, light, and electricity -with growth of plants; nature and source of food of plants; chemical changes attending veg- etable growth ; chemistry of the various processes of the farm, as plowing, fallowing, draining, etc. ; preparation, preserving, and composting of manure; artificial manure; methods of improving soils by chemical means, by mineral manures, by vegetable manures, by animal manures, by indirect methods; rotation of crops ; chemical composition of the various crops ; chemistry of the dairy. The instruction in agricultural chemistry is imparted by lectures. Dr. Kedzie has always been active in all investigations that promised to be useful to farmers, both as chemist in the College, or as a member of medical associations, or of the State Board of Health, of ^vhicll he has been an active member from the first, and of which he is now president. In Ajjril, 18G3, he commenced taking meteorological observations, three times a day, of the state of the thermometer and barometer, and of the clouds, winds, relative humidity, pressure of vapor and rain fall, and these have been contin- ued and published annually to this time, — fifteen years. Ozone observations were added in January, 1871 ; and it is reported that when Mr. Law, the pro- fessor of veterinary in Cornell University, desired records of ozone, our own were found to be the most comjilete and long continued in the country. These observations are not only printed in our reports, but have been regularly for- warded to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, and they have served materially to the understanding of the climate of Central Michigan. In 18G3, Dr. Kedzie investigated the properties of swamp muck, made exper- iments, and lectured on the subject. He returned to the subject in 1876, Keport, p. 2:^4. Experiments in top dressing were made by him in 1864, 1866, and 1868. In 1866, Dr. Kedzie made to the Legislature a lvej)ort on the de- struction of Forest Trees, and the report was quoted with marked approval throughout the land. Then followed investigation of poisonous arsenical wall papers commonly sold in the shops, to the great destruction of health. The full discussion of the subject appears in the report of the State Board of Health, but a sketch of the importance of the investigation is given in the 1874 re[)ort, ]). 9"-2. Then followed investigations in ventilation of houses and in the dangers arising from poor kerosene. A plain talk to the farmers about lightning rods, for the purpose of putting them on guard against paying enor- mous prices for rods wortli no more than common bars of iron, led to discus- sions which resulted in ingeniously contrived and convincing experiments on the i)assage of frictional electricity through rods. The article of Dr. Kedzie' s was reprinted entire in scientific journals in New York and England. DEPAKTMENT REPORTS. 27 When the potato beetle made its appearance fanners were frightened away from the nsc of Paris green by warning connnunieatioiis to tlie New York Evening Post and other papers. Dr. Kedzie at once grew crops dressed witli Paris green ; and analyzing soils and frnits found that the fruits (grain) did not imbibe tlie Paris green, and that the poisonous element was rendered insolu- ble by cliemical action of common soil. Tlie investigations were reprinted in English papers and translated for French and German periodicals. When the cabbage worms appeared and people began to use Paris green for them as they had done for potato beetles, Dr. Kedzie at once gave warning- through the press of the danger. When the State Convention of Millers set down Clawson wheat as of an inferior grade, Dr. Kedzie, by experiments and analysis contributed much to the settlement of the question of its true relative value. These are some of the ways, gathered from memory without searching them out, in which the chemi- cal department is of service to the State, aside from its main use, that of the instruction of students. They are set forth, not to praise Dr. Kedzie, who does not need praise, but to show that the College interests itself in what is of pres- ent interest to farmers. Dr. Kedzie, and Kobert F. Kedzie, his assistant, are helping the farm department by analyses of milk, and by other ways, in the farm experiments. It is hoped the useful activity of the department will be remembered when it asks an enlargement of its laboratory. BOTANY AND HORTICULTUKE. Botany and Horticulture have been from the first recognized as entitled to a place in the instructions of the College. Professor John C. Holmes, of Detroit, to whose efforts the establishment and early success of the College was so largely due, was horticulturist from the opening of the College in May, 1857, to 1863, excepting the year 1859, when there was neither botanist nor horticulturist. Prof. A. N. Prentiss, now of Cornell University, but then a sophomore in the Agricultural College, took charge of the gardens during that year. Dr. George Thurber, now editor of the American Agriculturist of New York, was made Professor of Botany in 1860, and was both botanist and horticul- turist in 1863. Professor Prentiss had charge of the department from 1863 ta 1869. Will. W. Tracy, a graduate, taught horticulture and landscape gardening- from 18 TO to 1873 while Professors Prentiss and Beal gave the instruction in botany. Prof. Beal lectured in 1870, and was appointed Professor of Botany in 1871. He still holds the position, and has for the most part been also- the Superintendent of the Horticultural Dei^artment. During Profesor Pren- tiss' administration a complete separation of the horticultural from tlie agri- cultural department was made. Each department from this time down has been possessed of its own barns, teams, implements, and working force. BOTANY. The professor keeps virtually in mind the words of Lord Bacon when he says : '' This therefore is the first distemper of learning, when men study words- and not matter." To get the definitions of the parts of plants, and by analysis and a comparison of the parts with an artificial key to determine the name of a plant, and then to prepare a nicely pressed specimen of the ilowcr and leaves, — this has been thought to be all there is of the study of Botany. With us the student is introduced at once to the jilants and made to study them in their forms. He commits no lessons from a book for several weeks until he has learned to trust his own habits of observation. A world of truths lie 28 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. about lis which we do not see, because we have never been taught to observe tbeni. It is of prime importance that the botanist sliould be tauglit to note in his mind the likenesses and dillerences in every day phmts about him. In- struction is then given in the functions of the various parts of different plants, the anatomy of stem, roots, leaves and other organs. The student is tauglit the classification of plants, and to a limited extent becomes familiar with the different orders, and the kind of plants found in them, their uses in manufactures, for food, or ornament, and their geographi- cal distribution. Of course very sjiecial attention is given to the grains and grasses, and other plants grown in Michigan. Trees and shrubs are plants to a botanist, and those that grow, or that are cultivated in our State are studied. Botany makes a near approach to agriculture when it discusses the principles of the germination, growth, fecundation, fruiting, and seed -making processes of plants. The study of any cro]) sends the student back to the botanist, and then to tiie chemist for the means of understanding it. Chemistry and botany are sciences underlying husbandry, and the professors of these sciences, when thev teach with distinct reference to agriculture, arc the professors of scien- tific, as distinguished from practical agriculture. The instruction in botany is given, like that in practical agriculture, partly in the Freshman, and })artly in the Senior year. In the Senior year the course of studv consists of laboratory work with the compound microscope. HORTICULTURE. Lectures in horticulture succeed the Freshman course in botany, and is given to the Juniors, inasmuch as during their year the class have systematic work in the Horticultural Department. One afternoon a week a section of this class spends in company with the professor in the orchard, vineyard, gar- dens, or the park in work which, being wholly for educational purposes, is given without compensation. The Horticultural Department has allotted to it one-third of so much of the working force of students as is given to farm and gardens — the farm taking two-thirds. The means of illustration in the Departments of Botany and Horticulture are : — The botanical gardens about the greenhouse and in other places, where a great variety of plants are grown, and where, as the grounds admit of it, and the purposes of science are not disturbed by it, they are tastefully arranged by the gardener of the College. A large variety of the grasses are grown in rows for study. West of the greenhouse the bank of a ravine has been converted by means of a rockery into a receptacle for plants requiring different degrees of moisture, until at the bottom we have marsh, and water i)lants. The greenhouse witli its several rooms differing in heat and moisture furnishes the student an opportunity of studying plants that will not grow in our climate, but which illustrate principles of botany and vegetable physiology, or help to a knowledge of different orders, or are themselves of interest for their uses. The number of plants is about 'J,000 and of 1,180 species and varieties. An arboretum north of the professors' houses contains nearly all the kinds of trees that grow in the State, and many which do not, in rows, while in the College l*ark the trees are labelled, to enable the student to distinguish them. The jirofessor of botany has been preparing a key or guide to the trees. There is an apple orchard of over 400 trees, embracing about 300 varieties DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 39 of apples, ji cherry orchard of 100 trees and 10 varieties, a pear orchard of 165 trees of o2 varieties, two vineyards of 800 vines and 77 varieties, besides over 300 seedlings, gardens of small fruits, and a vegetable garden. The veg- etable garden is to be removed to fields No. 1 and 'Z, just west of the apple orchard, where it will find ample room and better soil. The Horticultural Department i)ossesses an Herbarium of dried plants, l)e- ing the valuable collection of Dennis Cooley, M. D. This herbarium was the life work, aside from his professional labors, of Dr. Cooley ; and has few equals in value in the AYest. It was the noble gift of his widow, now Mrs. Clarissa Babbitt, of Washington, Macomb Co. A sketch of the life of Dr. Cooley is to be found in tlie lieport of the Board of Agriculture for 18G3. Tiie College has also a Museum of Vegetable Products, including sections of woods, sam- j)les of gums, grasses, seeds and grains, charts, and microscopic slides. There are ten compound microscopes for the use of students in botany. The Botanical portion of Library, although far from extensive, contains most of the American works and reprints on horticultural subjects. It has a full set, bound, of the Gardener's Chronicle, weekly, from its first number, January, 1841 to tlie present time; a complete set, bound, of The Garden, an illustrated weekly, from its first number in November, 1871. These are English papers and are taken by the College and bound annually. The l^ibrary also contains the Hovey's Horticulturist complete from its first number in 1835, to its close in 1868. It possesses many volumes of other magazines of horticulture, and many reports of societies. The students are kept informed of the various experiments in botany and horticulture made by the Professor. This volume will contain a lecture of Prof. Beal's, giving some account of the experiments conducted by him at the College. Tlie experimenting, it is hoped, will make the graduates capable of assisting in observations and experiments hereafter. The wants of the department are numerous. It needs a working laboratory, a building distinct from others, as the chemical laboratory is. It has now no class rooms of sufficient size to hold the classes, nor sufficiently light for micro- scopic work. It has no room for the arrangement of its museum. The larger part of the use of the specimens is lost if they have to be dug out of the bot- tom of a box to be seen, and are accessible to students only in class room. Landscape Gardening receives a short course of lectures, — one-half term. Prof. Beal takes charge of the class, giving instruction by lectures, the read- ing of Kemp, Downing, Weidenmann, and other authors, and by practical illus- tration and Avork in the Park. AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT. The agricultural department of the College receives the largest share of attention. As I look upon it we have three professors of agriculture : The professor of Ciiemistry, who gives courses of lectures on Agricultural Chem- istry, the professor of Botany and Horticulture who teaches vegetable physiol- ogy and the laws of growth, and the professor of Practical Agriculture who teaches ajiproved methodt of managing farms ; but as these departments are usually distinguished, I will give a brief account of the Parm De})artment proper. A distinct professorship of Agriculture does not seem to have been thought of in the first years of the College. The President of the College, Mr. Josepli R. Williams, and a farmer as foreman, took charge of all the operations on the oO STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. farm. Students were sometimes, when together, given some information regarding farm operations, but received no regular instruction in agriculture. l)r. Manly Miles, M. D., professor of Physiology, gave in 1862 and 18G3 some instruction in Veterinary Medicine and Stock Breeding, but there was no regu- lar instruction in Agriculture except that given by the professors of Chemistry and Botany until 1865, Dr. Miles liaving been appointed the first professor of Practical Agriculture in the autumn of 1864, the second year of my presidency of the College. Dr. Miles at once systematized the instruction in Agriculture, at first using the best text books that could be liad in this new field of college instruction, and gradually bringing to perfection those courses of lectures which proved so useful and inspiring to successive classes in the College. Chietly at my suggestion, the labor of students was brought mainly into the compass of one session of three hours in the afternoon of each day, thus bring- ing it into more complete control of the officers, and making it more educa- tional to the students. On Professor Prentiss's proposition, the labor of an entire class (now Sophomore) was to be given to the farm, and that of another (now Junior) to the Horticultural Departmen, thus giving the departments an opjiortunity to give systematic instruction in different kinds of work. Dr. Miles mapped out the farm anew, into fields of about twenty-five acres each, and established the present rotation of crops, and inaugurated and began a plan of drainage of the farm. He found the stock of the college, excepting some Essex swine, of the most inferior quality, and began to improve it by gradual sales of cattle and tlie purchase of fewer animals of pure blood. By an arrangement with myself, which the Board permitted to go on undisturbed for some years, the receipts on account of stock went to the improvement of the stock. By this means tlie College stock became respectable in quality long before any money appropriated to the College by the Legislature was expended directly for stock. The College owes much to the very great ability and the enthusiastic industry of Dr. Miles. Dr. Miles was succeeded in 1875 by Professor Alfred B. Gulley. during whose two years' service very general improvement was made in the fields and grounds of the College. At the close of Mr. Gulley's first year the superintendency of all the work on the farm and in gardens was given him, and Mr. C. L. Ingersoll nuide Professor of Agriculture. The additional expense, on our fail- ure to realize the sum of money estimated as necessary to our current expenses, caused the abandonment of the plan. Professor Charles L. Ingersoll, a graduate of the College, was ap])ointed to his present place in January, 1877, having ])reviously served as foreman of the farm. The area of ground under cultivation has been increased by Pro- fessor Ingersoll, and a steam engine set up as a motive power for the barns. For the management of the farm and of students' work Prof. Ingersoll has two foremen of the farm — ])oth i)ractical farmers, competent of themselves to manage farms, and one of them a graduate of the College. The general man- agement and the control of experiments is with the Professor. Students work three hours, from 1 to 4 P. M. every day except Saturdays and Sundays, the Sopliomores and enougii others to make two-thirds the work- ing force being assigned each term to the farm. Tiie teamsters jirepare work for the afternoon. The foreman, and some of the Seniors who understand the work, and frequently the Professor, act as directors and leaders in the various kinds of work. To see what students have done, one should look at the pho- DEPARTMENT REPORTS; 31 tographs of tlie College taken after it was opened to students in 1857, and which Mrs. Williams, the wife of the first President, kindly presented to me. Stumps were standing close up to tiie doors of the three buildings, tiie only ones then erected, and a rail fence a few rods from the buildings separated the logs and stumjis inside from the forest and tamarack swamp outside. One should see, too, tiie drain-map of the farm, constructed by Professor Carpenter, and showing more than ten miles of tile drainage, done almost wholly by students. The farm is neither a rich one, nor a poor one. There are in the State many districts better adapted to wheat than ours, as there are sections not so subject to drouth and frost. The farm has a great variety of soil. As you enter the grounds from the west you ascend a hill, having the Red Cedar river beneath a steep and curved bank on your right. This hill is stiff clay, and has been taken for pear and cherry trees. Where the river bears to the right from the drive we have alluvial soil, and about the buildings light sandy loam or sand, — the College buildings standing in an old grove of oaks with now and then a tulip tree. We have clay loam, and light peaty loam, and peat. The farm was selected in view of this variety of soil. The park of some eighty acres, the orchard, and field No. 1 of five acres, are in charge of the Horticultural Depart- ment. The rest of the land is in charge of the Farm Department. Six fields of about twenty-five acres each are in the College rotation of crops, called the College rotation, as being peculiarly adapted to this farm, and to a farm worked by students. It is not planned with special reference to wheat. Corn is followed by roots, then oats, tlien wheat, then clover, then clover again. A yearly report of the management of the farm is published in the reports of the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture. As the farm was not designed to waste money, so neither was it designed to earn money for the State. The first use of it is to afford labor to students, to teach them how to work, and to keep them in the practice, and love of hard daily, systematic manual labor. So far as time and means are given, it serves as an experimental station. It serves as a means of illustration of the kinds and of the growth of crops, methods of cultivation, and experimenting. The stock on the farm was designed to furnish good specimens of the various prominent breeds, so that students should become familiar with them, their peculiarities, habits, and value. Students often receive lectures in the barns and yards. The keeping of bulls of different breeds is costly, and there has at times been talk of dispensing with males of all but one or two breeds, and keeping specimens of females only, for study. It would, I believe, suit Pro- fessor Ingersoll better to keep both male and female of each prominent breed, but not to keep a herd of any but perhaps Shorthorns and Ayrshires. The College in 1863 purchased a bull and two heifers of Shorthorns and of Devons, and Mr. J. B. Crippen of Cold water gave a Shorthorn heifer. In 1864 a bull and heifer of the Ayrshire breed were purchased. Galloways and Jerseys were subsequently added to the stock. Males and females of tliese breeds, and a female Hereford are now at the College. We have Southdown, Cotswold, Spanish Merino, and Black-faced Highland sheep, and Essex, Suffolk, Berk- shire and Poland-China swine. The College has from time to time been the recipient of valuable presents of stock. The Devon bull Batavia was given to the College by R. G. Hart, of Lapeer, the Jersey bull Saginaw by Dr. J. S. Curtis of Bridgeport, Saginaw county. The donation of sheep, swine, and implements to the farm department have been numerous and valuable. s 32 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. It has been impossible with our limited means to create lierds of cattle hav- ing animals equal in value to tliose of special breeders of the different kinds. It is not infrequently said at Institutes and gatherings of farmers that the College should possess the best specimens to be found in the State of each breed, and it is generally added, "if they cannot afford it, let us, the people of the State, place them where they can do it."' If this were the only want of the College it miglit easily be met; but the wants of the College are various and large. The College stock is respectable in quality. The College made no ex- hibition of stock in the State Fair of 1878, but it made 32 entries and sent 24 animals in 1877. "^riie animals were entered, as they must be by our rules, for cxl)ibition only, but the opinion of their value was expressed by the judges by their decorating five Shorthorns with blue ribbons, and two with red, two Devons with blue ribbons, one with red, two Ayrshires with red ribbons, two Jerseys witii blue ribbons, and two Galloways with blue ribbons. This classes eleven animals as equals at least of those that took the first prizes, and five as the equals of those taking the second prizes. I have dwelt at some length on the farm and stock, on account of the gen- eral curiosity as to them. Every catalogue contains a small map of the farm, with numbered fields, and every annual report gives an account of each field and each crop. IXSTRUCTION IN AGRICULTURE. In addition to manual labor on the farm, under good foremen and the lec- tures of Dr. Kedzic in Agricultural Chemistry, and those of Prof. Beal in Vegetable Physiology and Horticulture, the Professor of Agriculture, Mr. Ingersoll, gives two full courses of lectures in Practical Agriculture. In these lectures agriculture is treated of as an art founded on experience. The rules that have been found to work best are taught, whether we see through them or not. It is not easy, nor perhaps desirable, to make a very definite line of demarcation between the methods of instruction of the Professor of Agricul- ture and tliose of tiie Agricultural Chemist. The one will speak of scientific explanation, and the other of empirical rules ; and, indeed, the two professors confer with each other and help each other in their experiments. But in the main, except in experiments, the fields of instruction of the two are sufficiently separate. The first course of lectures on Agriculture is given in the Freshman year, the other in the Senior, giving, as ni case of Botany, almost all the experience of the College course of the student between them. Before this last course, students will have had a years continuous work on the farm ; wih have been through the study of Botany, become familiar with grasses, grains, vegetables, trees; and will have had Agricultural Ciicmistry, the study of Anatomy and Physiology, and other branches. The study of agriculture thus almost begins and almost closes our course of study. The following is a brief SYNOPSIS OF LECTURES IN PRACTICAL AGRICULTURE. Freshman Course. History of Agriculture, not only showing the changes that have taken place in the same country in different periods of time : but comparing tliose that have taken place in different countries, at the same period. DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 33 The present of Agriculture ; giving a short sketch of tlic methods practiced in many countries and the couii)arative results. Ilistory of breeds of cattle : the characteristics of each ; points of different ])reeds ; judging cattle by points. Principles of Drainage ; comi)arison of tile drains with various kinds of cov- ered drains; with open drains; laying out and ])utting down tile drains and sewers ; drainage and sewerage of buildings. Senior Coiwse. Principles of stock breeding ; how applied in different breeds ; results reached ; principles of farm economy considered with special regard to mixed husbandry and rotations of crops ; planning and construction of farm buildings with refer- ence to some rotation of crops or special system of husbandry ; also with refer- ence to the kind and the number of live stock to be kept upon the farm. Each student is required to select au ideal farm, give size, soil, and other description of interest or importance; assume to have a certain amount in i)low land ; plan a rotation of crops ; decide on the greatest amount of stock to be kept; then draft a plan for barns, stables, etc.: for the proper care of the crops and the shelter of the stock, the care of implements, etc. AGllICULTURAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM. The Farm Department has the beginning of a museum, and some few illus- trative pictures and charts. It is in need of a much better collection, — of more barns, implements, and stock. The Agricultural Library is mostly in the general library. The exceptions are the series of herd books which are kept in the farm office, but which are inventoried with the library. We have the Am. 8hort-horn Herd Book, Ayrshire Herd Book and Record, Am. Devon Herd Book, Am. Jersey Cattle Club Register, Hereford Herd Book (English), and Coates English Short- horn Herd Book, and one volume of the Poled Galloway Herd Book, and first volume of the Guernsey Register. The Library contains most of the recent American and English publications on Agriculture, and on stock breeding. There comes regularly to the Reading Room eighteen agricultural journals published on tins side the Atlantic, and two weekly agricultural journals from London. \\'e have a complete set of the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England to the present time (39 vols.), and receive the volumes regularly as they are issued. We have the Highland Agricultural Society publications complete in 58 volumes to the present year ; the Bussey Institute Bulletins, and nearly complete sets of the Agricultural Reports of the United States, of Maine, Massachusetts, Connecti- cut, New York, Ohio, Iowa, and less complete sets of the reports of various other States and Agricultural Societies. ZOOLOGY AND ENTOMOLOGY AND GEOLOGY. I come next to the department of Zoology and Entomology. All who have planned out courses of instruction for an agricultural school, have enlarged on the necessity of instruction in physiology and entomology. Instruction in stock-breeding and the races of domestic animals is not, in our scheme, placed in the zoological, but in the agricultural department. During the year 1859, Dr. Henry Goodby occupied the chair of Animal Physiology, — from 1861 to 18G5 Dr. Manly Miles was professor of Physiology 5 34 STATE BOARD OF AGKICULTURE. and Zoology, and continued to fill that of Physiology until 1869. At that time, 18G9, Albert J. Cook, tlie present incumbent, a graduate of the College, was appointed professor of Zoology and Entomology. A collection of the shells of Michigan, and of its animals and minerals, was commenced by Dr. Miles, who had been the Zoologist of the geological survey of the State. It has been more than doubled under the enthusiastic work of Prof. Cook, and of the many students whom he has inspired with his own zeal. The College has on deposit numerous specimens sent us by the Smithsonian Institution at Washington. It is entitled by law to sets of specimens of the geological survey of the State, and many specimens have been received from this source. A small annual appropriation gives a constant but too slow growth to the General Museum. Its means of illustration in Geology and Compara- tive Anatomy are meager. The collection of Michigan birds and animals mounted approximates completeness. Tlie entomological collections are fuller, there being about thirty cases of insects. A large part of the preserving and mounting of animals has been done at the College by students, under the di- rection of Dr. Miles or Prof. Cook, or by those who had made some special study of the art. The value of the General Museum, a museum excluding the collections in Botany, Chemistry, Agriculture, and other special depart- ments was, Sept. 1877, $5,193.26. Five hundred dollars have been spent upon it since that time. The Natural History Society of tlie College has a museum of its own, con- taining many excellent specimens. The instruction given in Physiology extends through one term daily lessons. Special attention is given to the comparative anatomy and physiology of domes- tic animals. The students are taught to dissect animals and to study the tis- sues under the microscope. Entomology takes a term of study with daily lessons, and Zoology and Anat- omy together occupy a third term. In Entomology particular study is made of insects injurious to vegetation. The students dissect and learn to make accurate drawings of the peculiarities which are important in determining fam- ilies and genera. Professor Cook has been able to secure through the graduates a corps of good observers of insects and their works in various parts of the State. He is almost flooded with insects and inquiries that pour in upon him regarding them through the mails. The insects often come in the larva state, and have to be fed and developed into the winged state before they can be described. He has given many addresses, and written largely for the press regarding injurious insects. In 1874 he printed a thick pamphlet on injurious insects, — the same forming a part of the report of the Board of Agriculture for that year, — which was widely circulated amongst farmers, as they expressed a desire for it. In 1875 the army worm, in 1876 the bot-fly, the pork-worm, in 1877 the Hessian fly and the insects that attack our timber and shade trees, received his attention, and his winter institute lectures on them will be found in the reports of the ]3oard. In other words, this department, like all the other departments of the College, attempts while teaching science purely to teach its })rinciples at the same time with distinct reference to agriculture, as befits an agricultural college. APIAKY. A special subdivision of the department is the Apiary. The College has a separate building for the apiary, witli grounds on which grow specimens of dj:partment reports. 35 hoiiey-produciiig plants. Tvvctity-niiie colonies were wintered last winter. All tiie students are instructed to some extent in bee-kcei)ing, using tlio man- ual prepared by Pi'ofe^^sor Cook. Some of the students make a special study of bee-keeping, and a few of its graduates arc professional apiarists. Prof. Cook was secretary and afterwards president of the State Bee-Keejiers Associ- ation. The property of the apiary is valued, exclusive of its garden and grounds, at $(J18.70, August, 1877. The library has three periodicals devoted to bee-keepers, etc. MATHEMATICS AND ITS APPLICATIONS. Pure mathematics are carried only so far as to give an insight into tiie sub- jects of surveying and the use of implements — that is, through algebra, geom- etry, and trigonometry. In Allen's New American Farm Book, mechanics is the t5rst named of a list of studies which the farmer should pursue. Every farmer would put mechanics in a course of study, but every farmer does not know that the shortest road to even an elementary knowledge of the calcula- tion of forces and the direction in which they act is through trigonometry. For the full discussion of these subjects the calculus, a still higher branch of mathematics is required, but witli trigonometry quite a clear insight into the problems of mechanical force can be had — without it, it cannot. The students having completed the pure mathematics, take mechanics, sur- veying, leveling, plotting and industrial drawing. Civil engineering, embrac- ing the properties of building materials, roads, bridges, farm implements, and some other branches. The classes in algebra and geometry are so large they recite in two or three sections. Here is ample work for a professor and an assistant. Dr. Pugh, the £rst president of the Pennsylvania Agricultural College, and whose death the cause of industrial education has much cause to deplore, assigned these studies in his scheme to three full professors and three assistants. No one man has ever done all that has been done in all these studies, but the persons specially employed up to 1875 for the work have been : Calvin Tracy, Professor of Mathematics, from 1857 to 1860. Oscar Clute, a graduate of the College, Professor of Mathematics from 1865 to 1867. T. C. Abbot, Professor of Civil and Kural Engineering from 1860 to 1861. Cleveland Abbe, Instructor in Civil Engineering during the year 1859. Cleveland Abbe has since largely distinguished himself as an astronomer and a general scientific investigator, and he is now the meteorologist of the Signal Service at Washington, having as one of his trusted assistants a grad- uate of this College. In 1875 the Department of Mathematics and Civil Engineering was put in charge of Professor liolla C. Carpenter, a graduate of tlie College and of the University Course in Civil Engineering, under whose charge it is taken on a more systematic shape. A short course of instruction is given in astronomy for tlie sake of the general intelligence conferred on the students by the study, and for its admirable dis- ciplinary use. The students have practice in what they study. There will be drains to lay out (as well as dig) for many years to come, and hitherto there have been water improvements, dykes or breakwaters, pile driving and bridges and dams to build, foundations for steam pumps and other things to lay. Works of these 36 STATE BOAED OF AGRICULTUKE. kinds arc usually pat under the supervision of Prof. Carpenter by the Board, lie has made an atlas of tlie College drainage, and a record book, and is engaged in surveys, preliminary to toiiographical maps of the farm. Many of the students arc competent to do ordinary surveying on com- pleting the study here. No attempt is made to give a complete course of instruction in civil engineering. Those things are taught A\-hicli are supposed to be most useful for a farmer to know. The University is near for those who would complete tlieir education in this branch of study. Of book-keeping only enough is taught to enable students to keep their accounts accurately aud well. Mr. William D. Cochrane of Detroit was em- ployed in 1859 as instructor and died at the close of the year. John (t. llams- deli, now Judge Eamsdell of Traverse City, and H. D. Bartholomew have both given instruction in book-keeping and lectured on commercial usages and law. The equipment of this department is meager. It jwssesses two compasses, for one of which the students contributed 121, a level, a transit instrument and some few other things. Through a borrowed telescope and on a borrowed globe the students are helped to a knowledge of astronomy. There is some, although but little, apparatus for illustration of mechanical principles. The College owns about two thousand models selected from the Patent Office at Washington. The department has no class-room of its own, no place for the exhibition of its charts and models, no working room for classes in drawing. ENGLISH LITEKATURE. The department of English Literature is in charge of Professor George T. Fairchild, who, after a year's service in the College as an instructor, received his appointment to the professorship in 186G. The department is made to cover lihetoric, both in its discussion of style and in the higher study of the invention and presentation of argument. In the Freshman year a term's study is given to Khetoric. Students are taught to write with correctness, as to punctuation, expression of thought, and meclianical execution, by means of full instruction, daily exercises in criticism, and weekly compositions. They are also taught to see the value of different kinds of writings preparatory to the enjoyment of the works of English mas- ters of prose and verse. In the Junior year a term of study is given to the study of higher llhetoric, involving the nature of argument and of persuasion. Weekly exercises in compositions and declamations are required of all the Freslimen and Sophomores, and original orations of tlic other classes. Tiie French language is taught tliree terms. The French and German Ian- guages are now requisite to the thorough student of any of the sciences or arts. It is part of the design of the course of instruction here to put students in the way of a more complete knowledge than we can furnish them, enabling them to become, if they so desire, specialists in some studies. The experimenter in vegetable physiology, or in feeding stock, or in any other department of scien- tific investigation, if he will not waste his time, must know what has been done, or is doing, in France and Germany in the same line of study, and the information he needs is not accessible to tlie mere English student. Both lan- guages are desirable, but one course is not long enough, nor our number of teachers large enough for both. The preference given to French in our course is not due to its higlier value, but to the fact that German teachers can be found by students almost anywliere, and to the furtlier fact that Frencli is a DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 37 requisite to admission to some Eastern scientific schools to wliich our graduates sometimes resort, while the German is not. We follow, in requiring French, most of scientific schools of the land. The danger in an agricultural school where Greek and Latin are not taught, is that in 2)lace of these studies there will not be put something calculated, to give the student the ability to present his observations, experiments, and rea- soning in a way to command attention. The study of another language is a discipline in giving order to one's thoughts, due jirominence to the parts of the matter he would write about or speak about, and correctness and force to his expression, and both English and French occupy but scant time for the secur- ing of these results. In the Junior year a term's course of lectures is given to English Literature. A connected, and philosophical review of this literature is given, and an attempt made to imbue the students with a love of reading. The Juniors read, select dramas of Shakspeare and the Seniors portions of Milton in evening classes. As the students have a very efficient society for the study of science, so the societies and clubs of the College have done excellent work in the reading of poetry, history, political economy and other branches of study. The library furnishes a fair supply of good works to read. POLITICAL ECOlSrOMT, PHILOSOPHY. History. — In the Freshman year a term's study is given to the history of Greece and Eome. It is a mere beginning of historical study, but serves an educational purpose in interesting the student in history. Most of the Pro- fessors give a lecture or two on the history of the subjects they teach, and the study of the Constitution of the United States is preceded by some study of United States History. Philosophi/. — Psychology receives a term's study; Moral Philosophy one-half term; Political Eeconomy one-half term's lectures by Professor Fairchild; Inductive Logic one-half term, and the Constitution of the United States one- half term. "A farmer," said President Williams in his inaugural address in 1857, is a citizen amenable to the laws, and, in a humbler or a wider range, may become an exponent of society. He should be able to execute, therefore, the duties of even responsible stations, with self reliance and intelligence." There is great need of instruction in the branches of study just named. With iis equal a distribution of work as we could devise. Professor Ingersoll, with the care of the Farm Department upon his shoulders, takes classes in French, and if French were not taught at all, it would be in whatever else took its place. Professor Beal takes History entirely apart from his own department, and Professor Fairchild is weighed down with the many studies assigned to him. In our desire not to increase the expenses of the College we have let the Col- lege grow from the period when two small classes were united in their studies to a condition when the higher classes are too large to unite, and when the lower ones are so large as to have to be divided into sections, with no corres- ponding increase of teaching force. LECTURES. Another element of instruction is a series of fortnightly lectures given to the students in a body by tiie members of tlie faculty in rotation. Sometimes the place of some professor is supplied by some gentleman outside of the College. In these lectures there is a wide range of topics. Thus during the present year 38 STATE BOARD OF AGEICULTURE. lectures have been given on the Onitions of Demosthenes and Acschines on the Crown, on the Liquifaction of Gases, California, Illumination, The Choice of a Business, Mouths of the Mississippi and Engineering works on them, Short- horns, Polish True and Mock, A Course of Reading in English History, Eeproduction of Plants (by Mr. B. C. Halsted), Sympathy, the Soul of Oratory, Snakes, Horticultural Ex^ieriments at the College, The Currency (by W. S. George). MILITARY INSTRUCTION. On the breaking out of the rebellion the students formed tliemselves into a company and had regular military drill. Governor Blair once visited the company, and addressed it while on parade. Drill was afterwards required of the students, and lectures were given (18G3) on Military Hygiene by Dr. Kedzie, and on Field Fortifications by Professor Clute. Guns were furnislied by the State and subsequently withdrawn. At present, military drill is a voluntary matter with the students. An armory has lately been fitted up and tlie State has furnished us with sixty stand of arms, breech-loading Springfield rifies, and accoutrements, a drill ground has been made ready, and the company, fifty-four in number at the close of last term, drills twice a week. The company has encamped from time to time away from the College. The College Cornet Band has furnished music at times for the parade. Tliis Band consists of fifteen pieces, and has property in instruments and books to the amount of 195. GO. The interest manifested in military instruction is good, and is increasing. Whatever has been done among tlie students is due chiefly to the labors of Professor Ingersoli, their captain, whose experience of several years in the army fits him to be the leader in this movement. It may not be generally known that by a law of this State the Agricultural College is a military School. Yet so it is, as one may see by turning to the SGith page of the laws of 18G3. No appropriations for the Military School have as yet been made by the Legislature, and the College waits for the time when the interest of the Congressional Land Grant shall enable it to equip tliis department of instruction. SOCIETIES. I have now given an account of the various departments of instruction. The Library of about 5,000 volumes and an extensive Ixcading Koom are daily opened to students, and they have tlie further privilege of drawing out books to read. The Societies formed amongst the students although of a voluntary origin and nature are great helps to the students, and may find a fitting mention here. The most general societies arc the Ciiristiau Union and the Natural History Society. Tlie Christian Union has a library of several hundred volumes, mostly purchased by the society. It takes charge of the prayer meetings, Sunday schools, and Bible classes, and has lectures and entertainments from time to time. The Natural History Society is made uj) of students and profe.-sors. The members arc divided into five sections, Jiotany, Chemistry, Geology, Zoology, and Scientific Methods. Tlie meetings arc held once a month, and its trans- actions are reported in both the Lansing newspapers. The society has a library DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 39 of one hnndred and thirty-six volumes, and a miiseiuu of 1,350 specimens, exclusive of cases of insects. Much original work is done by the members of the society, and each one takes to the meetings his newly made observations, iiis queries, and the dis- cussions are free, animated, and instructive. The more formal papers for the last year were as follows : "The Amazon," by Professor J. B. Steere of the University. "The place of Definition in Science," by President Abbot. "The Signal Service Barometer," by Dr. Kedzie. "Exactness of Expression in Science," by Professor Fairchild. " The Grape-vine Phylloxera," " The Mound of Newark, Ohio," and "Persistence of Life in the Embryonic Chicken," by Professor Cook. "Autumn Leaves," "A Shower of Angle-worms," and "Method of Study in Natural IIistory,"by Professor Beal. " Method of Least Squares," by Professor Carpenter. "The Telephone," by Professor William K. Kedzie. "The Carrion Mushroom," and "Adulterations in Food," by Mr. Kobert F. Kedzie. "Development of the Chick in the Egg," by Mr. W. C. Latta. "Grain experiments," by Mr. C. E. Breck. "The Fall of Leaves, and the Growth of Koots," by Mr. A. A. Crosier. "The Cuttle Fish," by Mr. E. Davenport. "How much does a Fly weigh?" "The Manufacture of Quinine," "Analyses of Water from wells at the College," by Mr. C. T. Gage. "Our Winter Birds," by C. W. Gammon. "Bumble-bees," "Report of Mound Ex- plorations at Pine Lake," by N. P. Graham. "Wing Scales of the Papil- lionidae," "European Grain Moth (Tinea granella),'^ "Evidences of Glacial actions in Michigan," by F. W. Hastings. "Building Power of Leaves," by AV. E. Hubbert. "Bees on Irregular Corollas," by A. Jones. "Iron as a Coloring Agent in Flowers," by E. 0. Ladd. "Germination of Seeds," by H. E. Owen. "Chemistry of Photography," by A. B. Peebles. "Nature's manner of Sowing her Wild Oats," by R. D. Sessions. "Angle Worms," "Plant Lice," by F. E. Skeels. "Outcrops of Rocks in Michigan," by C. J. Strang. "The Dearth of Terrestrial Animal Life during the age of Coal Plants," by 0. F. Davis. "Some A\^ater Plants," by Byron D. Halstead. The other societies of the College have the past year taken up systematic study in history, literature, science and philosophy, and have materially shaped the reading of the students. THE GIIADUATES. A class of thirty is to be graduated in November. Not counting tiiese, the College has grtiduated one hundred and fifty-six. Four of these are not living, and the occupation of eleven is not known to me at tliis time. Of the remain- der, fifty-five are farming, seven are in fruit culture, three in bee-keeping, and eleven giving instruction in science and agriculture in colleges, making fifty- four per cent, of the graduates. In an address which I gave before the Legis- lature, and which is to be found in the report of the Board for 1874, pages 64 to 85, I showed that other kind of colleges sent less than two per cent, of their graduates to farming. Our graduates show that a love of knowledge has been infused into them, by frequently returning to study or by resorting to other institutions of learning to continue their studies. They have gone from i\s to the University, to Cornell, Yale, Harvard, England, France, and Germany to continue their studies. Be- side the five graduates retained as workers in this College, several others have found places in colleges. Tlie Professors of Agriculture in Kansas Agricultu- ral College and in the Missouri University, the Professors of Botany and Horti- 40 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. culture in Cornell and in Iowa Agricultural College, and the Professors of Chem- istry in tlie University of Wisconsin and in Obcrlin are graduates of this College. The farmers among the graduates are rising in influence as they increase in experience, and it is certain tluit a greater number would be found in the farm- ing ranks but for the fact that farming requires a large cash capital to begin Avith, while many if not most of our graduates have only their health, educa- tion, and good liabits for capital when they leave college. But tlic knowledge gained here will be of use to them and to society in wliatever calling. Their knowledge of agriculture and its needs, and sympathy with men in that busi- ness, will be of value to agricultural interests. farmers' institutes. Tiie College, in 18 7G, inaugurated the holding of Farmers' Institutes in the winter vacation, six each year, in different parts of the State. Tiie citizens of the vicinity where they are held furnish one-half the lectures and addresses and particijiatc in the discussions. These institutes have been very successful, and full reports of them appear in the successive reports of the Board of Agricul- ture. A sketch of the beginning of this work will be found in the report for 1875, page 72. CLOSING REMARKS. Eighty years ago there was not a school of Agriculture in the world. There are now thirty-nine in our own country. All of these, except our own and the one in Pennsylvania, were established subsequently to a grant of lands made by Congress in 18G2. In no State does the College liave so honorable a beginning as in ours. The people tliemselves in establishing their constitution made its establishment imperative. Its language is "Tiie Legislature shall provide for the establishment of an Agricultural School." The origin of no otiier agri- cultural college rises so near tlie primal source of power. No other State has been so patient with the failings, so hopeful in the progress of its Agricultural School, nor so constant in its appropriations for its support. Criticisms it has had freely, and sometimes advei'sc votes enough to make its friends tremble ; but more farmers have voted to sustain it than have voted against it, in every Senate and House of Kepresentatives from tlie first session after its establisli- ment to this day. They have seen that the education given in the schools and colleges of the land were not at all planned for tlie farmer's benefit. Of course it would do the farmer good to go through college and learn its Greek and its calculus, but the liberal education imparted in these Colleges had close rela- tionship to the learned professions as they were called, and no peculiar adapted- ness to the wants of the agriculturist. From this felt need in the better educated farmers of our land have sprung into being these colleges — not that they believed all young men would flock to them, but that they deplored the general indifference of their class to such an educa- tion as should make them acquainted with the philosophy of their occupation. There were in 1857, the date of tlie opening of the ]\lichigan Agricultural College, almost no special students of agriculture in our land. The students now in these colleges exceed four thousand. Tlie House of Kepresentatives at Washington appointed a committee of eleven to examine into the condition of these colleges. The report was made in January, 1875 — was unanimous, and saA'S, **' A considerable number of these colleges have done work which requires no apology, and a few of those earliest DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 41 organized have already found time to take high rank among tlie institutions of our land. The number of students in attendance upon these schools is between three and four thousand [4,211 in 1876], and they have furnislied juore than sixteen hundred graduates to the active occui)ations of life. They are generally gathering around themselves material appliances in the form of farms, stock, workshops, machinery, books, and apparatus. * * * There is evidence of an honest purpose to make the studies pursued such in variety, in extent, and in value as shall meet the requirements of the law to which they are indebted for their endowment. Studies connected with agriculture and the mechanic arts are made prominent if not paramount, and there is reason to believe that by this means the taste for those brandies of knowledge has been considerably increased in the Avhole community." REPORT OF THE FACULTY TO THE STATE BOARD OF AGRI- CULTURE. The Faculty of the State Agricultural College respectfully submit to you their annual report for tbe vear from October 1st, 1877, to September 1st, 1878. COMMENCEMENT OF CLASS OF 1877. The College term which was in session at the writing of last year's report, closed November 20th, with the commencement exercises of the class. The accompanying exercises were the Baccalaureate sermon on Sunday the 18th, the class day exercises on the evening preceding commencement day, and the President's Reception. The music for the occasion was furnished by the Hay- den Quintette Club of Detroit. The class motto was "Resolve and Conquer," and the programme was as follows : PROGRAMME. Music. Quintett — Grand march from Le Prophet, Meyerbeer. Prayer. "Moliii Solo — Lombardi Fantasia Brilliante, Singler. The Signs we Hang Out, . ... Charles Bloodgood, ('assopolis. The Truth-Seeker's Authority, .... Albert Dodge, Jackson. What's His Business? Charles Sanford Emery, Lansing. Piano Solo— Concerto in Bb, Mozart. Self Made, William Oliver Fritz, Pompeii. Training to Think, Charles Irving Goodwin, Ionia. Inducements to the Study of Science, . . Mason Wilbur Gray, Pontiac. Flute Solo— Ballad, Terschak. Political Training, Edson Hale Hunt, Saranac. The Possibilities of Michigan Agriculture, . . *Frank Stewart Kedzie, Lansing. Culture and Agriculture, William Carroll Latta, Legonier, Iiid. Humbugs, Lyman Augustus Lilly, Allegan. Quintette — Sj'mphonia in Eb, 1st movement, Hayden. The Unsolved Problem, Arthur Bradley Peebles, Mason. The Winners in the Contest, .... James Albert Porter, West Ogden. A Use for the Beautiful, John Adelbert Poucher, Morenci. Violin Duet — Swiss air with variations. * Excused on account of illness. 6 43 STATE BOAKD OF AGRICULTUKE. Theory and Practice, Albert Barnes Simonson, Birmingham. Assassination as a Historical Factor, Bion Whelan, Hillsdale. Piano Solo — La Polka do la Relne Caprice, Haff. Conferring of Degrees. Quintette — Selections from 11 Trovatore, Verdi, Benediction. The degree of Master of Science was conferred at tlie same time on Mr. Charles L. Ingersoll, of the chxss of ' 74, now Professor of Agriculture in the Colleire. The decree of Bachelor of Science was conferred on all the members of the graduating class, viz. : Charles Bloodgood, Cassopolis. William Carroll Latta, Ligonier, Ind. Albert Dodge, Jackson. Lyman Augustus Lilly, Allegan. Charles Sanford Emery, Lansing Artliur Bradley Peebles, Mason. William Oliver Fritz, Pompeii. James Albert Porter, West Ogden. Charles Irving Goodwin, Ionia. John Adelbert Poucher, Morenci. Mason Wilbur Gray, Pontiac. Albert Barnes Simonson, Birmingham. Edson Hale Hunt, Saranac. Bion Whelan, Hillsdale. Frank Stewart Kedzie, Lansing. The students in attendance since the last annual report have been as follows : Graduating class and others in attendance during the autumn term of 1877, but not present in 1878 - 38 Resident graduates 1878 1 Senior class of 1878. - - 31 Junior class of 1878 - -.- 27 Freshman class of 1878 (class of 1881) - 117 In select courses 8 T^otal for the year 222 There was a large accession of students into the Freshman class on the open- ing of the spring term, owing to the fact that heretofore the College year has commenced at that time. The absence of a Sophomore class during the spring and summer terms of 1878, is owing to the burning of a Dormitory in December, 1876. Lack of room for a new cUiss necessitated its postponement until September, 1877, and the lirst Tuesday in September has now been ado[>ted as the begitining of the Col- lege school year. The Senior and Junior classes having entered in February (before the burn- ing of the luill) will be graduated in November, 1878 and 1879, From this change of time in beginning the year it happens that for two terms of each year at ])resent, there are but three classes in the College. The Freshman class become Sophomores at this time, August 31, 1878, and a new Freshman class enter on the third of September. Tlie average age of each of tlie classes present in 1878 is as follows : Seniors 21^ years. Juniors 20^ " Freshmen _ 10 " Select studies 21 DEPAKTMENT REPORTS. 43 Tlio various counties of tlic State are represeuted by students as follows : Van Buren - 12 Cass 4 Oakland - 15 Montcalm 4 Ionia - 11 Genesee 2 Lapeer.- 4 Newaygo 1 Lenawee 5 Monroe - 5 Ingham -- - .- 21 Otsego -.- 1 Saginaw 1 Hillsdale 4 Shiawassee 2 Ottawa 4 Clinton 3 Bay 1 Macomb 4 Branch 2 Wayne 13 Washtenaw 1 St. Joseph 9 Mason - 3 Kent 4 Berrien 4 Livingston - 2 Mecosta 1 "o Allesfan 7 Calhoun ..- 3 ■'o Eaton 4 Barry _ 1 Jackson 5 Gratiot 1 Clinton . - 1 Grand Traverse Tuscola. 1 o Total number from Michigan 1G9- Number of students from other States : New York 3 Nebraska 1 AVisconsin - 2 California I Indiana 4 Illinois .- 1 Connecticut 1 Denmark 1 Kentucky — 1 Total number from other States — 15 JUNIOR EXHIBITION. The Junior Exhibition took place August 27th. Ten were selected by lot from those whose class standing was above eight, and these spoke in alphabet- ical order according to the following full programme : PROGRAMME. Overture de Concert^ B. SpeiL Prayer. Waltzes— Melodische Wogen, Bukenschuli^ The State and Education, • . Joseph A. Briggs. The Future of Turkey, Louis G. Carpenter. Selections from II Trovatore, Verdi. American Haste, Clifton B. Charles. The Trained Observer, Thomas E. Dryden. Polka, Bosquets Science and Truth, Xathan P. Graham. A True Life, Charles D. Phelps. Potpourri — from Lucretia Borgia, Donizetti- 44 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 3Iusic as a Means of Culture, Eugene J. Rauchfuss. Our Mission to Industry. Marcus S. Thomas. Galop— Thunderstorm, . . . , Schubert. National Security, Willard L. Thomas. The Farmer's Need of Science, Harry Wilcox. Reveil du Lion Kontzhj. Benediction. The music was funnshed by Whitney's Opera House Orchestra of Detroit. The instruction given in the class-room has been in accordance with the fol- lowins: scheme of class-room exercises : SPRING TERM. 8 A. M. 9 A. M. 10 A. M. 11 A. M. Seniors Moral Philosophy. Constitution of U. S., G weeks. Political Econ- omy, G weeks. Physiology. Juniors Mechanics completed, G weeks. Drawing, G weeks. Agricultural Chemistry. Horticulture. Freshmen Agriculture Book-keeping, G weeks. Botany, A Section. Algebra, A Section. Botany, B Section, G weeks. Algebra. B Section. SUMMER TERM. 8 A. M. 9 A. M. 10 A. HI. n A. M. Seniors Mental Philosophy. Agriculture. Zoology 6 weeks. Geology. Juniors Entomology. Rhetoric. Physics. Freshmen French A, Botany B. Geometry B. French B. French C. Geometry A. Botany C. Botany A. Geometry B. August 12th the Freshman class dropped the study of French to take up ele- mentary chemistry. DEPARTMENT REPORTS. The scheme for the autumn term, commencing September 3d, will be : AUTUMN TER3I. 45 S A. M. 9 A. M. 10 A M. 11 A. M. Seniors Botany A, (5 weeks. Botany B, weeks. Landscape Gardening. Civil Engineering. Logic. Juniors Astronomj', G weeks. Anatomy, 6 weeks. Meteorology. English Literature. Sopliomore French A. Geometrj' A. French B. • Geometry B. Elementary Chemistry. Freshmen Composition and Rhetoric A. Algebra A. Composition B. History B. Algebra B. History A. Each class has had weekly meetings for rhetorical exercises in charge of some officer. Further accounts of the institution will be found in the reports of the several officers. VETERINARY. Among the subjects named in the law of the State to be embraced in the College course of study, is the Veterinary art. Instruction has been given in it to a limited extent by the professor of Practical Agriculture. But the faculty are of the opinion that the College should begin at once to enlarge its instruc- tion in this branch. A committee of the faculty appointed last spring to con- sider the subject, after reporting in favor of a hospital, and a professor who should lecture one term to the students of some class, who should be required to attend, and one additional term to those Avho should take the study as an elective, recommended as the least that we should request of the Board, the employment of an instructor of acknowledged qualifications in Veterinary, to give lectures during the summer term of each of the years 1S79 and 1880, and that if possible the engagement cover a week of institute work in the win- ter. The faculty request of the Board the engagement of a lecturer for at least one term in each year. LIBRARIAN. The duties of the professor of English Literature, — the present librarian, — are very onerous, owing to the drill given to students in con)position and orations; and to the necessity of giving instruction in studies witli- out as well as within the range of his own department. Neither he nor any other officer, has time to give to the Library the attention it needs. Dur- ing the next term, in as even a division of labor as can well be made among 46 STATE BOAKD OF AGRICULTURE. tlie officers, the professor of Agriculture, who ought to have no duties outside his own wide tand im})ortiint department, has two classes to hear daily in studies having no innnediate relations to agriculture. The faculty ask for the employ- ment of a person who shall act as Librarian, and instructor in languages, for the next two years. farmers' institutes. The third annual series of six Farmers' Institutes was held during the month of January. They were held in Marshall, Paw Paw, Tecumseh, St. Johns, Saginaw and Climax. They were well attended in the several localities, by the farmers who contributed at least one-half the addresses on each occasion. The duties connected with these institutes consume the larger part of the only vaca- tion enjoyed by the ]n'ofessors of the College, two recesses of a week each, excepted. But the advantages to tlie institution of these meetings with the farmers are so great that the faculty would not have them given up. They hope, with increased prosperity of the College, relief from the hard tasks that press upon them through the entire year, in additional help and a greater division of labor. A detailed account of the institutes has already been published in the Keport of the Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, for 18 ?7, the delay in pub- lishing permitting such a report to appear in that volume. students' societies. The societies formed amongst the students have been active and prosperous. The Students' Government association has maintained such order in the halls as has been satisfactory to the students in them. The College Cadets have had arms and accoutrements furnished by the State, and have drilled regularly. The College Cadet Cornet Band has also practiced regularly, and to the gratification of those who have listened to them. The Delta Tau Delta, Phi Delta Theta, and Union Literary Societies have fitted up the rooms assigned them by the Board, and several other societies have been formed for literary work, and most, if not all of them have worked in a l^rescribed plan of study. The Christian Union has maintained its Sunday school and prayer meeting, and has given one public entertainment. The Society of Natural History has been chartered during the year. Its members are divided into five sections, — Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Zoology and Scientific Methods. Many of tlie papers read before tlie Society are, in our opinion, worthy of publication, and tiie faculty recommend that a selection of them be printed in the Annual Reports of the Secretary of the Board. The Society has a library of 13G volumes, and a museum of 1,350 specimens, exclu- sive of entomological specimens in cases. It is very much in need of rooms. dormitories. The new dormitory for students was finished and accepted by the Board Feb- ruary 7, 1878. It is called Wells' Hall, in lionor of the President of the Board, lion. n. G. Wells, who has served on the Boardsince its establishment in 18G1. Wells' Hall contains 09 students' rooms, all but eleven being large enough for two students. The number of students it will accommodate is 127. The boarding hall, called Williams' Hall, in honor of the first President of DEPARTMENT REPOKTS. 47' tlie College, can accommodtite 75 students. The total dormitory accommoda- tions for students in the College is 202. There are 142 students now occu- pying the rooms, leaving but Gl places for the new freshmen class to be received in September, Thirty-one seniors go out in November, so that number addi- tional can be admitted in the spring, if they come at that time qualified to enter a class advanced one term in algebra, history, rhetoric and composition. It is evident that the question of more room must soon present itself to the Board. OTHER NEEDS. The chemical laboratory will need enlarging for another class, — both the lecture room and the working room. The botanical department should have a working laboratory and lecture room, and museum in a building especially devoted to it; and the general museum is growing beyond the limits of the small accommodations it now has. The College has been the recipient during the past two years of many visits from farmers, coming in granges, clubs, or in small parties. By this means, and by the winter institutes, the practical character of its instruction is becom- ing more widely known. T. C. ABBOT, President. R. G. BAIRD, Secretary. REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY. To the President of the State Agricultural College: I herewith present my report of the Chemical Department for the Collegiate year now closing. At the time of making my last report, my Assistant in Chemistry and myself were engaged in the chemical analysis of a large number of varieties of ■wheat raised in this State, and in an elaborate investigation of the comparative food value of the flour of these varieties of wheat. This work required seventy- seven separate analyses of wheat and flour, besides a vast number of experiments to determine their comparative value. Nearly the whole of the winter vacation of both of us was consumed in this work, and in attending the Farmers' Institutes. While this work laid a heavy burden on the Department, it -was cheerfully borne because the people received the benefit, and the College could thus repay the State, in part at least, for the large sums which had been expended in its support. When the results of these investigations were published the price of Clawson wheat rose 10 cents a bushel in all parts of the State, and instead of being graded as " No. 3, red," it was everywhere graded "No. 1, white." Many farmers have endorsed the public declaration of one of their number that this " analysis had saved to the farmers of Michigan more than the Agricultural College had ever cost them." The Committee on Education of the State Grange made a report -which was adopted at their annual meeting last December in which it was said "if this investigation had been made sooner it would have saved to the farmers of this State millions of dollars." Yet the same effort to decry Clawson wheat 48 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. and dei)ress its price was again luade iu the State Millers' Convention this summer, Eesolutions denouncing Clawson wheat were introduced into the Convention ; but after the examination which had been made on this subject at the Agricultural College, and the pul)lic demonstration of the value of Clawsou wheat and Hour which was made at the Farmers' Institutes of last winter, the convention of Millers refused to pass these resolutions. If the Agricultural Col- lege had not made this investigation does any one doubt but that these resolutions would have passed, and that Clawson wheat would to-day be quoted at 10 cents below other varieties of "No. 1 white wheat"? In such ways is the College vindicating its claim to be the servant and helper of the farmer. FARMERS' INSTITUTES. I attended four Farmers' Institutes, viz. : Marshall, Paw Paw, Tecumseh, and Climax. At all of these Institutes I delivered my lecture on " The Food- Value of Different Varieties of Michigan Wheats;" and at Paw Paw and Te- cumseh a lecture on "Healthy Homes for Farmers."' The Detroit Free Press published a very full abstract of the last address, and I have seen extracts from it in a great number of papers. The State Board of Health published 6,009 copies for distribution in the State; a gentleman in a neighboring State ordered 500 copies to distribute in his district. My Assistant attended the Farmers' Institute at St. Johns, and read a valua- ble paper on "The Signal Service as Belated to Agriculture." STATE BOARD OF HEALTH. I have continued to discharge the duties devolving upon me as member of the State Board of Health. It is difficult to clearly describe the duties and responsibilities which attend such a position, but amid all its labors and cares one has the satisfaction of knowing that all its aims are the advancement of hunum well-being. I have attended all the meetings of the Board, and have prepared various papers for the Annual Report. In behalf of the Board, 1 attended the meeting of the Social Science Association at Cincinnati during the spring vacation ; also made a visit to Saginaw to inspect and advise with regard to' a school building, afterwards writing out an elaborate paper on the subject for the use of the School Board. I have been appointed Health Officer for the township of Lansing, and rec- ognizing the i)rinciple that the public have the right to command the assistance of every one in promoting the public health, I have accepted the position, METEOROLOICAL OBSERVATIONS. The tri-daily meteorological observations have been continued during the year, and monthly reports furnished to the Smithsonian Institution, and weekly reports to the Lansing llepublican. Meteorological observations have been kept continuously since Ai)ril, 18G3. They are the only observations in tlie State covering the same period which have been given to the public. rUBLIC LECTURES. I have given two public lectures before the Faculty and students, one on "The Bankruptcy of the Gases," and the other on "The Means of Obtaining Artificial Light." CLASS-ROOM WORK. In consequence of the readjustment of classes (made necessary by the burn- ing of one of the dormitories in 18?fi), so as to bring the close of the college DEPARTMENT KEPORTS. -ty year tit tlic 1st of September instead of December, I have had a smaller number of classes this year than usual. This comparative res))ite from teaching lias given my assistant and myself an excellent op])ortunity for work for the ])ublic outside of the class-room. In the spring term I gave a full course of lectures to the junior class in agricultural chemistry, the topics being illustrated and enforced by appropriate experiments. In the summer term I had the class in chemical physics, the topics being illustrated by a very complete system of ex- periments and physical demonstrations. I have also given ten lectures on ele- mentary chemistry to the freshman class, preparatory to their entering upon this study in the sophomore year. The total number attending these lectures is 88. The entire number of students I have under my instruction during the year is 120. Two students have worked in the laboratory at quantitative chemical analysis during the spring and summer terms. INDIAN" CORN. In the Farmers' Institute held at Paw Paw last winter the question was raised concerning the fat-producing properties of different varieties of Indian corn, and the wish was earnestly expressed by a number of farmers that I would make analyses of a number of different varieties of Indian corn to aid them to come to an intelligent conclusion concerning the value of different varieties of corn for fattening purposes. In entering upon this work I asked the farmers to furnish the varieties of corn they v>'anted analyzed. David Woodman 2d, of Paw Paw, furnished eight kinds, Geo. 11. Kedzie one kind, the farm department of this College three kinds, and Charles Joslyn, of Indianapolis, one kind. These 13 specimens have been carefully analyzed to determine the amount of water, ash, albuminoids, starch, fat, sugar, gum, and cellulose or indigestible fibre. These specimens are put up in three quart show bottles; the printed labels posted on the side of each show-bottle will exhibit the name of the variety, of the person who presented it, of the locality where it was raised, and the com- plete chemical analysis. The bottles and contents will be exliibited at the Fair of the State Agricultural Sociery. I desire to have 2,000 slips jn-inted which ^hall contain all information in regard to all these specimens of corn, to be ^distributed at the Fair to such persons as are interested in this subject. The number of published analyses of American grains is comparatively small. Most of tlie published analyses of grains have been made by European chem- ists, and the grains for the most part were raised in Europe. The conditions of climate, sod, and culture are so different from those found in this country that the analyses of European grains are of small value to the American farmer. It would seem eminently proper that the Agricultural Colleges of this country would furnish this information by making and publishing a com- plete analysis of all the varieties of grain raised in tlic United States. The analytics of different varieties of wdieat made here last year, and of different varieties of Indian corn this year, are the contribution of the Michigan State Agricultural College towards securing this desirable result. SOIL ANALYSES. A vast region lying north of us, usually grouped together as 'Hhc northern counties," has only slowly and tardily acquired population because of the unfortunate and mistaken impression that this country was "good for lumber and good for nothing else" — tluit when the lumberman has swept off t!ie val- 7 50 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTUEE. liable tinibei", there was nothinvas seriously injured by the walnut leaf-roller, Phycita juglandis, Le Baron. This season two trees were attacked ef|nally Ijad. Witli my fountain pump, I sprinkled one of these trees, using a pailful of water, — about two gallons, — in which was mixed a teaspoonful of Paris green. This tree was wholly freed of the evil, while the other tree suffered greatly. ANSAVERING INQUIRIES. The past year has been no exception to the previous ones in the number of inquiries which I have received pertaining to matters in my department. Ofteu I receive five or six such letters by a single mail. Such letters I have always answered promptly, but this adds very greatly to my labors. I tliink this work should be continued, but if it continues to increase I can only perform it by being relieved of otiier work. It seems to me that all teaching which I do out- side my department, which has really scope for three professors, is a positive injury to the College. LECTURES AND PAPERS. During the year I sent an elaborate paper, on marketing honey, to be read before the National Bee-Keepers' Association. This was afterwards published in a pamphlet. I also gave a lecture on the Phylloxera Vastatrix before the Ohio Horticultural Society, one on the same topic before the Michigan Pomo- logical Society. These lectures appear in the published reports of the above named societies. At the Allegan meeting of the Michigan Pomological So- ciety, I spoke on the leaf -rollers and the codling moth. I gave during our winter vacation a course of ten lectures before the Michigan Female Seminary at Kalamazoo, on Zoology. I attended and lectured before three institutes : the Pav; Paw, SaginaAv, and Climax, and gave assistance to the very competent local committee in the preparation for the Saginaw Institute. In May last I spent some time, at the solicitation of Hon. AVm. L. Webber of the Flint and Fere Marquette Railroad, in investigating the destructive pine-borers of our Michiga)! pine forests. I prepared a fully illustrated article on the subject, which was published in full in the Detroit Post and Tribune, Free Press, and Lumberman's Gazette, and extensively copied in others of our State papers. MANUAL OF THE APIARY. The first edition of 3,000 copies of this work, issued two years ago, having been exhausted, I have re-written, enlarged and copiously illustrated a second edition which has been published by T. G. Newman & Son, of Chicago. The second 1,000 copies of the revised edition has already been issued, and the third 1,000 is being issued, though the work was not published till June, 1878. I have been Superintendent of the College Sabbath School for the entire year. A. J. COOK. Agricultural College, \ Lmising, Midi., Aug. 31, 187S. \ 64 STATE BOARD OF AGKICULTUKE. REPORT OF THE PROFESSOR OF BOTxVNY AND HORTICULTURE. To the President of the State Agricultural College: During no year since I liave been connected with the College, luis the time in my department been so iuiinterrui)tedly filled witii hard work as during the year which has just closed. My health has been good, my classes large and numerous. The plans for work of the students and for experiments have demanded more time than I could command. Notwithstanding all these, I believe the work of no year has given greater satisfaction to teacher and students, foreman and gardener. JJOTANY. The names enrolled in the class of Freshmen and special students were one hundred and twelve. During the lirst six weeks, I met the class daily in two divisions ; during the next term of thirteen weeks, in three divisions. The inductive method of teaching has been quite rigidly adhered to, and I believe with very gratifying results. The students appeared mucli interested and made excellent progress. I think they spent more hours on their lessons, with more willingness and with much better results than tliey would if they had begun with the book with only occasional references to specimens for illustration. For the encourage- ment of those who have not tried this method, I may say it is the easier method of the two for the teacher. Tlie lirst two weeks were S})ent in tiie examination and comparison uf the small limbs of eight species of trees before the leaves had appeared. This examination was made during the usual time for preparing lessons, and not in the class room. The hour with tlie teaclier was given to a report of the observations of the students, the specimens being out of sight. In a few instances each student wrote out a careful description of what he had seen. In a similar manner all other parts of plants were taken up and specimens studied. The reports of their observations were credited according to merit as is usually done for reciting lessons learned from books. The students were not told about things which they could see for themselves. An effort was made to keep tliem working after something which they had not discovered. Quite often members of the class disagreed in their views of the same objects. On tlio next day they were required to bring in all the proofs they could for their belief. Tiiey often made experiments on growing seeds and plants. There was generally time enough, though not always, to get all the different or new points which each member of the class had to present. It is astonishing to notice how much is discovered by so many good eyes, yet it is sometimes equally surprising to see that some simple prominent points are overlooked by all. For some weeks but little use was made of microscopes or text-books. In nearly all cases, — in all important cases, — specimens were examined, and a need was felt for definitions and names before these were given. After a while a few hints were given, such ;is the following: It is often of importance to count the parts, to examine several similar specimens of the DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 05 same species, to examine specimens of all ages or stages of development, to observe the relative size of parts, to observe their relative order, to com- pare the organs of one ])lant witii those of a similar nature found in other species or orders of i)lants. Gradually the microscope was employed, and linally a review was made by using a text-book, QUESTIONS IN BOTANY. First examination after studying six weeks. 1. How does the flower before you (lilac or phlox) differ from tlie pattern flower? 2. In Avhat respect is it like the pattern flower? 3. Define monoecious, dioecious, perfect, neutral, irregular, and give an ex- ample of each? 4. Define adhesion, cohesion, free, distinct, umbel, and give examples? 5. Name the parts of a complete leaf. Define placenta, as i)arietal, axile, free, central; a cyme, spike with examples? Second examination after thirteen weeks. 1. What is systematic botany? species? genus? 2. Wliat is the difference between a root and a stem? 3. What is the morphology of a rose-hip? a strawberry? 4. What is a rotate carolla? salver-shaped, with examples? 5. W^hat is a pappus, and what is a coma? Give examples? G. Give the morphology of an anther, as innate, adnate, kidney-shaped, versatile? ?. Draw and describe all the parts of an anatropous seed with endosperm? Is there any rule, if so, what is it, for the position of the radicle? 8. Give tlie morphology of a drupe, a legume, a pine-cone, a fig? 9. What is the plan of a flowering plant? 10. What is the morphology of a tuber, a bulb, a conn, witli an example of each ? 11. What is circinate? convolute? quincucially imbricated? equitant? 12. State how to number the scales on a cone, find its phyllotaxy and the series to which it belongs? 13. AVhat is a connate perfoliate leaf? give an example with its mari^hology and the reasons for your belief ? 14. Draw a leaf which is stipulate, petiolate, ovate, acute, cordate, and crenate. 15. Wliy do we say that bud scales and scales of rhizomes represent leaves? IG. What is the morphology of a spine? 17. Explain how epilobium or willow herb is fertilized? also lobelia, and figwort or scrophularia? what is protandrous and the object of it? 18. Explain how a young vine behaves, how drosera rotundifolia catches flies, how small algte move? 19. Write out a table giving classification of the plant kingdom down to and including class? 20. Define an asplenium? aspidum? polypodiaceae? LANDSCAPE GARDENING. The usual time, half a term daily, was devoted to the above subject by the members of the last Senior class. The instruction was bv text-book and lee- tures, with many references and some visits to numerous parts of the College 9 C6 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. grounds. The illustrations were csijocially viilntible in the subjects of grading, paths, drives, varieties of trees and their arrangement. EXAMINATIOX QUESTIONS. Time, an hour and a half for writing answers. 1. Xame ten prominent points in the choice of a place. 2. AVliat is the best site and aspect for a house? 3. Where is the proper place for a shelter of trees, and what are the best' kinds for this pur]iose? 4. ]!\ame thirteen of the points given by Kemp on what to avoid. 5. Explain intricacy and tell how it is obtained. 6. What is gradation? 7. Tell how to increase the apparent extent of a place. 8. Give three rules for locating trees. 9. Name six best evergreens and six best deciduous trees for our climate. 10. Tell how to grade a lawn properly. 11. Tell where to place climbers and how to manage them. 12. Tell how to make a place gay ; how to make it sombre. 13. Define the formal style. 14. Tell how to construct walks. 15. Define adaptation. 16. Name five requisites in economy. INSTEUCTION IN HORTICULTURE. During all the spring term of twelve weeks in 1878, I gave daily lectures on horticulture to the members of the Junior class. No use was made of text books. The subjects were treated in as practical a manner as it was possible for me to present them. I began with market gardening and treated of selecting a place, fertilizers, com])ost heap, implements, hot-beds, transplanting, sowing seeds, tillage in its various departments. I gave some account of all the lead- ing kinds of vegetables and small fruits, their classification, cultivation, im- provement, etc. Then followed an account of grapes and the various large fruits, their proper cultivation and management, including a short account of the latest and best methods known for lighting the various insect foes of the garden and orchard ; also the bird question, and something about moles, mice, and stealing fruit. Here followed some hints on taking notes, and making i)lans, hiring and overseeing liclp, the farmer's garden, judging at fairs, etc. Several lectures were given in regard to experimenting, the ditticulties, test- ing varieties, changing and improving seeds, '"'intercultural tillage," im])rov- ing native and wild ])lants by cross breeding, importance of good breeding, which parent exerts most irilluence. One lecture only was devoted to the his- tory and progress of horticulture. Then followed an account of cross and self- fertilization of flowers, modes of ])ropagation. The above topics here named give a very meagre idea of all the subjects treated in the lectures. In addition to the instruction in the class room, sections of the class have met me once a w^cek for more extended practical instruction in operations which cannot be well taught in the class-room. During this instruction the students usually receive no pay for labor performed. The topics taught in this way, with tools in hand, have been trimming of DEPARTMEJTT REPORTS. 67 apple trees, taking up and setting out plants, large and small, repairing walks and drives, several ways of grafting, crossing or hybridizing llowers, training grapes, budding, layering, care of hot beds, testing seeds, proper use of tools. and numerous other topics, best shown in the place where the objects are to be found. An attempt is made to give all some practice in what is looked upon us the most difficult and mysterious of horticultural operations. In some of the most important of the above, all the students have more extended practice. About half the students of the Senior class have worked all the year in the Horticultural Department. Some of the most important part of the instruction is given separately to each of tiiese young men while they are overseeing certain kinds of work. One Senior is set over some por- tion of the department for the whole year. One looks especially after the vineyard, one the apple orchard, one the orchard of pears, cherries, and plums, another the trees on the lawn, another the drives and paths, one the hot-beds, and a portion of the vegetable garden, one the wild garden, and test- ing seeds, one the experimental and sample beds of grasses, clovers, etc., another some portion of the vegetable garden. Whenever any work is done in each of these places a Senior is there to act as an assistant foreman in directing the labor of other students in the lower classes. These young men take an interest each in his own work which he superin- tends the year through. They often work over time and at odd hours to finish up something which needs attention. In addition to this oversight of work, most of these sub-foremen assist me in making experiments. Besides these, members of the Junior class are making experiments of their own accord on their own time. I will name a few experiments which I know some of my students are making of their own account in the Horticultural Department. One is crossing the llowers of wheat for new varieties, one crosses wild and cultivated crab apples, two cross corn, two or three cross different sorts of lilacs, one observes the duration of flowers of several kinds, one crosses toma- toes, one observes the peculiarities in the germination of seeds, one monstrosi- ties among flowers and plants, another layers apples, one studies parasitic plants, another tries to discover how nature sows wild oats, one studies the nodding of the heads of wheat, another the depth of the roots of barley and oats, another sows seeds and raises plants of clover, the parent plant of which bore many leaves which had four leaflets, another plants "buggy" peas and those not buggy for comparison, another digs up stools of chess to 11 nd the old kernels from which the jjlants grew. QUESTIONS IX HORTICULTURE. 1. How would you select a good place for a garden? 2. How would you start and treat tomatoes from the seed? 3. How would you manage a compost heap? 4. State a good way to construct and manage a hot-bed. 5. State the chief difficulties in raising celery, G. State how to set out and mulch strawberries, 7. Name the leading points used in classifying apples, 8. Give a short list of eight pears for Michigan, 9. What is the best soil for plums, — best stock? How can the curculio be successfuUv managed? 10. State some one good wav of training grapes till the vines are five vears old. 68 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 11. Give some of the best known points for overcoming the insects which infest cabbages. 12. Name the best known methods of overcoming the codling moth. 13. Give some rules for overseeing work. 14. Name the departments of horticulture and show its relation to agriculture 15. Give some of the best points to be observed in saving seed corn. 16. Briefly state the practice and the results of Dr. Sturtevant's "intercul- tural tillage" of corn. 17. How shall we proceed to improve native fruits? 18. State how to select the parents and make crosses of plants. 19. Give tiie practical results of Darwin's " Self and Cross-Fertilization of Flowers." 20. Define a hybrid, a variety, a race, and give five examples of the last two. ni STORY. During the autumn term of 1877 I gave daily instruction in history to the members of the Freshman class. We used Swinton's Outlines of the World's History. Although the class seemed interested in the study, I hope never to be called on to teach another class in this subject, I believe I am capable of doing something else which will be of greater benefit to the College and the State, while tliere are others who can teach the history better. MUSEUM OF VEGETABLE PRODUCTS. During the year I have added something by way of seeds to the museum. The additions consist chiefly of Indian corn and seeds of some wild plant.?. These are stored away in dark closets and boxes for want of a room in whicli to exhibit them. We have one of the best collections of corn I ever saw. It would be a matter of much interest to students and visitors if it was in condi- tion to be examined. At i)resent the general museum, as it is called, the collection of animals of various kinds is visited by large numbers of people. A little effort would add to the collection of vegetable products, and a little more effort and means would place it on exhiljition if we only had a suita])le room for the ])urpose. In clos- ing this paragraph, allow me to express a hope that the President will present the subject to the State Board of Agriculture and show them the urgent need of a room for a museum of vegetable products. EXPERIMENTS. At the early date of making my report, most of the experiments for 1878 are still incomplete. An account of the results will appear in a subsequent part of this volume in connection with the transactions of the farmer's insti- tutes which are to be held in January, ]879. The report for 1877 was kept open long enough to include the account of experiments made in that year. 1 here make a very brief mention of most of the new experiments going on this year. More experiments were made last year than were mentioned in the plan, which was presented to the State Board of Agriculture early in the spring of the same year. A good many of tliose have been continued during this year, and some of them will continue for some years to come. We are trying by selection and cultivation to im[)rove one variety of Indian corn, two of onions, one of beans, one of tomatoes, and one of wheat. DEPARTMENT KEPORTS. G9 We have ]i)laiitecl about seventy-five varieties of corn, over twenty of onions, and about 250 named varieties of potatoes, besides about as many more imnamed seedlings which have originated at tlie College. We have pruned some limbs from two api)le trees on the twenty-fifth day of each mouth in the year, to see wliich will thrive the best. To the row of mulched trees (sec previous report) we have added a small wagon load of old straw to each tree. On a row by the side of this we have spread broadcast to each tree a wagon load of leached ashes. Another row is well manured, but left in grass. We are bandaging all of our apple trees to catch the moth, and inducing our neighbors to do the same. We strip the fruit fronr some trees in full bearing to change the bearing year. We are sprinkling slaked lime on some trees and gypsum on others to observe the effect on the codling moth, leaves, fruit, etc. Numerous other experiments are going on in attempting to destroy the codling moths. AVe have added thirty varieties of the best apples from southern Ohio. We sent to southern Ohio for pollen of apple flowers to use here in making crosses. We layered one apple tree to get young trees of equal quality for future experiments. We continue the ex])eriments with the trees in grass described year before last. We have received, by purchase, forty-one new unnamed varieties of grapes from Haskell, of N. Y. We sent to Ohio for pollen of flowers of the grape, which was used in fertilizing some flowers at this place. We have set 300 of our seedling grapes between the 300 named sorts in the new vineyard. To the arboretum we have added rows of seeds of blue ash, shag-bark hick- ory, Judas tree, yellow-wood, white-oak, scarlet-oak, white-wood, rock elm, and small quantities of other species of trees. For experiment, we have planted pits of peaches diseased with the yellows. We have small samples of hedges of honey locust, osage orange, pepperidge, wild crab-apple, wild plum, hawthorn, prickley ash; also, of arbor vita^, Siber- ian arbor vita?, Austrian pine, Norway spruce, lilac, spiriea, etc. The arboretum contains a large variety of other seedlings. We grafted potatoes on tomatoes, and artichokes onto sunflowers ; continued the planting of black-wax beans which were crossed v/ith foreign stock, and shall com- pare them with those not so crossed ; also continue to raise the corn last year crossed with foreign stock. We have obtained Yellow Danver's onions, which have been raised for forty years by Gregory of Marblehead, also some of the same variety from Connecti- cut. We shall cross the flowers of these, also save some seeds of each pure for comparison of results. We continue to raise some twenty varieties of Japan vegetables, such as ripened seeds last year. These consist of squashes, beans, cucumbers, onions, radishes, and lettuce. We are testing ten or more of the best varieties of tomatoes, and have crossed the Conqueror (best of all last year), with a smooth early sort. We have crossed the flowers of Clawson wheat with Diehl, and have root pruned these also. We have crossed flowers of two varieties of gooseberries; also black cap rasp- berries with red raspberries. We are root pruning dent corn and some other sorts to observe the effect on the yield. We are trying the same on tomatoes, turnips, cabbages, and perhaps we may do the same on other plants. We intend to bury in bottles numerous kinds of seeds to dig up at remote intervals for testing their vitality. 70 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. We crossed dent corn with flint corn and tlie reverse. We collected pollen of the ilowcrs of apples and of strawberries to see if it will keep for use next year. We arc trying the feeding of tomatoes, petunias, and martyuias on their leaves with soup. We shall try to hybridize alsiko, red and white clover. AVe have selected stools of chess and 11 nd the old kernel from which the plants grew; also traced the depth of roots of barley and oats, and perhaps other plants. AVe have purchased in a roundabout or indii-ect way a lot of vegetable seeds from several seedsmen and have purchased seeds of the same sorts which are sold at our groceries on commission. These we are testing with each other and with seeds of our own growing, as to their vitality, purity, etc. They are tried in the vegetable garden and in the greenhouse. We have saved seeds of some old })lants of red clover to try to establish a perennial variety. We have crossed Duke and Morello cherries. AYe are collecting several kinds of timber, intending to split the pieces, set- ting two side by side, one "top end" down, tlie otlier in tiie .«ame position in which it grew. We are testing forty varieties of new and promising named varieties of straw- berries; we also have a fine lot of seedling strawberries, some of which have borne this year ; also some seedling gooseberries, a few of which have borne this year for the first time. Eight of our graduates are experimenting in different portions of this State under my direction. They have agreed to furnish for my report an account of their experiments. Notwithstanding I have had three hours a day of teaching in the class-room, I planned a large number of experiments in horticulture. Most of those selected, like those of last year, require only a moderate expenditure of money, but a good deal of time and care. I have often wished that we had more means for this purpose. Tliere is a pressing demand kept constantly in my view for more experiments. This comes from the highest talent in our State, — from leading officers and prominent members of our State Pomological Society, and from others who are alive to progress in everything wliich pertains to agri- culture. 1 tliink 1 have notes of enough experiments in my books to require all of my time and that of two good assistants for the next ten years. I have been connected with the Agricultural College eight years, and Pro- fessor of Horticulture only six. To those who are impatient for great results in experimenting, I may say that even witii a large outlay of money (which we have not had for the pur- pose), ten years is by no means too distant as a final point; while at the world- renowned iiothamstead farm of Dr. J. 15. I^awes in England "twejify years is not considered too long a time to wait upon any ex2)erime7it on field produce.'' I look over all the leading agricultural papers printed in this country, and the best of ti)osc printed in England. Tlie report of the experiments made in tlie horticultural department of Michigan Agricultural College has been ex- tensively quoted, and during the past year especially, they have attracted more attention and favorable comments from the press than tiiose made in any other State. It is encouraging to know that the College is able to make some experi- ments which attract attention and nieet with approval. DEPAKTMENT EEPORTS. 71 As before mentioned, I have tried as hard as I could to make these experi- ments. Some have been neglected or incomplete for want of time. I have undertaken too much. In })lanning for the next two years this question of experi men ting should soon be decided. My classes are growing larger and more numerous. There are more students to look after in the afternoon work. The teaching of three hours a day is in most good colleges a day's work for one man. It is not half of my work. With so many duties I shall not be able in the future to spend as much time in experimenting. Experiments require too much care to be entrusted to students who are inexperienced. If the members of the Board think best, after understanding this matter, they can increase the value of experiments in the Horticultural Department in one of the following ways : 1st. They can give me an assistant to do some of the teaching. 2d. They can employ some one to teach history, which is not in my depart- ment. 3d. They can ask for a small amount of money to be used in conducting experiments. This would enable me to employ one or more of our best grad- uates to assist in experiments. He or they could assist in looking after some of the details of work in orchard, vineyards, etc. I hope this subject Avill soon receive the attention of the Board. Owing to the rapid and unprecedented increase in the number of our stu- dents, it costs more to pay them for their labor. Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Gully and myself have often considered how we might make more of the labor of the Horticultural Department return money to the College. The improvements going on and the ordinary care of the grounds, have required all the labor we could command after deducting the labor required for the orchards and gar- dens. The extensive grounds still need, and v.'ill always need a good deal of labor which brings no return in money. Considering the extent of the grounds and the work accomplished, it has never, since I have been here, been so economically done as during the present summer. The mowing has nearly all been done with horse power, the drives have been kept clean and smooth with a scraper and plane run by a horse power. With the propagating pits completed, we can raise and sell more plants and cut flowers. AVe are preparing to sell a large assortment of the best sorts of strawberries, corn, onions and potatoes, and perhaps some kinds of vegeta- ble seeds. We propose and have the consent of the Professor of Agriculture to u^'e field number one (this side of the apple orchard) for garden purposes. This is better for vegetables than the piece this side of the lane- On the west side of the piece last named I purpose setting about 300 trees of late or sour cherries, also an acre of currants, and some gooseberries, and more raspberries. With the ground proposed we could seed down a portion each year and have some fresh sod ground for potatoes and such crops as need this treatment. We also advise running a horse daily to town to carry the plants, flowers, and vegetables and berries. The same horse and driver can bring the mail. We can increase our stock of small ornamental trees, evergreens, shrubbery, and perennial herbs, and all will make work for students and the rest of us too. To help in this undertaking, and to perfect the grading of grounds and keep them in better condition, we need at least another two-horse team for the whole year, or for eight months in the year. r,\-\ i2 STATE BOAED OF AGRICULTUKE. THE APPLE OECHAKD. It is not my inteution to repeat Avhat was stated last year or the year before ill reference to the ]:»hxns and ox})erinients in the orcliard. In spring we added the following varieties which were grafted in the tops of trees of the Northern Spy. These varieties were selected by Dr. J. A. Warder of Southern Ohio, and in his estimation were the most worthy of trial at this place. The follow- ing are the names, with the exception of four which were without names: Ohio Nonpareil, Nick-a-jack, Kentucky Longstem, New York Spice, Griffith, Indiana Favorite, Minor's Greening, Koman Stem, Downie, Smith's Cider, Harvest Ked Streak, Menagere, Grime's Golden, Early Pennock, Carter's (N. C), Jeffries, Fall Queen, Culp, Fink, Clyde Beauty, Bethlcmitc, Phillip's Sweet, Fulton, Housum, Doctor Watson, lloadley, Kirkbridge, Ash more, Bonum, Canada, Keiuette. Most of the orchard is now well tiled, and the trees are looking well and many of them bearing full. The severe frost in spring cut off some varieties entirely and thinned many others. Some of the fruit which remained on the tree was injured and rendered imperfect. Some time has been given to thinning out the poorest fruit, especially where the trees were well filled. Late last fall the orchard was plowed except certain rows. Since theti it has been harrowed and cultivated till the fourth of July. Buckwheat and weeds have since occupied the ground. Late culture was discontinued for fear of inducing a late growth. Most of the laud is now seeded to red clover which will probably remain through all of next year, when it will be plowed under. The trees received a light pruning as usual. The barnyard manure, the mulch, the ashes, the cultivation, and above all, the thorough drainage are showing their good effects in the improved appearance of the trees, and in the quantity and quality of the fruit produced. An account of the experiments in the apple orchard must be omitted for the last part of this volume. PEAKS, PLUMS, CHERRIES, AND PEACHES. The trees in this young orchard are generally doing well. They are set on the highest land on tlie farm, and on the only land which is composed of clay. As this is the only suitable spot on the farm for such an orchard, and as it is somewhat limited in area, we can never have very extensive orchards of these fruits. The severity of our climate is also a serious hindrance in these depart- ments of pomology. The hill is well drained. Tiie land was cultivated until about the tenth of July, after which nothing was done except to moAv the grass and dig the larger weeds. The trees are growing fast enough. The trunks of the pear trees have been washed with a lime whitewash containing sulphur, car- bolic acid and a very little lampblack. The hrst three ingredients arc those used and nscommeuded by Mr. Saunders of Washington to prevent blight. The lampblack was to prevent or tone down the glarmg white and produce a mild gray color. Early cherries are of scarcely any value in this locality on account of the large number of birds which Hock to the College grounds. We shall plant in the new garden about 300 late cherries, this fall or next spring. I name the varieties represented in the orchard on the hill : The pears are represented as follows : Bartlctt, Belle Lucrative, Ikiu're Bosc, IJeurre d'Anjou, Bourre Gilford, Beurre Hardy, Beurre Gris de lliver, Bloodgood, Brandywine, Buffura, Beurre Superfine, Clapp's Favorite, Doyenne DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 73 Boussock, Doyenne d'Eto, Flemish Beauty, Grey Doyenne, Ilowell, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Lawrence, Louise Bonne, Madeleine, Napoleon, Onondaga, Osband's Hummer, Kosticzer, Seckel, Sheldon, Tyson, IJrbaniste, Winter Nelis, AVhite Doyenni'. There are also some young seedlings. There are also the following plum trees : Lombard, Jefferson, ^yashington, Wild Goose, Smith's Orleans, and some seedlings. The following cherries are represented : American Heart, Belle de Choisy, 'Governor Wood, Carnation, Kentish Ked, English Morello, May Duke, lieiue Hortense, Yellow Spanish. There are also a large number of seedlings. PEACHES. We have a few trees in square boxes which we set in a cellar during winter. In summer the boxes are set in the ground. There are also a few trees which .are trimmed low, and partially covered with rails, litter, etc., during winter. We shall set a few others in the most favored spots. For other experiments on protecting peach trees by corn fodder, etc., see the reports of previous years. THE VINEYARDS. The vineyard on the terrace by the green house has been filled this spring by adding forty-one varieties of Haskell's new seedlings. The spring frost killed back all the vines and prevented their fruiting except in a few cases. The vines are all doing well. These are trained to one slanting stem which slopes very gradually to the east. They are trimmed in autumn and then buried with a few inches of earth, which remains undisturbed till early in May. On the hill northeast of the President's house has been planted a vineyard of 300 vines twelve by twelve feet. Thirty of these are Hartford Prolihc, seventy Agawam, .and two hundred Concord, lietween these have been set 300 College seedlings. Besides the seedling's and the new sorts from Haskell we now have the follow- o ing thirty-six named varieties, viz., Arnold, Alvey, Agawam, Barry, Brant, Brighton, Blackhawk, Clinton, Concord, Cottage, Creveling, Delaware, Dela- ware Seedling, Ives' Seedling, Isabella, lona, Hartford Prolific, Martha, Lady, Norton's Virgina, Owosso, Perkins, Senasqua, Rogers 3, Merrimack, Rogers 5, Rogers 1, Rogers 44, Rogers U, Rogers 39, Taylor s bullet, Talman, Telegraph, Wilder, Worden, Walter. SMALL FRUITS. The raspberries and blackberries have been removed to the new garden north •of the farm house. They have made a good growth. The currants and goose- berries have done well, excepting some damage done by the frost We are pre- paring to set an acre or more in the new garden. The strawberries were only about half a crop on account of the severe late frost. We have set our plants for raising plants and for testing varieties as follows : They are set in blocks three by three feet and each block six feet from contiguous blocks. We have the following named varieties : America, Agriculturist, Af rique, Belle, Black defiance, Cummings' Seedling, Carolina, Champion, Charles Downing, Colonel Cheeny, Captain Jack, Cumberland Triomphe, Duncan, Downer's Emperor, Essex Beauty, Excelsior, Forest Rose, Glendale, Great American, General Sherman, Great Prolific, Green Prolific, Grace, Hervey Davis, Jucunda, Kentucky, Metcalf, Monarch of the West, Matilda, President Lincoln, Pioneer, Rappahannock, Russel's Advance, Russell, Starr, Seneca 10 74 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. Chief, 8cth Boyden, Sterling, Seneca Queen, Seneca Chief, Triomphe. Besides these there are several hundred varieties which we have originated by using Hathaway and Wilson or Monarch of the AVest and AVilson as the parents. Some of these bore fruit the past summer. Four plants of each of the most })romising have been set for further trial. 1 should have said that we have some six or seven hundi'ed seedling raspber- ries and several Inmdred seedling gooseberries and a large number of seedling currants. BEDS OF GRASSES, JAPANESE VEGETABLES, ETC. For report of these see last part of this volume. TESTING SEEDS. The striking results reached in testing seeds last year encouraged me to con- tinue the work this spring. I purchased in Lansing and in Battle Creek seeds of the following vegetables. These were sold on commission at the groceries. They were tested about the same as last year in the greenhouse, in folds of thick paper kept damp and at nearly an even temperature of GO degrees. We have found no other way by which so large a proportion of seeds will germinate. In nearly every case the variety of any vegetable was the same, no matter by what firm it was sent out. For example, all the papers of beets were labeled "Blood Beet," all onions "Yellow Danvers," all squashes "Hubbard.'' Detroit Seed Company. Seeds Seeds Per Pliinted. Germinated. Cent. Carrot 50+50 42+40 82 Lettuce 50+50 43+48 86 Cabbage 50+50 28+31 59 Parsnip 50+50 19+14 33 Cucumber 25+25 23+20 8U Squash 10+10 9+8 85 Turnip 50+50 48+49 97 Tomato 50+50 41+44 85 Salsifv 25+25 25+24 98 Onion 50+50 34+3G 70 Radish 25+25 22+20 84 Peas 25+25 21+20 82 Corn 25+25 18+14 04 Beans 25+25 20+19 78 Beets 25+25 pieces 19+23 84 Briggs & Brothers, Jiochester, JV. Y. Carrot 50+50 lG+18 34 Lettuce 50+50 44+41 85 Cabbage 50+50 34+3G 70 Parsnip 50+50 28+2G 54 Cucumber 50+50 4G+4S 94 Squash 25+25 21+20 82 Turnip 50+50 27+31 58 Tomato 50+50 43+37 80 Salsify 25+25 14+18 04 Onion 50+50 40+37 77 Radish 50+50 29+34 03 Corn 25+25 Destroyed. Beans 25+25 23+24 94 Beets 25+25 pieces 13+14 54 Caulillower 50+50 42+44 86 Turnip ,50+50 43+45 88 Squash 12+12 11+10 87 DEPARTMENT REPORTS. D. M. Ferry & Co., Detroit. Seeds Planted. Onion — Red Wethersfield 50+50 '' Yellow Danver's 50+50 Carrot 50+50 Lyman Seed Co. Lettuce 50^50 Cabbage 30+30 Parsni p 25+25 Cucumber 25+25 Squash 12+12 Turnip 50+50 Tomato 50+50 Salsify 50+50 Onion 50+50 Radish 50+50 Peas 25+25 Corn 25+25 Beans 25+25 Beets 25+25 Shaker Seed Co., Lebanon, JY. Y. Cabbage 50+50 Squash 12+12 Onion 50+50 Radish 50+50 Beets 25+25 College Seed. Cabbage 50+50 Parsnip 50+50 Salsify 50+50 Onion 50+50 Cora 25+25 Beans 25+25 pieces pieces 75. Seeds Per Germinated. Cent. 38+41 79 26+3!) 65 38+44 82 11+15 26 9+21 50 18+19 74 20+20 80 11+11 91 45+^3 88 38+40 78 4+ 9 13 19+24 43 38+41 79 24+25 98 19+23 84 23+24 94 5 23+21 88 41+47 88- 12+12 100 47+43 90 38+39 77 ; 23+23 9G 44+43 87 19+2G 45 37+44 81 47+48 95 25+24 9S 23+21 88 To show an average of the good seeds from each firm above would be hardly- fair, as the kinds of seeds are not identical. Yellow Danver's Onions are found in each lot, and will be seen to run as follows : Lyman Seed Co. 43 percent germinated. D.M.Ferrv&Co 65 Detroit Seed Co, 70 " " Briggs Brothers 77 " " ShakerSeedCo 90 " " Agricultural College 95 " " Cabbage germinated as follows : Lyman Seed Co 50 per cent. Detroit Seed Co 59 " " Briggs Brothers 70 " " ShakerSeedCo 88 " Agricultural College 87 '• " SEEDS PURCHASED OF THE SEEDSMEN AND TESTED IN THE GREENHOUSE. I wished to test the vitality and purity of the seeds sold by some of the seeds- men who make extensive sales, and wlio have the best reputation. As I had tested seeds the year previous, and tlie reports were quite extensively quoted by 76 STATE BOARD OF AGKICULTURE. the press, 1 feared I might not get fair average samples of seeds if they were ordered directly over my own name. Seeds were ordered for me by a friend iti a distant county of this State. They were put in papers to test on June 10, and taken out June 30. B. K. Bliss & Sons. SeoiU Seeds Per Tested. Germinated. Cent. Beet r)0+50pieces. 40+39 79 Carrot 50+50 seeds. 28+31 59 Corn 50+50 47+47 94 Cucumber.. 50+50 45+48 93 Caulillower 50+50 31+27 58 Cabbage 50+50 37+38 75 Lettuce 50+50 41+34 75 Onions 50+50 20+23 43 Parsnips 50+50 38+40 78 Peas 25+25 25+25 100 Kailish 50+50 34+40 74 Tomato 50+50 26+25 51 D. M. Ferry & Co. Beet 50+50 pieces. 39+43 82 Carrot 50+50 24+43 G7 ■Cucumber 10 9 90 Cabbage 50+50 28+34 62 Lettuce 50+50 1+2 3 Onions 50+50 39+39 78 Parsnips 50+50 41+44 85 Kadish 50+50 30+27 57 •Squash 10+10 9+10 94 Tomato '. 50+50 G+14 20 J. J. 11. Gregory. Beet 50+50 44+39 83 Carrot 50+50 39+41 80 Caulillower 50+50 36+37 73 Cucumber 50+50 41+41 82 Cabbage 50+50 44+47 91 Corn 50+50 39+40 79 Lettuce 50+50 2+0 2 Onions 50+50 26+20 46 Parsnips 50+50 38+41 79 Squash 10+10 10+10 100 Salsify 50+50 44+44 88 Tomato 50+50 47+49 96 Peter Henderson. Beet 50+50pieces. 36+37 73 •Carrot 50+50 34+31 65 Cucumber 50+50 34+41 75 Cauliflower 50+50 27+34 61 Cabbage 50+50 32+39 71 Lettuce 50+50 37+31 68 Onions 50+50 44+41 85 Parsnip 50+50 31+40 71 Radish 50+50 45+40 85 Salsify 50+50 40+43 83 Tomato 50+50 31+38 69 J. M. Thorburn & Co. Beet 50+50 pieces 39+43 82 <-arrot 50+50 seeds 48+49 97 Cucumber 50+50 19+26 45 DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 77 Seeds Tested. Cauliflower 50+50 Cabbage 50+50 Lettuce 50+50 Onions 50+50 Parsnip 50+50 Radish 50+50 Salsify-. 50+50 Squash ]0+10 Tomato 50+50 James VicJc. Beet 50+50 Carrot 50+50 Corn... 50+50 Cucumber 50+50 Cauliflower 50+50 Cabbage 50+50 Lettuce 50+50 Onion 50+50 Parsnip 50+50 Radish 50+50 Salsify 50+50 Tomato 50+50 Seeds Per Germinated. Cent. 4G+43 89 34+31 05 43+39 82 47+48 95 44+45 89 45+45 90 38+41 79 10+10 100 41+10 51 pieces 34+34 68 seeds 29+30 59 36+41 77 40+37 77 26+30 56 46+43 89 40+29 69 41+43 84 29+32 61 46+44 90 43+47 90 25+36 61 A COMPABISON. BeloAv I give a table couipariug the same varieties of seeds of each firm the seeds of which were tested. I give the per cent of seeds which germinated in eacli case, then the average for the eight varieties. Bliss. Ferry. Gregory. Henderson. Thorbiirn. Tick. Beets 79 82 83 73 82 68 Carrots 59 67 80 05 97 59 Cucumber 93 90 82 75 45 77 Cabbage 75 62 91 71 65 89 Lettuce 75 3 2 68 82 69 Onion 43 78 46 85 95 84 Parsnip 78 85 79 71 89 61 Tomato 51 20 -96 69 51 61 Average 69 61 70 ' 65 76 71 The average is not e.xact, but very near in each case. The above were tested together in the same room. Perhaps the most striking thing in the last table, or in all of them is the uneven size of the figures. Seedsmen generally refuse to guarantee that their seeds will grow, but claim to exercise all diligence in testing their seeds before sending them out. It would seem a needless oversight to send out seeds which run as low as some of those run from each of the firms above mentioned. In most cases I think tliat the above average is lower than it should be were proper care taken to throw out poor seeds. The tables should impress this important fact on the minds of all who grow vegetables — that for good, pure seeds, the only reliable way is to raise them yourself, even if they cost five times as much as it does to buy them. If they are purchased, it will pay to buy early and then test before sowing for the main crop. r-irt 7S .STATE liOARD OF AGRICULTURE. SEEDS TESTED IX THE GARDEN. Some persons may think it tlic fairest kind of a test to plant seeds at the proper season in good garden soil in the open air. In such a place it is impos- sible to protect tlicm from damage from various sources, such as moles, mice, and numerous kinds of insects. The results will be more uncertain and unsat- isfactory than when tested in the greenhouse, especially if the test is made on a small scale. On an even sytot of sandy loam, on May 18th, we planted the following vari- eties named below with the results as there given : B. K. Bliss & Sons. Planted. Came up. Beet 50 43 Carrot 50 G Corn 30 23 Cucumber 15 9 Caulillower 30 17 Cabbage 30 23 Lettuce 50 25 Onion 50 Parsnip 50 12 Pea 20 IG Radish 30 19 Tomato 30 10 J. J. II. Gregory. Beet 50 48 Carrot 50 9 Corn 30 18 Cucumber 15 9 Cauliflower 30 10 Cabbage 30 19 Lettuce 50 Onion 50 9 Parsni n 50 17 Radish. 30 25 Salsify 50 IS Squash 8 8 Tomato 30 14 'p Briggs Brothers. Beet 50 19 Carrot 50 11 Lettuce 50 9 Onion 50 17 Parsnip 50 1 Salsify 50 IG Tomato 30 21 James Vick. Beet 50 32 Carrot 50 7 Corn 30 16 Cucumber 15 10 Cauliflower 30 20 Cabbage . . 30 22 Lettuce 50 27 Onion 50 12 Parsnip . 50 5 Radisli . 30 18 Salsify 50 19 Squash 8 7 DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 70 D. M. Ferry & Co. Planted. C'amotip Beet 50 2S CaiTOt 50 S Cucumber 15 8 Cabbage 30 4 Lettuce 50 Onion 50 17 Parsni p 50 14 Radish 30 19 Squasli S 4 Peter Henderson. Beet 50 25 Carrot 50 5 Cucumber 15 10 Cauliflower 30 15 Cabbage 30 19 Lettuce 50 21 Onion 50 7 Parsnip 50 4 Radish 30 22 Salsify. _ 50 21 Squash S 6 Tomato. 30 S J. JI. Thorburn & Co. Beet 50 17 Carrot 50 17 Cucumber.. 15 4 Cauliflower 30 20 Cabbage 30 25 Lettuce 50 9 Onion 50 14 Parsn i p 50 12 Radi sh 30 19 Salsify 50 20 Squash S 4 Tomato 30 19 Seeds from Bliss averaged in germinatiou 53 per cent. ; Ferry, 34 per cent. ; Gregory, 48; Briggs, 31; Vick, 51; Henderson, 43; Thorburn, 44. ARBORETUM AND XURSERY. This piece of ground of two or three acres contains a great variety of phmts. At present there are about five hundred species. First there are a few rows of each of our best forest trees which we are growing for timber, an account of which was given in my last report. The number has been considerably in- creased the past year. They liave generally done well, though the spring growth was cut off by a severe frost. My plan is ue.xt spring to remove most of the sample trees and shrubs to the place assigned by the Board for that purpose. Some of the most interesting species will be used about the buildings and in groups on the lawn. The pe- rennial herbs will be transferred to a wild garden near the greenhouse ; the seedling fruits, etc., to the garden north of the farm house. On this piece of land is a screen which serves an excellent purpose. It is made of posts extending about six feet above the ground. On these are placed poles which support brusli enough to partially shade the ground below. Under this screen men can work at sowing, weeding, etc., etc. Here we start our seedling evergreens, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, currants, grapes, and 80 STATE BOARD OF AGKICULTUKE. many other things. Near by are many vsecfllins^ apples, pears, (pu'nces, peaches, plums, cherries, lihics, etc., etc. After removing a miscellaneous lot of tliese ])lants, the rows will be all filled out with various kinds of forest trees. I cannot close this short paragraph without saying a word in praise of Pro- fessor C. S. Sargent, Director of the Botanic Gardens of Harvard University. As will be seen by consulting tlie list of donations in tiiis and the two pre- vious reports, he has sent without expense to the College a very large number of interesting and valuable plants, as evergreens, other ti'ees, shrubs, Inirdy herbs and plants for the greenhouse. THE LAWX, TREES, AXD DRIVES. Much more lawn has been kept closely mowed during this year than at any previous time since the College was established. Througli carelessness the seed purchased and sown for lawn contained much ribbed grass or lance-leaved plaintain ( Plantago la.nceolataj. Tlie flower stalks of tliis troublesome weed start up so much quicker than the stalks of the grasses proper that tlie lawn mower will not cut them unless the ground is gone over about once in four days. The numerous scattered tops of these plain tains impair the beauty of a lawn. For a lawn (or meadow either) no seed should be sown until it is ex- amined for the seeds of ribbed grass, which if found should be enough to con- demn as unreliable the man who offers it for sale. Considerable labor has been spent in grading about Wells hall. Owing to lack of team work it could not be done in time for seeding in spring. It is now nearly ready for seeding this autumn. The site of the old dormitory, which was destroyed by fire, has at last been smoothly graded after removing the foundation and broken bricks. Some grading has been done near the houses of Professors Cook and Kedzie and Sec- retary Baird. Some gravel has been added to the drives, mostly through the kindness of the Farm Department whoso teams have done the work. Considerable fine gravel has been found in streaks with sand between the greenhouse and Wells hall. This has been or will be drawn to fill up or finish drives already made, where they have settled or have been washed by rains. The removal of this gravel will open a slight depression between the two buildings referred to, and improve the appearance of the lawn. Gravelling the drives, like some other things, progresses slowly. Something more will be done this fall and winter if the weather holds out favorable. An account of the trees on the College grounds will be found on another page. Some trees have been added ; all have been well cared for and have made a fine growth. We have plowed, cultivated, and expect soon to grade the strip by the road- side for the entire distance on the north end of the farm. A double row of American elms will be set along the road this fall and next spring. Some lloodwood, old stumps and the like have been removed from the river. A snndl l)eginning has been made to iin])rovc the steep bank near the house of the President. The dead trees and logs and much poison ivy have been removed and a little thinning of trees made in certain places to expose the best views. A wild footpath or ramble has been begun along this bank, where now and then will be placed rustic seats and arbors. DEPARTMENT KEPORTS. 81 THE WILD GARDEN. For some years I liave been trying to get the time and the students' labor to improve the bank west of the green honse and convert it into a wild garden, a garden wliicli slionld contain our most beautiful wild plants. A beginning was made last summer. The trees were thinned a little, taking care to leave one or more of each kind. The grass and weeds were taken out. Some flat boulder stones were placed on the bank in a manner to leave little open spaces or ])ocket8, in each of which was set one species of plant. At the foot of the hank is a small pond and near it a low strip for bog or marsh plants. Several students have shown a great interest in this work of preparing the garden, collecting and arranging the plants. These are all plainly labelled. Here we already have three hundred or more species, and expect soon to have all of our liardy ferns, orchids, violets, lilies, buttercups, anemones, arisaemas. We have a caltha, a calla, Jeffersonia, dicentra, mayilower, hibiscus, hepatica, hydrastis, cardinal flower, several species of phlox, a bloodroot, Solomon's seal and its allies, aquilegias, wild yam, ground nut, wild cucumber, sun dew, lemna, gentians. We have some foreign species sent by Harvard University.' In some cases, as of hepatica, I selected them on account of the deep blue or the pink or the pure white of the flowers. Some flowers of the hepatica were double. The pond contains some fish, plenty of frogs, and a good variety of water plants. Our students agree with me in saying that this is becoming one of the most attractive spots on the College grounds. Visitors also coincide with our views, if we judge by their comments and the numbers who collect there. The wild garden costs but little, much can be learned from it; it is one of the many things which adds a charm to rural life. GREENHOUSE. * The plants are generally in good condition. Two hundred and thirty species and varieties have been acquired during the year by purchase, donation, and exchange, several of which are of particular interest. We now have about 9,000 plants of 1,180 species and varieties, many of Avhich are used for the decoration of the grounds around the plant-houses and other college buildings, during the summer. The Avant of more room is much felt owing to the yearly increasing growth of many of the specimen plants, curtailing the space devoted to the growing of plants for the trade, rendering very necessary the completion of the proi)agating pits. If it be advisable to compete with the trade, I would recommend the issuing of a catalogue and the finishing of these pits. The expenses of the establishment would then be defrayed, largely, by the increase sales of plants, flowers, and early vegetable plants. FLOWER GROUNDS. The bedding has been better than usual, owing partly to a. better supply of water, and partly to the possession of better material for planting. The best bed of fohage plants was circular in form, 14 feet in diameter; the plants were disposed somewhat in the form of a maltese cross. The jdants em])loyed were Salvia officinalis, Centauria candidia, and Achyranthus Lindeni, surrounded by a circle each of golden pyrethrum, and Alternanthua axnantBa. This bed was * The part referring to greenliouse ami flower grounds was prepared by Mr. Cassidy. 11 82 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. very effective. Plants which light up the landscape like these are the most desirable. Another circular bed, 20 feet in diameter, was planted with Coleus Verschaffeltii, in the form of a star and the points filled in with Pelargonium, Flower of Day, edged with a circle each of Golden Pyrethrum and Alternan- thira ama?na. This would be improved if Flower of Day were replaced by either Pelargonium, Albion Cliffs, or Centaurea Candida. Another circular bed, 13 feet in diameter, was cut up in sections by planting lines of Centaurea gymnocarpa; the panels were planted with Achyranthes Lindeni, Cinararia Acantharfolia, and Golden Pyrethrum, edged with circles of Lobelia speciosa and Alternanthera versicolor. Plants with colored foliage are very effective for this style of gardening, as they do not need the care and attention required for flowering plants, nor is their beauty impaired by either sun or rain. They should be massed in beds of simple form, such as circles and ovals. For flow- ering plants, nothing beats the Pelargoniums. They sliould be planted in masses of one kind and edged with something of a different color. But few white flowered varieties are fit for bedding, but their place is well supplied by silver leaf Albion Cliffs. Among bronze leaf varieties the best are the Moor, Earl Rosslyn, and Harold. They are striking in small beds by themselves, their brilliant chesnut zones showing to the best advantage next the grass, with no dividing line what- ever. The golden tri-colors are not a success in our climate. Mrs. Pollock is the best, partly because its lighter colored leaf enables it to stand the sun bet- ter than those with darker zones. The dark Coleus, Emperor Napoleon, is a good edging for this section, as it throws the colors of the pelargonium into high relief. The following are among the best of the new French and English pelargo- niums. They were fully tested on these grounds the past season, and were admitted to be a decided im])rovement on the old varieties. The best doubles are President Hayes, Depute Berlet, Depute Bio, Depute Laftize, Depute Bar- roy, Lewis Boutard, Mons. Lowagie. The best singles are Cyclops, Dazzler, Gen. Ciiamzy, Jealousy, Edwig Bellot, P. L. Courier, and Mad. Quinete. The new double pelargoniums are noticeable for the extraordinary size of both trusses and individual flowers and the great varieties of new shades and colors they comprise, added to great freedom of bloom. As edgings to pelargoniums, variegated alyssum and centauria Candida are among the best. The alyssum when well grown and bloomed produces the most harmonious effects from the combination of foliage and flowers. Then centauria if planted too close in a wet season is liable to damp off. A bed of succulents was tried this year, but owing to a lack of quantity in some varieties it was not as effective as it other- wise would have been. A great variety of these plants may be grown together, such as agaves, echeverias, and sompervivums, carpeting the whole with sedum corsicum or primiosum. Geometrical designs of any kind may be worked out with these j)lants, bearing in mind tiiat tiie best effects depend on careful and exact i)lanting. A circular bed fourteen feet in dianieter was planted with canna marechal vaillant, gynothrix latifolia, ericanthus ravennae, finished by circles of canna tricolor. Colons, Grand Duke, golden pyrethrum, and varie- gated alyssum. Cannas take a front rank for beauty, habit, rapid growth, and in some varieties for profusion of flowers. Tlie centers of such beds should be planted with tubers and edged with seedlings of some dwarf variety such as limbatta. For color use pelargonium, golden pyretlirum, or achyranthes lin- deni ; and bed would Ije improved by carpeting with sucli dense, dwarf -growing DEPAKTMENT KEPOETS. 83 plants as lobelia pumila or nieronibergia gracilis. A large irregular shaped bed of double seedling petunia was very sliowy, but would be better if only one variety was used, The soil of beds should be rich and not less than three feet deep. Tlie best mulch is that of two or three inches of spent hops put on at time of planting. In order to have fine blooms some protection is necessary against our violent rain storms, such as light wooden frames larger than the beds and covered with cotton clotli, because a heavy rain will S2)oil pelargoniums for at least two weeks. VISITORS. During the past year the number of visitors has much increased. They come from otlier colleges in other States, and from all parts of the country. Nume- rous granges and neighborhoods of farmers have paid us a visit. Many of these persons, especially the farmers, have never visited their institutions of learning, or, at least, not for several years. Too many come in winter when little is to be seen ; too few in early summer, when everything appears to best advantage. Some have considered the College a useless tax on the people because they have not taken the trouble to go and see it, or because they had not tried to get the reports and read for themselves. Sucli men know almost nothing about it. They have certain theories picked up from various sources. We are glad to see a change for the better in this respect. We are trying to reach the farmers in all manner of ways, by our reports, by writing for the papers, making experi- ments, by farmer's institutes, etc. We want the earnest co-operation of every true farmer. We are doing all we can for their interest. Leb them come and see. Remember this early next summer. When a company visits us they let us know before hand. Tlie party meets in the chapel for a few moments, where they are briefly instructed as to some of the experiments, where to find tlie orchards, vineyards, gardens, nursery, wild^ ardens, greenhouse, plats of grasses and large plants, plats of corn and whea t, etc., and potatoes, the fields, the cattle, the various buildings, the muse- um, library, etc. They take notes of these. They put out their horses; take their lunch in the grove, and stroll about in small companies as they may wish. The College flag is raised and perhaps the College cornet band gives them music. Taking into consideration the unfavorable soil and climate at the Agricult- ura College, it is my ambition to do what I can to produce the best experi- me ntal orchards of apples, pears, quinces,* plums, cherries, grapes, the most interesting vegetable and flower gardens. I am trying to make the college grounds the most beautiful and attractive of any in our state. The rich man can imitate or copy a fine place ; the poor man can see something wliicli he can adapt to his own use even on his small farm or in his small yard or garden. Those who have no places of their own are the very persons most of all who are benefited by seeing a fine farm witli attractive sur- roundings. They pay no tax ; they can come and see, and if they have the capacity, they can enjoy "without money and without price." Any nice field, garden, animal, orchard, grass-plat, shade tree, flower-bed, exerts a pleasant and refining influence on the beholder. He is made better for having seen it. WORK IN WINTER VACATION. I had need enough of rest and work enough to do at home in the line of preparing or revising lectures. My winter vacation, as will be seen, afforded 84 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. little time for recreation or study. I render any assistance I can to promote the best interests of our farmers. I wish to make their acquaintance and get them interested in our work at their college. I have seen good results from such efforts, I have lectured at a school for teachers at Pine Lake, at Hose Church, three or more times at Capital Grange ; also in South Ilaven, Galesburg, before the Ingham County Farmers' Chib held in Mason, a farmers' institute held at Manchester, High School at Lapeer, twice at Pomona Grange of Ingham county, Grange at Battle Creek, and Grange at Okemos, I attended the meet- ing of the State Pomological Society in Grand Rapids, and read my report as chairman of the orchard committee ; also read a paper on Ilybridi/ung Plants at a meeting of the same society held in Allegan, and another on teaching hor- ticulture and horticultural experiments at the Agricultural College, and another on Forestry, I attended all of the six farmers' institutes, lectured at four of them, and answered numerous questions and took part in the discussions at all of them, I attended the winter meeting of the State Teachers' Association in East Saginaw, and took part in the exercises; also the liarvest festival of Pomona Grange, and a similar festival in Ionia, Besides the above, I have declined numerous requests to lecture in other places in this and in other States. I have many letters to answer, — many with questions about grasses, weeds, bee-plant?, etc., coming from Texas to Canada and New York to California, Many inquiries have been made by the agricultural press, especially by papers in our own State. All these have received prompt and courteous replies. As previously mentioned, the account of experiments made last year has been very extensively quoted by the press, showing that there is an interest in experiments in horticulture and kindred topics. If this be the case when scarcely any money is employed for experiments, and when the instructor is working in vacation and performing the work of one man in the class-room and the work of another in the gardens and orchards, might not we expect much better things in this direction with more money and some assistance? I cannot close without expressing my gratification at the zeal and faithful- ness of all who have been trusted with responsible positions in the Horticultural Department. The officers of the Agricultural and Horticultural departments, from tlie highe^^t to tlie lowest, have often worked together, borrowed from each other and helped each other, and all with the utmost good feeling. I am not able to recall an unpleasant or an ungenerous act on either side. W. J. BEAL. Professor of Botany and Horticulture. DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 85 A BRIEF AND POPULAR ACCOUNT OF THE TREES AND SOME OF THE SHRUBS ON THE GROUNDS OF THE MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE,* SEPTEMBER, 1878. BY PKOF. \V. J. BEAL, AI'LX'ST'H.'US—AilantJius glandulosus. This tree comes from China. It is scarcely hardy at Lansing. The wood is coarse grained and handsome. The tree suckers badly in mellow ground. There is one specimen in the nortli-western part of the arboretum. ALDER, SMOOTH— Alnus scrralala. This large shrub is occasionally found about Lansing. A specimen can be seen near the drive southeast of the house of Prof. Cook, also others in the arboretum. ALDER, IMPERIAL CUT-LE AV^JJD— -4//iiM f/hUinosa, vur. lac'uiiata linperialis. This is a charming variety of the European alder. A good specimen can be seen near the drive between the greenhouse and the chemical laboratory. ARBOR VITiE, AMERICAN— 2'Ai/Ja occidentalis. This is generally known in Michigan as white cedar. It is too common to need description. The leaves are very small, round pointed, and in four rows on flattened branches, which grow in flattened clusters. In time they all fall off, some of the older ones each autumn. On the main thrifty branches the leaves are prickly awl-shaped. The cones are small, and in autumn when they assume a yellow color are very beautiful. In winter the cones become brown and dingy. It grows fifty feet high, and sometimes four feet or more in diam- eter. It is a worthy tree, a general favorite for ornamental grounds. It bears the shears well, and is the most often recommended of any tree for ornamental screens. One of its faults is that of becoming dingy in winter. On light, dry soil it grows slowly and thin, and, when left to itself, becomes a dingy, poor- shaped tree. Some thrifty young specimens are very hard to equal by any other tree. Fine specimens on the College grounds are found north of the greenhouse on the bank ; larger specimens north and not far from the big stone. From this species numerous dwarf varieties have originated which are quite popular. ARBOR VIT^, SIBERIAN- r/iiya occidentalis, var. Sibirica. This is a variety of the preceding species. The name Siberian must not mislead anyone to think it ever originated in Siberia. It is a compact, sturdy, dark green shrub, with many peculiarities of the arbor vita?. It is A'cry suit- able for planting in small places, in country lots, and for screens. At the Col- lege a specimen grows west of and near the drive by college hall, also south- west of the chemical laboratory and south of the drive. *This does not incUiile nearly aU the kinds of trees growing in tlie arboretum. 86 statj: board of agriculture. ARBOR VIT^E, GLOBE-HEADED— TAuja occidentalis globosa. This is a beautiful, rouud-lioaded variety, a good specimen of wliich stands ' east of the greenhouse. ARBOR VIT.E, HEATH-LEAVED— r;iuja occideyilalis ericoides. This is another dense dwarf variety of the American species. A good spec- imen stands near the eastern end of the greenhouse. ARBOR VIT.E, CHINESE— r/iMja (.Biota) orientalis. Tliis species and its numerous varieties luive not proved entirely hardy at this place. Two severe winters within a few years have swept off every specimen except those which were covered by a screen. There is a group of these plants set among larger trees southeast of the residence of Prof. Beal. ASH, liL ACK—Frazimis sambucifolia. This thrives in swamps and on river bottoms where it becomes a tall tree. It is used for barrel-hoops, and within a few years it has been employed in making nice furniture. At the College a small tree may be seen on the flats near the rockery west of the greenhouse, also east of south of Secretary Baird's house, also along the river banks. ASH, BLUE— jF^'azinws quadrangulata. This small tree prefers rich loamy land. It is the only one of our ashes which has branches which are square until they are over a year old. It grows slowly. The timber is durable for sills, posts, and rails. It is beautiful for furniture and finishing the interior of houses. Trees are not very plenty about Lansing. On the College grounds there are only small specimens whicli are found in the arboretum. ASH, GREEN— jprazuius viridis. This is a small tree much resembling whiteash. It is found on rich banks. At the College small specimens may be seen in the arboretum. ASH, GOLD-SPOTTED— ifi^raa:inM« Americana, var. punctata. A small tree can be seen between the greenhouse and the chemical laboratory. ASH, MOUNTAIN— P.VJ-iw Americana. It is unfortunate that the name of ash was ever api)lied to this tree. It is related to the apples rather than to the true ashes. It is a small tree, often culti- vated for ornament. It is found in some parts of northern Michigan, as about Ludington. On the College grounds there are several specinuMis north of west of tlio greenhouse about five roils, also one southwest of the house occupied by Dr. Kedzie. They are often short lived, ami are likely to be troubled with borers. ASH, OAK-LEAVED MOUNTAIN— P^rus aucuparia, var. quercifolia. This is a variety of European Mountain Ash, which has simple and deeply lobed leaves. A small tree may be found about six rods southwest of tl)e Pres- ident's house. DEPAKTMENT REPOIITS. 87 ASH, PRICKLiY—Zanthozyluni Americanum. This large shrub is also sonictinios called toothache-tree. It is in no way nearly related to the mountain ash or the large forest trees called ashes. It grows on rich bottom land. There are some small specimens in the nursery, and in a sample hedge due north of the farm house. ASH, RE D—If^-axinus pubescens. This small tree too closely resembles the white ash. The leaves and the rest of the annual growth are finely or velvety-pubercent. It grows on river bot- toms. At the College, sam])lcs may be found, one in the grove south of the east part of AVilliams hall, also on the flats near the rockery west of the green- house, also two small trees west of the chemical laboratory and south of the road bridge over the brook. ASH, SWAMP. See black ash. ASH, WATER. See black ash. ASH, WHITE— i<'/-aa;mM« Americana. This becomes a large tall tree, and has a wide range. It is quite common in our State. It grows rapidly and thrives on a variety of soil, and has very few enemies. It is one of our most valuable trees for cabinet-ware, finishing off houses, and for farm implements, and for numerous other purposes where strength, beauty, and elasticity are required. The seeds are easily obtained, and are sure to grow. In my estimation, it is one of the best and most promising trees to raise in Michigan for its timber. At the College a nice tree grows a few rods southwest of Dr. Kedzie's house, also in tlie grove south of Williams hall; also in the grove west of the arboretum; also east of north of Williams hall about ten rods, and in the grove in the hollow north of College hall. ASPEN, AMERICAN— PopwZus tremuloides. This small tree is common in many portions of the State. A tree stands in tha hollow a little south of a line connecting the barns of Professor Cook and Secretary Baird, also numerous specimens along the river bank opposite the house of the President of the College. ASPEN, LARGE TOOTHED— Po^jwhis grandidentata. This tree is quite common about the neighborhood, where it acquires a diam- ter of a foot or more. A specimen stands in the grove southwest of Williams hall, also many specimens in the forest northwest of the College. ASPEN, WEEPING LARGE TOOTHED POPLAR— Pop?U«s grandidentata pendula. This is a weeping variety usually budded on Lombardy poplar. A specimen stands west of a line on the lawn between Wells hall and the Chemical Laboratory. BALM OF GILEAD FIR— ^6tes peclinaia. This comes from Europe, where it is highly esteemed. The leaves are broader than those of our balsam-fir, which it much resembles. A specimen 88 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. Avas presented to the College by Mr. Taylor, of Kalamazoo. The tree stands in the grove south of the house of Prof. Cook. It is not quite liardy in this part of Michigan. BALM OF GILEAD, I'OVhWi—l'opulms balsaniifera, vai: candicans. This rapid growing tree is abundant at Sanford, on the Flint and Pcre Marquette railroad. It is often cultivated, though I can hardly see anything to recommend it except its rapid growth. A few specimens grow in the arboretum. BALSAM i'lli— Abies balsamea. This tree is a rather small slender evergreen wliicli grows in the swamps in the northern portion of our State. It thrives on dry laud as well as in swamps. In some places it has been much used as an ornamental tree. It usually looks well until it gets to be ten or fifteen years old when the lower limbs become thin and the tree puts on a shabby appearance. It is a good tree to place among others to shade them and produce a temporary effect and then it should be cut out or removed for trees which better retain their beauty in old age. Specimens may be seen in the wild garden. BARBERRY, COMMON— Ber6e*ts vulgaris. This interesting hardy shrub comes from Europe, but has become naturalized in some of the older portions of New England. Some 8pecimens can be seen a few feet south east of College hall, also in the grove south of Professor Cook's house. BASSWOOD— 7'i7(a Atnericana. This tree abounds in the rich woods of many portions of the State, where it; is well known. It is a favorite tree with those who keep bees. The timber is valuable for a variety of purposes. It is a fine ornamental tree of rapid growth and fine habit. At the College si)ecimens may be seen on the flats in numerous places, also south of the east end of tlic road bridge by the chemical labora- tory, also south and also east of the house of Professor Cook. BEi:CH, AMEUIC AX— /iTafirKs ferruginea. TMiis well known tree is very widely distributed in our State. It grows slowly and the timber decays rapidly if allowed to become alternately wet and dry. Its chief uses are for fire wood, some tools, roof boards, etc. The roots run near the surface of the ground, so the tree will not thrive well in the grass unless there Js a liberal toj) dressing. The most beautiful tree on the College farm is in the pasture northeast of the house occupied by Professor Eairchild, also one near the east end of the rustic road bridge, and several others which are slowly dying in various spots on the lawn. BEKCH, BLUE— Crtr/»iut<« Americana. This small tree is abundant along streams. Its chief uses are for whip- stocks, withes, and iu former times to switch the naughty boys and girls. With room eiunigh for development in proper soil it becomes a compact, beautiful and symmetrical shrub, especially when bearing its fruit, which is inclosed by DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 89 two peculiar briicts. Specimens may be seen on the banks near the rockery, also along Cedar creek. J5IRCH, BTjAOK—Bclula lenta. This is found in swamps in this vicinity, and is easily detected by the chil- dren on account of its bark, which has the taste of wintcrgreens. It was once much employed in school rooms, where it was supposed to be necessary to help maintain order. It is excellent for fuel, and for turning, and for splint brooms. Specimens may be seen near the rockery: also in the swamps in this vicinity. BIRCH, CHERRY. See birch, black. BIRCH, CUT-LEAVED WEEPING— Ue^tt^a alba, vur. pendula lacinialu. This is a cut-leaved weeping variety of the white birch. It stands unrivaled among deciduous weeping trees. It is distinguished for its hardiness, tall, slender trunk, graceful drooping branches, white bark, and finely cut leaves. It is particularly well adapted for cemeteries and for small grounds. It is one of the trees which should stand a little way from all others, where it can display to good advantage many of its good qualities. No list of ornamental trees is complete without one or more of this variety. The finest specimen at the College grows west of the house of Professor Beal and south of the house of Profe&sor Cook ; also another southwest of College Hall about ten rods ; also east of the greenhouse a few rods. BIRCH, SWEET. See birch, black. BIRCH, WHITE— iJe^M?« alba, var. populi/olia. This tree is abundant on thin soil in northern Michigan. It is a nice, small tree, valuable for ornament. A fine specimen stands a little east of the foot bridge by the willows on the north side of the path ; also in the grove south of Professor Cook's house; also in groups north and a little east of Williams hall half way or more to the road; also south of the apiary. A few have been seen growing wild in the neighborhood of the College. This is not the canoe or paper birch. BITTERNUT— Cn;i/a amara. This is a slow growing tree found on moist soil. Its chief value is for fire- wood. Two trees may be found within two rods southeast of the house of Professor Cook. BL.AT>DY,R^UT—Slaphylea tri/olia. This large handsome shrub is common along river bottoms. A specimen stands close to College hall by the foot of the west stairway on the south side ; also in the grove close to and north of the Colleo;e well; also alons; the Cedar river south of the greenhouse ; also in the arboretum. BOX-ELDER— iVeo'imdo aceroides. This beautiful tree grows rapidly but soon becomes crooked and out of shape. It is found along our river banks. The leaflets much resemble those 00 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. of poison ivy. The tree is closely related to the maples. Sugar may be made from the sap. Some thrifty specimens may be found in the arboretum, and others will soon be planted on the College lawn. Other trees thrive along the river below the College farm. BUCK inOR'S—Rhamnus catharticus. This is a favorite hedge plant in some portions of Europe. Sample specimens grow east of the College well, also near and west of College hall. These were set by Professor J. C. Holmes, and were brought from his place in Detroit. BUTTERXUT— JufirZans cinerea. In our rich woods this becomes a large tree as far north as Saginaw, and perhaps much farther in favored localities. In open places the top spreads wide and becomes open and thin. The timber is used to some extent for furni- ture. Specimens may be seen in the arboretum. BUTTONWOOD— Piatonw* occidentalis. Probably no tree in the State acquires a greater diameter than the button- wood on rich bottom lands. It is often hollow. The wood is of little value on account of warping and checking, although the boards are quite handsome. A large specimen stands across the Cedar river southwest from the house of the President. It is twenty-two feet and seven inches in circumference in the smallest place. It soon divides into several branches. The top limbs are partly dead. This tree is rather picturesque and stands in a good spot as an ornament to tlie College grounds. Another specimen stands in the south part of the grove south of the house of Professor Cook : also in groves northeast of AVilliams hall. C AT A'LV A—Catalpa bignonioides. This rapid growing tree belongs farther south and west. It appears as an ornamental tree on some places in our State. The timber is very durable for posts and railway ties. The growing of this tree is highly recommended for its timber where the climate will permit. The wood is soft, light and beautiful when polished. A few four-year old trees at tlie College may be seen in the arboretum ; also in the wild garden, and others will soon bo planted on tlie lawn. CEDAR, RED— Ji^iyjeciis Virgiiiiana. Tills tree is pretty well known all over the northern States where it grows about lakes, along streams usually in small quantity. In Tennessee it is very abundant in some places. Tiie beautiful red fragrant wood is a great favorite for many purposes. Tlie tree usually grows slow, but on a good soil it grows fast in our State, at least for some years. It is one of the hardiest trees and bears the shears as well as any tree we have. It becomes a beautiful tree Avhether trimmed on a lawn near buildings or left to assume picturesque forms on the slopes of streams or on rocky hills. Almost its only fault is that of turning quite a dark dingy brown in cold weather. In some parts of New Jersey and, I presume, of other Athintic States, old red cedars are allowed to grow along tlie fences, about the lields, and in waste places. Some of these are very line in ai)pearance, though often ajipearing in part or in the whole as if the branches had been sheared closely. At the College, some trees are growing on the high river bank on the north side of the stream, also two on the bank DEPARTMENT KEPORTS. 91 of the brook on the grounds between the College buildings and the Professors^ houses. The stream tlirough the College farm is called "Cedar Kiver," on account of those trees on its banks. A nice thrifty tree grows southwest of Professor Beal's house. It has been cut back for several years. It was taken from the river bank and planted by President Abbot for and in the name of his son Rodney. CEDAR, WHITE— Cwpre«sM« thyoidcs. This must not be confounded with the arbor vitw, which is so often called Avhite cedar. I cannot hear of it as a native of Michigan, though I have looked and inquired a good deal in the southern peninsula. Farther north, I still have hopes of finding it. It belongs nearer the east coast of the United States, where it is quite common in marshes or swamps, especially south- ward. In style it is somewhat intermediate between the arbor vita? and the cypresses, having the fan-shaped foliage of the former. The wood is light, fragrant and very durable. Specimens may be seen in the arboretum ; also in the wild garden. CHERRY, BLACK— P?-U7iiw serolina. This is a line forest tree. The wood is quite durable for posts and rails. The lumber is considerably used for furniture, but it is not so popular as for- merly, perhaps because its color can be so easily imitated by painting or stain- ing. Some of it much resembles mahogany. At the College, a fine tree may be seen about a rod from the northeast cor- ner of the residence of Professor Beal. There is also a tree of this kind in the road about half-way between the College and the city of Ijansing. The one last referred to is not in a very thriving condition, partly owing to caterpillars, but mostly owing to its narrow quarters between two large flat stones, which are yearly separated by the growing tree. CHERRY, CHOKE— P?M?u(S Virginiana. This is a beautiful large shrub, common along low ground and river banks. When in flower there is scarcely a more beautiful shrub on the College grounds. A great tendency to send up sprouts is its greatest fault. A good specimen can be found about half way between College hall and the chemical laboratory, also on the river bank near the drive towards the west entrance. CHERRY, U'ED— Primus Pennsylvanica. This is not uncommon in rocky Avoods and along streams. It springs up in great abundance where the forests of pine have been burned over in the north part of the State. In such places it somewhat resembles a peach tree. Speci- mens may be seen in the arboretum. CHESTNUT— Casianea vesca. This well known tree is a favorite for its sweet nuts, for its beautiful appearance where used for finishing churches and for furniture ; also for its great durability. The tree as a native of our State is confined to the highest land in the southeast part of tlie State in limited quantity, in Oak- land, Washtenaw, Wayne, Monroe, and St. Clair counties. It grows well when planted on the sandy land at the Agricultural College. Two specimens 93 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. may be seen southwest a few rods from Collesje hall, also one near the big stone, also north of College hall a few rods. Tliesc were set by Professor W. W. Tracv. The first nuts were borne in the year 1877. CHESTNUT, DWARF Oil ONE-SEEDED. See Chinquapin. Cai'SQU AVIS -Castanea pumila. This interesting shrub or small tree grows naturally in Ohio and Pennsylva- nia. Some specimens have flowered in the arboretum. CHESTNUT, liORSE—Aesculux hippocaslanum. This tree is a native of Europe and Asia, and is in no way nearly related to the common chestnut. Tlic Buckeye in the southern part of the State is quite inferior to the above in appearance. On clay land it seems to thrive well, but 2iot on sandy or gravelly soil. On the grounds of the State Capitol there are some good thrifty specimens. At the College on sandy places trees have gen- erally died after a few years. A specimen stands northwest of College hall six or ten rods; others will be set on the clay land farther west. The round head of a well grown specimen, the drooping compound leaves of seven leaflets each, and the long erect lantern-shaped clusters of white flowers, give the tree a striking appearance unlike anything else. COFFEE. TREE, KE'SIUCKY-G.ipmwcladus Canadensis. This is in its prime farther south, though I have seen a tall tree eighteen inches in diameter as far north as Grand Ledge. It is not well known by the mass of the people. It is remarkable for its few thick, stumpy limbs, and large compound leaves. The tree sometimes bears large, thick, heavy pods au inch and a half wide by four inches in length. The wood is rose colored, showing the grain well. It is quite handsome when nicely finished. Two trees are within twenty rods and west of north of College hall, also north of and within two rods of the well, also along the Cedar river. COTTONWOOD— PopK^Hs monUifera. This rapid growing tree has very little to recommend it for timber, shade, shelter or ornament. A staminate tree may be seen half way between college hall and the house of Professor Beal, also in the road nearly opposite the dwell- ing house on the farm of IJr. Miles. A i)istillate tree stands on the flats near the rockery Avest of the greenhouse. There is another species, known as cot- tonwood, which has not been found in this neighborhood. CRAB- APPLE, AMERICAN— P.VJM* coronaria. This small hardy tree is remarkable for the fragrance of its beautiful rose- colored flowers. It is well worth a place in every yard of any extent. At the College it is used, to a small extent, for a hedge ; also a tree is found south of the west steps by College hall. CRANBERRY-TREE. See .snow-ball. CUCUMBER-TREE— iV/ayno^ta acuminala. This tree is known farther south, but I have been unable to find it in the DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 93 forests of Michigan. One of the finest trees in one of the yards in Kalamazoo is of this kind. It is a fine ornament to any place, iirovided tlie tree will endure the climate. A small specimen stands about three rods east of the soutli end of the chemical laboratory, also in the arboretum. CYPRUS, BALD— roaroriiMWi distichum. This tree seems quite hardy on the dry sandy lawns of the College. Theoret- ically, no one would suspect that a tree from the swamps of Maryland and further south would stand any chance for life in the place just mentioned. Actual experiments are the only sure guide and they should be frequently tried under varied circumstances. This is a large and valuable tree in the swamps of the Southern States. As an ornamental tree it is very pretty. It puts forth its leavest quite late in spring and drops them early in autumn, that is, earlier than most other trees. The best specimen at the College grows on the lawn south and a little east of the house of the secretary, also a poorer one northwest about six rods from College Hall. They were set by Professor J. C. Holmes. DOGWOOD, FLO WERIXG— CoT-nits florida. This small, slow growing tree is very common in the woods about the College, where it makes a gay appearance in May. No fine specimen is on the College lawn. ELM, AMERICAN— t/toius Americana. As an ornamental tree it stands without a rival among the deciduous leaved trees of this country. It is queen of the forest. It claims this high rank for its rapid growth, its hardiness, which adapts it alike to high land or low, rich or poor, loam or clay. It has beautiful leaves, a large majestic trunk, with grace- ful drooping branches. In most places it has but few enemies, among the Avorst of which are the canker worm in some localities and the woodman's axe. Its thick tough bark adapts it to the street where it stands abuse as well as any other tree. At the College a specimen can be seen between the houses of Professors Fairchild and Beal, also east of this one a few rods, also on the flats near the brook west of College Hall, also east and very close to the north part of Dr. Kedzie's house, also there is to be a double row set along by tlio road which makes the north boundary of the College farm. ELM, CORKY. See rock elm. ELM, ENGLISH— Z>7??ii(,9 campeslris. This is a large sturdy tree, but in nearly all respects inferior to the American elm. At the College there is one tree about six rods southwest of College Hall. ELM, 'RV.D—Vlmus fulva. This is a rather small tree of moderate growth. The leaves are very rough and spread irregularly, making a thin top unless it is cut back. The wood is quite durable. Every boy knows the tree by its mucilaginous bark. A tree stands close by the brook a few rods north of the rustic road bridge near the chemical laboratory, also near the drive on the bank about half way between tlie west front gate and the house of the President, also in the arboretum. 94 STATE BOAKD OF AGRICULTURE. ELM, llOCK—Ulmus racemosa. This valuable tree tlirives on rich loamy land. It can be easily distinguished from the other elms by its corky limbs. It grows rather slow. The timber is valuable for some parts of farm implements, freight cars, etc., etc. It is tough, but a little inclined to warp and not to keep its shape. The wood is softer than white oak or hickory, except in a few cases. A specimen stands on the flats near the brook north of the rustic road bridge on the College grounds ; also some may be seen in the grove of trees near the road opposite the house on the Par- melee place. ELM, WHITE. See rock elm ; also American elm. ELM, SLIPPERY. See red elm. See American elm. ELM, WEEPING. FILBERT— Carj/ius Avellana. In the autumn of 1873 Professor Beal obtained seeds of filberts grown at Union Springs, Cayuga county. New York. From these sprung some thrifty plants now at the College. One stands in the hollow just south of the foot- path, between the houses of the Secretary and Professor Cook ; also in the arboretum. FIR, BALM OF GILEAD. See balm of Gilead fir. FIR, SILVER. See balm of Gilead fir. FIR, SCOTCH. See Scotch pine. FRINGE TREK— C?uona7il?MS Virginica. The shrub thrives in Pennsylvania and southward. Another shrub (Rhus Cotinus) is often called fringe tree by some people, but it is more properly called smoke tree. Early in June this true fringe tree produces loose panicles of flowers, each of ^vhich has four slender twisted petals an inch long. A spec- imen stands near the drive west of tlie soutli end of College hall, near the ginkgo tree. This came from Cambridge, Mass. GINKGO TREE— iSiziis6uj-ia adianlifolia. This peculiar tree is unlike any other tree with which I am acquainted. The leaves are deciduous, fan-shaped, with fork-veins, some like the leaflets of a maiden-hair fern, whence it takes its name. It should be planted not far from a path or building to show its peculiarities, which are very interesting. It be- comes quite a tree, reaching 80 feet or more upward, -with a large trunk, said to be six to twelve feet in diameter. It comes from Japan. Not a twig has been injured by our extreme winters, on our single thrifty specimen which grows in light, poor sandy soil. I know of a few others in various parts of the DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 95 State, and so far as my knowledge extends they arc perfectly hardy and much liked. The leaves are very nice to put around the lower side of a hand bouquet. There is a specimen west of the north end and within two rods of College hall. This was set by Professor Thurber, and was sent by Dr. A. Gray from Cam- bridge, Mass. GUM-TREE, SOUR. See pepperidge. GUM-TREE, SWEET— Liquidamber atyraeijlua- This large and beautiful tree thrives in low ground from southern Illinois and southward. The leaves are deep crimson in autumn. The branches are corky. Three scrubby specimens can be seen in the arboretum, where it is killed back to some extent every winter. HACKBERRY— Cei/Jts occidentalis. This tree is also sometimes called sugarberry, and nettle tree, and is sparingly found as far north as Midland in this State (and perhaps considerable farther), two feet or more in diameter. I have met but few people who knew the cor- rect, or even any name for it. In three counties I hear it called shithim wood. I have often been questioned about this tree. It has rough bark, which turns over in thin rolls. The tree looks some like its cousins, the elms, having its simple leaves in two rows along on opposite sides of the stem the same as elms. The tree bears small sweet berries the size of peas. The wood is of little value except for tire-wood. Large specimens may be seen along Cedar river between the College and Lansing ; also small specimens near the river on the College grounds and in the wild garden ; also a twin specimen north of and near the gravel road a little west of the toll-gate, near North Lansing. HAWTHORN— Craiaeg^u* oxycantha flore punica. This showy shrub stands highly recommended among the hardy shrubs for the northern States, but it is not hardy at the Agricultural College. A broken down specimen stands between the greenhouse and chemical laboratory. HAWTHORN-Oataeflriis. There are three or more species growing on the farm, the most beautiful of which is the cockspur thorn Crataegus crus-galU. One of the latter stands on the bank near the drive, west of the President's house. HEMLOCK. See spruce hemlock. HICKORY, SHAG-BARK OR SHELL-BARK— Car^a alba. This well-known tree is valuable for its hard, heavy, tough wood. It also furnishes most of the hickory-nuts in the eastern markets. The nuts of an- other species, Carya sulcata, come from Ohio. The latter are large and have thick shells of a yellowish white color. The second growth of both species and one other is valuable for some parts of buggies, for ax-helves, etc. For a specimen see a small tree south of and near the path between the house of the President and Prof. Carpenter, also small trees in the arboretum, also in the forests about the neighborhood. no STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. IIUI'-IIORNBEAM. See iron wood. HORNBEAM. See bine beech. HOP-TREE— Pieiea trifoliata. This neat shrub thrives along our river banks. For samples, see arboretum, also tiiickets on the river bank, back of AVells' iiall. IRON-WOOD— Osi?-ca polustris. This shrub thrives along our low rich land where it sometimes acquires a diameter of two or three inches. It puts out yellow flowers before the leaves very early in spring. It is remarkable as possessing the softesc wood and the toughest bark of any native tree or shrub in Michigan. LEVER-WOOD. See iron-wood. LILAC, COMMON— >S'i/?'tnfifa vulgaris. This well known shrub exists with purple flowers. At the College, a specimen thrives southwest of College hall in the grove, also southeast of the Secretary's house. A plant Avith white flowers stands near and north of College hall, also in other places and in the arboretum. LILAC, PERSIAN— A'i^?-mf7« Persica. Two specimens stand west and within two rods of College hall. They came from the place of Prof. J. C. Holmes, who set them where they now grow. LILAC, JOSIKA'S— /S'^riMfira Josikoca. This species is no more beautiful than than those previously mentioned, but the flowers are later by three weeks or more. A specimen stands near and west of College hall. This came from Cambridge, Mass. LINDEN. See bass wood. LOCUST, COMMON— iJobmia Pseudoacacia. This tree is remarkable for its hard, durable wood, its beautiful form, and drooping racemes of fragrant white flowers. A few years ago everybody planted it by the road side and near their houses, and some planted for timber. Borers trouble the trees. It is a native of Ohio and farther south. It sprouts or suckers badly on soft ground. It puts forth leaves quite late in spring and drops them early in autumn. Look for specimens southwest and near the apiary. 13 98 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. LOCUST, 'RO'S'EX—Glcditschia triacanthos. This tree is found in rich woods in the south tier of counties, especially along the rivers Raisin and Kalamazoo. The pods are often eight inches long, an inch wide, and quite thin. The tree usually bears horrid branching thorns, but sometimes no thorns are produced. It acquires a diameter of two or more feet. It seems hardy, and if it were not for sprouting would be our most valuable plant for hedge in the coldest parts of Michigan. Notwithstanding all its faults, perhaps it is our best hedge plant. See cucumber-tree. See ginkgo-tree. MAGNOLIA. MAIDENHAIR TREE. MAPLE, ASH-LEAVED. See box elder. MAPLE, BLACK— ^ccr saccharinum, var. nigrinn. This is apparently only a variety of sugar maple. The leaves are often without a sinus at the base and are minutely downy beneath. The leaves are broad dark and coarse. It is common in rich land. See a good specimen east of Williams hall, also south and a little east of the house of Dr. Kedzie. The tree is near the drive, and tlie one on either side of it by the drive is likewise of this variety. MAPLE, NORWAY— ^Icer plalanoides. This is a handsome round headed tree, with broad, smooth, thin leaves. It is as hardy as the well-known sugar maple. Its foliage is more dense, its leaves appear earlier. The sap is milky, like that of the milk-weed and dandelion. It comes from Europe. Two specimens can be seen southwest of College Hall, aud east of the chem- ical laboratory. MAPLE, RED— ylcer rtihrum. This small tree thrives in wet woods. Tlie twigs are red, as also are the flowers and fruit. In autumn its foliage is often gorgeous, some of the leaves being scarlet, others deep green, and others with clear patches of green mixed irregularly with those which are red. For autumn effect wo have uo tree which can excel this maple. The wood of this tree, as of other maples, is often curly, or contains spots called bird's eye. Specimens grow ou the bank southwest of tlie house of the President, also in arboretum. MAPLE, ROCK, See sugar maple. MAPLE, SILVER— ^ce?" dasycarpum. The leaves are silver white beneath, and are more deeply cut-lobed than are the two other species found about Lansing. It thrives along our river banks. It succors or sends out several trunks in DEPARTMENT EE POETS. 99 the form of groups. Ifc is of very rapid growth. Tiie wood is fine grained and light. It is often grown in tlio west for timber and everywliere as an ornamental tree. A specimen may be seen southwest of Williams Hall, also in the arboretum ; also along Cedar River, where it grows in great beauty and perfection, constituting one of the leading features of the vegetation on the south bank. The drooping brandies hang over tlie water, and when moved by the "wind present a line contrast of color with the light and dark sides of their leaves. MAPLE, SOFT. This term is indiscriminately applied by most people vrlio do not understand botany, to two of our native trees, the red maple and the silver maple, both of which see. MA.PLE, SUGAR— ^cer saccharinum. This tree is too well known to need description. It is a universal favorite with all classes. It is one of the most abundant and widely distributed trees in our State. Many trees in the north part of the State have wood which is curly or bird's- eye. It is a prominent shade tree. The tree has tender bark and grows slowly, but the tops are compact, clean, and beautiful, in autumn assuming a bright yellow color. A line tree stands in the centre of the arboretum, also by the road north of the arboretum, also southwest, and also southeast of the President's house, also west of Professor Beal's house. MAPLE, SWAMP. See red maple. MAPLE, SYCAMORE— ^cer Pseudo-Platanus. This tree comes from Europe and Asia. The leaves are large. The tree much resembles the black maple, only it is rather coarser. In England it is known as Sycamore. A specimen stands near the drive and south of the house of Professor Carpenter. MAPLE, WHITE. See silver maple. MAPLE, STRIPED AND MOUNTAIN. There are two other species of small size found in the north part of Michi- igan. They are very interesting. Samx)les are in the arboretum, as are also those of other species. MOOSEWOOD. See leatherwood. MULBERRY, TXED—Morus rubra. This tree grows sparingly in rich woods in the southern part of the State, where it sometimes attains a diameter of two feet. The wood is yellowish, firm and durable, somewhat resembling the wood of common locust. A small 100 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. tree groAvs on the flats southwest of the greenhouse. In the arboretum also grow small samples of black mulberry. NETTLE.TREE. See hackberry. OAK, BLACK — Quercus coccinea, vai: tincloria. This is a common tree in many portions of our State. To be understood and distinguislied from some other oaks, it must be studied. Good specimens may bo seen a little nortli and also northeast of AVilliams hall. OAK, BURR— Quercifs inacrocarpa. This becomes a large valuable tree and thrives in deep, rich, rather low land. The wood is hard, strong, and durable. Some fine trees can be seen north of the barn of Secretary Baird and west of the arboretum ; also in the two west rows of the arboretum where the acorns were planted in the autumn of 1875. O^iK, CHESTNUT— Querctw I^rinus. This middle sized tree grows sparingly along streams. Small specimens grow along Cedar river, one south of the garden barn on the flats, one in the wild garden or rock work. See burr-oak. See black-oak. O.VK, OVERCUP. O W^— Quercitron. OAK, RED— QwercMS rubra. This tree is of rapid growth and is coarse-grained. The wood is not very durable. The wood would be fine for furniture were it not for warping and checking. For samples see one west of the chemical laboratory; also west of College liall on the bank of the brook ; also about half w-ay between Wells hall and VVillianis hall. OAK, SCARLET— Quercus coccinea. This is a handsome tree much resembling the black oak. The wood is of little value. A fine specimen grows west of "Williams hall and within four rods. O-Uv, SWAMP-WIIITE— Quercus bicolor. This grows on low grounds, where it becomes a tail tree with valuable, dura- ble timber. For a sample see side of gravel road within half a mile west of the College. OAK, AVIIITE— Quercus alba. This is another very valuable tree, found in great abundance in most parts of the southern peninsula. It disappears as we go north among the forests of pine. It is one of our most valuable trees for a great many purposes ; for floors, doors, and furniture, especially when cut to show the silver grain or DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 101 modnllaiy rays. It is much used for rails, staves, posts, ties, bridges, planks and hewn timbers, piles, ship building, and nuiny other purposes. Some of it is very tough and hard. It is the most abundant of all the oaks in this coun- try. It grows rather slowly. Samples are abundant on the College grounds. OAK, YELLOW BAKKED. See black oak. OAJCS. There are several other species in the arboretum. 03AGE ORANGE— iV/acZura aurantiaca. This tree comes from Arkansas and Texas. It is often employed for hedges. Samples are set in a hedge due north of the farm house. PAW PAW, COymO^—Asiviina triloba. This small tree is abundant in many portions of the southwestern part of the State. It is an interesting shrub of considerable beauty. It suckers freely. The fruit resembles that of a banana in some respects. A few specimens grow along the Cedar river on the north side just above field No. 5. PEA-TREE, SIBERIAN— Ca?-a(7ana arborescens. It is found in Northern Europe and Asia. It is somewhat ornamental. One specimen stands within a few feet of the southwest corner of College hall. This came from Cambridge by way of Dr. Gray to Dr. Thurber. PEPPERIDGE— iVi/ssa multiflora. This tree grows about the margins of swamps in the south part of the State. The wood is usually very difficult to split, but some of it splits easily. The limbs stand out horizontally in a peculiar manner, some like those of the beech. The leaves turn bright crimson in autumn. AVe are trying samples for an ornamental hedge. A small tree can be seen a little east of the south end of the car track south of Williams Hall. PINE, AUSTRIAN— Ptnws Auslriaca. This becomes a broad and rather large tree. The branches come out in reg- ular whorls around the trunk like those of the white pine. The leaves hold on for several years and are of a dark green, retaining their color well in summer's heat and winter's cold. The leaves are long, stout, and stand out in a bristling manner from the branches. On account of the above peculiarities the tree is remarkably robust and massive in appearance. It is not so suitable for cutting back as many other trees, though a little pruning generally improves its appearance. This pine is rather coarse, and therefore should not be placed near a dwelling or in the vicinity of trees and shrubs of a more delicate habit on a nicely kept lawn. It grows rapidly on almost any soil and is one of the very best for screens to ward off strong winds. Although the roots are not very thickly developed close together, adapting it to transplanting easily, still on account of its extreme hardiness and other good ([ualities, it is one of the best for those to plant who are not likely to take very good care of them. It comes from Austria and 102 STATE liOAED OF AGKICULTURE. vicinity. On tlie College grounds two trees grow east of the south end of Col- lege hall, also in ii grove west of the chemical laboratory, where tliey may be coiiipaivd with Scotch pines, which are of a lighter color and of a more deli- cate habit. PINE, BANK'S. See gray })ine. PINE, BLACK. See gray pine. PINE, BUCKWHEAT. See gray pine, and perhaps white pine. PINE, CEMBRIAN— Pmws Cembra. This very beautiful and symmetrical tree comes from the Alps and sur- rounding country, consequently it endures our coldest winters without injury. It will grow on almost any kind of soil, but does best on a deep rich soil, Like the white pine its leaves are in clusteis of five. The leaves are shorter and of a darker color; the bark is also darker, the growth much slower, the limbs much denser when compared with tlie ti'ee last mentioned. Its slow growth is the greatest objection to its use as an ornamental tree, but even this peculiarity is a meiit in small places or near dwellings. The fertile cones when in flavor are of a bright, purple color, and when a little older have a glaucous bloom resembling a plum. The wood is fine granied and is much used by the Swiss for carving into toys. The seeds are palatable and eaten as we eat filberts and almonds. Oil is also pressed from the seeds. A tree stands just near the north- west corner of College hall, also one about four rods southeast of the house of Professor Beal. PINE, CROCODILE. See gray pine. PINE, DWARF— Ptnus pumilio. This tree scarcely ever attains a height of more than ten or fifteen feet. If left to itself, it generally falls over and becomes a trailing shrub, four feet high, spreading in all directions. The leaves are two or more inches long, and of a dark green color. It is perfectly hardy, and is one of the most valuable of evergreens to place in groups or in small yards, or even as a single specimen in a hollow or on a slight elevation or on the ui)per edge of a clitf or roekwork. With me it is a great favorite. It is a native of the Alps. A good specimen grows at the College about fifteen feet north of college luiU, also in the group east of the chemical laboratory, and in numerous other places. PINE, GilKY—Plnus Banksiana. Tiiis small tree goes by a great variety of other names among the people of Michigan, such as scrub, black, crocodile, Jack, buckwheat, etc. It is a scrubby bush or small tree, though it often becomes fifty or even eighty feet high, and fifteen inches in diameter. It grows in poor sandy soil. It is rather more slender and graceful than the Austrian pine, which it somewhat resem- bles. The leaves are short and of a dark color. The grey pine is not often DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 103 planted, but I see no reason why it should not find a place ou every well-kept lawn. Small trees can he seen in the arboretum. See gray pine. See dwarf pine. See red pine. PINE, JACK. PINE, MOUNTAIN. PINE, NORWAY. PINE, RED— Pinus resinosa. In this State where this tree is very common and grows to great perfection, the lumbermen nearly all call it Norway pine. This is an unfortunate name, as it does not grow in Norway. It sometimes becomes a very tall, straight tree, two feet or more in diameter. The bark is red and rather smooth, the leaves are about live inches long, of a dark green color and borne in bunches at the end of the branches. The color of the trunk and the long leaves make it a tree of peculiar appearance. It is not very common in cultivation, probably because the nurserymen cannot easily get seeds. Young trees taken from their native soil are very likely to die. In my opinion it is a more beautiful tree than the Scotch pine and more beautiful than many others which are often used for ornamental purposes. Small specimens grow in the Arboretum. PINE, SCOTCH— Pmws sylvestris. While young, this may be compared with the Austrian pine. It is less robust or more delicate in appearance. The leaves are more slender and of a lighter color. It is very common in cultivation as an ornamental tree in this country. It bears transplanting well, grows in any soil, the seeds are easily obtained and the tree is very hardy, all of which recommend it for general cultivation. In Europe it holds much the same position as a'forest tree, that white pine does with us, though the tree is far inferior to white pine as a timber tree. The lumber is called red or yellow deal. At the College good specimens are to be found witli Austrian pines west of the Chemical Laboratory and north of the greenhouse, also a ihree-pronged tree north of the big stone in the grove. The trunk of this as well as that of the Austrian pine is very apt to be injured by one kind of sap-sucker. Mr. Bryant in his "Forest Trees" says: "The only preventive a})pears to be powder and shot. 7i See gray pine. See cembrian pine. See cembrian pine. See white pine. PINE, SCRUB. PINE, STONE. PINE, SWISS. PINE, WEYMOUTH. PINE, WHITE— Pinw* Slrobus. The same tree is known as Weymouth pine in Europe. This majestic tree is too well known by many of our people to need an introduction from ine. To 104 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. show off to best advantage it ijeeds considerable room. No cvergreeu will make a screen quicker than the white pine. The bark on young trees is remarkably smooth and free from cracks until about twenty years old. As the leaves only hang on for two summers they are all on young limbs, which is quite likely to make the tree appear thin, especially if it grows rapidly. The lower limbs srenerallv die or remain shorter than those above them unless tlie tree is trimmed or cut back. It bears cutting well and is improved by a judicious use of the knife. Young, thrifty trees are extremely beautiful on account of their smooth bark, their long, soft, slender leaves, which are of a light glaucous color. It is very graceful and holds a high rank as an ornamental tree for its many good qualities. This is the only native tree of the State which has its leaves in clus- ters of five. As a back ground it serves as an excellent contrast for some smaller, darker evergreens. It mixes well with deciduous leaved trees, but the young branches will be rubbed off if allowed to touch other trees. The white pine is one of our most hardy trees and thrives in a great variety of soils, even extending into swamps in many places. The slightest stir of air easily moves the long delicate leaves, producing "a constant sighing and moaning like the gentle beating of waves upon a distant shore." The white pine is abundant in the native forest of Canada and the Northern States, especially in Michigan. It is the great source of nearly all of our pine lumber so well known all over this country and in Europe. Some of the trees grow seven or eight feet in diame- ter and over two hundred feet high. At the College a fine tree stands west of Professor Beal's house. This grew naturally on the river bank of the farm and was taken up and planted by President Abbot about the year 18G0, for and in the name of his daughter Mary. It has been trimmed or cut back occa- sionally. Another specimen grows a few rods east of the same house, also two more south of the front door of Dr. Kedzie's house. There are numerous other sj)ecies of pine in the arboretum, all of which are quite young and small. PLANE TREE. See buttonwood. PLUM, CHICKASAW, RED, WILD, YELLOW. For samples see arboretum. POPLAR, LOMBAIIDY— PopwiMS dilaiaia. This well-known stiff spiry tree comes from Europe. It grows very fast but soon dies, at least some portions of each tree, produc- ing a dilapidated appearance. It is well that it is not mucli planted. A single small specimen stands in the grove soutliwest of College Hall. POPLAR, SILVER. See white poplar. POPLAR, WniTE-Populus alba. This rapid growing tree comes from Europe. It spreads badly by the roots. It is not a favorite in well-kept places. One specimen can be seen east of the chemical laboratorv. POPLAR, WEEPING CL'T-LEAVED. See aspen, large toothed. DEPAKTMENT KEPORTS. 105 SASSAFRAS— Sassafras offlcinale. This is well-known, usually as a shrub, but occasionally a tree two feet or more in diameter. The wood is beautiful and durable. The tree is rather tender in most parts of Michigan. A tree stands west of Williams' Hall within a few rods, also, in the grove south of College Ilall. SAVIN — Juniperiis Sabina. This is a low trailing or spreading hardy evergreen shrub, with limbs and leaves much resembling those of red cedar. It is valuable about rock work, on knolls or in or near groups of other trees. It may be easily trimmed and kept in almost any shape. It grows in the northern United States and in northern Europe and Asia. At the College are good specimens, one west of the green- liouse, also one north of the greenhouse, also southeast of the house of Profes- 3or Beal. See June-berry. See June-berry. :See hop- tree. SERVICE.BERRY. SHAD-BUSH. SHRUBBY TREFOIL. SMOKE TREE— i27iMS Cotinus. This shrub comes from the Southern States. It is common in cultivation under the above name, but more often under the name of fringe tree. The latter name should be reserved for another plant. The flower clusters often lengthen and become large, light, feathery or cloud-like bunches, either green- ish or thiged with red. These are quite ornamental. An old shrub grows in the grove by the big stone where it was set by Professor Holmes. SNOWBALL— Viburnum Ojtulus. This shrub is common in cultivation. The balls are composed of neutral flowers. The original of this plant grows wild in our swamps, where it is known as high cranberry-bush, or bush-cranberry. Specimens can be seen northwest of college hall, not far from the rustic foot-bridge ; also south of Prof. Cook's house. SPRUCE, BLACK— ^6ies nigra. This is a small, conical tree, with limbs extending in graceful sweep much like those of the Norway spruce, only not on so grand a scale. It grows abundantly in the swamps of this State at Lansing and northward, sometimes attaining a diameter of two feet. The young trees are beautiful, but most old trees become irregular and scraggy. A small, poor specimen grows several rods east of Williams hall. SPIiUCE, HEMLOCK— ^6ies Canadensis. This tree is distinguished for its delicate light green spray of graceful drooping habit, often rendered more drooping by large numbers of small cones at the ends of the small limbs. When seen from the under side, the leaves are much lighter i)i color, a glaucous green. It is generally called hardy, 14 106 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. thougli it is quite likely to be injured when placed where it is exposed to the strong cold winds of winter. This is especially true of young trees when not protected by trees, hills, buildings or some artificial screens. It is not a tree for swamps, neither will it thrive in very dry situations. It prefers a deep loam in a cool situation. It bears the shears well and is a great favorite for screens and ornamental hedges. S. B. Parsons, than whom no one ought to be better able to Judge, says : "It is safe to assert tliat this is the most beautiful coniferous hardy tree yet known." Josiah Hoops says: "Were I restricted to one tree, I would far rather have a specimen of the hemlock spruce tiian all tlie Deodras and Cryptomerias ever introduced." Meehan says: "It would not be exaggeration to pronounce this the most beautiful evergreen in cultiva- tion." It appears more charming in spring when the light color of the young buds arc in sharp contrast with the older leaves of darker color. Its timber is of little value except as roof boards, scantling, or frames for buildings, where it answers u very good purpose. Tlie bark is valuable for tanning. It is a native of Canada and the northern United States, in many portions of which it is a very common tree, often of great size. It sometimes forms vast forests, though more frequently it is mixed witli pines, maples, beeches and olher trees. No large specimens are found on tlie College grounds, but some of the best small ones are north of the greenhouse. SPRUCE NORWAY— .d6te.$ cxcclsa. For planting in Michigan and most other northern States, this is the most used of any evergreen. It is well worthy of this leading position as an ornamental tree. It heads the list because it bears transplanting so well, because of its beauty and the rapidity of its growth. It is perfectly hardy and bears trimming into any shape for hedges or for single specimens. For ornamental hedges and especially for large sheltering screens it is the best tree we have. For or- namental purposes, the lower limbs should be left to grow and recline upon the ground. Once cut off close to the trunk they will not be re[)roduced. Old spec- imens in good soil with plenty of room exhibit peculiar beauty in the graceful curves of the longer limbs from which droop the smaller feathery branches. Downing says : "As a park tree to stand alone, we scarcely know a more beau- tiful one." There is a remarkable difference in trees growing in the same nursery row, started from the same lot of seed. There are many named varieties, but of those not named, some are stout dark green with dense growth of limbs, others are much lighter with fewer limbs and a mucii n)ore graceful and slender habit. In spring wlien the young shoots have put forth for a few inches, they are strik- ingly beautiful on account of their drooping habit and light color whicli is in deep contrast with the darker color of the older leaves. The young red cones are beautiful. This tree is too often i)lanted near the house or in crowded groups, the owner of the place forgetting that it is destined to become a tall, broad tree. As a consequence, it is much injured or has to be removed in a few years. The timber is said to be more durable than that of our white pine, quite like it and used for similar })urposes. For general use as an ornamental tree we have no evergreen to compare with the Norway s[)ruce. "Neither sun nor cold, drought nor moisture seems to affect it, and it is a tree which will al- ways give satisfaction." It is a native of northern Europe and Asia, and extends faither south on the mountains where it becomes one of the largest and tallest of trees. It is the most common evergreen on the College grounds. A very sleii- DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 107 der specimen with delicate drooping branches is [)hiced a few rods east of the south end of the College Hall, where it is iu marked contrast with two others of much stouter form. These were selected and planted by W. \V. Ti-acy, a former professor at the College. One of the finest of the large specimens on the grounds is northeast of Professor Deal's house near the posts in the foot path. This tree is conspicuous for its symmetry and well developed lower branches. SPRUCK, ORIENTAL— yl&ies oricnCatis. This tree seems to be as hardy as a Norway spruce, which it somewhat re- sembles. The leaves are shorter than those of that species. 'LMie whole aspect is much like that of a refined, slow-growing Norway spruce. It is not as com- mon in cultivation as it deserves to bo, especially in our trying climate where we are compelled to discard so many trees which are choice for ornamental purposes in milder winters than we are certain of iu central Michigan. A sin- gle specimen grows a few feet northwest of College hall where it was planted by Dr. Thurber, a former professor at the College. SPRUCI5, WHITE— ^6ies alba. This is a small evergreen tree with compact growth of regular conical out- line. The leaves are glaucous green in color, often a[)proaching to a bluish tint, although the leaves and branches on close inspection appear a little stiff, this is not so apparent at a little distance. It is a slower grower and more com- pact in form than the Norway spruce. On account of the light color, it forms a good contrast with the dark foliage of the Norway spruce. The branches of old trees will become thin and bare unless cut back or kept growing on good land. It grows in the nortliern States, sparingly in northern Michigan. The leaves are longer, of a lighter color, the cones larger and the tree a more rapid grower, and altogether it is a more beautiful tree than the black spruce. There are several other species of spruces growing in the nursery at the College. ^b^ See pepperidge. See hackberry. SOUR-GUM TREE. SUGAR-BERRY. SUMACH, POISON- iSAws venenata. This beautiful shrub grows in our swamps. It is one of the plants of our State which is poisonous to the touch. I am glad to say we have no specimens about the College grounds, although there may still be a few specimens in the swamps on the back part of the farm. I will cidd that a specimen has been planted and labelled on a small island in the pond of the wild garden. SUMACH, STAGHORN— ie/ms Ujphlna. This large shrub is distinguished for the brilliant red color of its primate leaves and its red fruit in autumn. It suckers badly on soft ground. A specimen grows a few rods southwest of the Secretary's house ; also on the river bank near the west entrance to the grounds. SWEET-GUM TREE. See gum tree. 108 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. SYCAMORE. See buttonwood, also maple sycamore. TAMARACK. See larcli, American. TULIP-TREE— iirjorfcjidron tulipifera. This tree is truly noble and magnificent. In the southern part of the State it becomes one of the largest of trees. It has been well thinned out for its lumber, which is much used in place of white pine. In the south it is often called poplar, a name which ought to be reserved for several other trees of the genus ])op2cIus. It makes a fine ornamental tree where it is well grown. It is rather dillicult to transplant. The seeds start rather slowly. The finest native tree on the College grounds is a tulip-tree. It stands northwest of "Williams hall and near the well, also smaller trees southwest of the same hall, also between the houses of Professors Kedzie and Fairchild, also west of College hall a few rods, and in numerous other places. TUPELO. See pepperidge. VIRGILIA. See yellow-wood. VIRGINIA CREEPER— ^wjje^opsis quinquefolia. This is our most beautiful hardy native climber. It will run up the sides of a brick wall or board house without any nails or strings to support it, provided the loose ends be kept cut off to prevent the wind from blowing it down. Such a specimen can be seen on the east side and on the west side of the President's house, also on the south side of Professor Fairchild' s house, and a loosely hang- ing vine on the west side of the house of Professor 13eal ; also some are planted by trees on the lawn west of College Hall and north of the chemical laboratory. "WALNUT, J^l^XCK—Juglans nigrcu This is the most valuable kind of forest tree in Michigan. It is not particu- larly fine as an ornamental tree. Very large specimens once grew quite abuu- •duntly in tlie southern portion of the State. The timber is too well known as valuable for furniture and finishing the interior of houses to need description. The black walnut is a ''bad neighbor to many other trees" as the apple, sugar maple, etc. It is one of our most promising trees to grow for timber. A specimen stands on the Hats just below the stone culvert south of the house of Professor Carpenter, also in the arboretum. WHITE WOOD. See tulip tree. WILLOW, WHITE— .Sa^tx alba, var. vitellina. This rapid growing willow comes from Europe. It has nothing of much importance to recommend. Specimens grow, one near the College well, also •by the rustic foot bridge, also north east of the trees last named. WILLOW, BLACK— Salix nifjra. Tiiis is the largest native willow in this vicinity. A sample grows northeast ■ of Prof. Beal's liouse, also along the river banks. DEPARTMENT REPOKTS. 109 WISTARIA, CHINESE— Trwtoria Sinensis. Tills beautiful vine comes from China. It is not quite hardy at this place. A specimen grows by the rustic house near tlie big stone. YELLOW-WOOD— CTadmsit* Uncloria. This graceful tree thrives in the forests of Kentucky and vicinity. It appears to be perfectly liardy in cxjiosed places during our coldest winters. Tlic bark is smooth, much resembling the beech. Tlie leaves and flowers somewhat resemble the common locust, to which the plant is nearly allied. The flowers are showy, white, and hang in long clusters among the pinnate leaves. For small places or for large ones, I know of no more appropriate deciduous tree. It deserves much more attention than it generally receives, although it stands very highly recommended by our best nurserymen. YEW, AMERICAN— Taarus bacata, var. Canadensis. This is abundant in the forests of northern Michigan, where it is a trailing shrub commonly called ground hemlock. It has beautiful dark green foliage somewhat larger and coarser, though resembling the hemlock spruce. It likes damp, sliady places. It becomes dull color in winter. It bears trimming into any shape. There are none on the College grounds. KEPORT OF THE HOETICULTURAL DEPARTMENT. August 31, 1878. To the President of the Agricultural College : I herewith submit tlie report of work under my charge for the year ending August 31, 1878. Commencing my duties the first of last March I could not carry on the work of the department so well as I hope to do hereafter. I am under great obliga- tions to Professor Beal for many suggestions in regard to all matters pertaining to my duties. As it had been planned to remove the vegetable garden to the east side of No. 3, and that not being in readiness for garden crops, only enough vegetables to supply the boarding hall and families on the College grounds Avere planted. The strawberries wintered well and gave promise of a large yield, but an ex- ceedingly heavy frost occurring just as they were in full bloom destroyed at least three-fourths of the crop, so that the yield was but six and one-half bushels ofl: from a little over one quarter of an acre. The vegetable garden has furnislied a full supply of vegetables for the boarding hall all through the season. I am well pleased with the plan introduced by Professor Beal of giving stu- dents of the senior class charge of special kinds of labor. The students who have the special assignments are interested in their labor and work with a will. They learn to do one thing well, and I find that they take more interest in other kinds of labor, and have a better general idea of the working system of the department than those students who are being constantly changed from 110 STATE BOARD OF AGKICULTURE. one occupation to another. They also get some valuable experience in the practical nuinagenient of workmen. It is also a groat help to the labor in the department, as it relieves the officer in charge from looking after many details, and allows a better opportunity to have supervision of all the work in progress during the afternoon. students' labok. Labor performed outside of the department for which we have cash credit 6, 501| hrs. Labor performed in department 8, 518| " Total hours 15, 020 The account is as follows : 6,5014r hours' labor @ 10 cents ^G50 15 8,518| hours' labor@09.89+ 843 15 15,020 hours' labor $1,493 30 The 8,518^ hours in department cost $843.15, and has been charged as fol- lows : Grounds $112 27 Vegetable Garden 171 41 Greenhouse and Flower beds 127 48 Orchard 97 09 Nursery 61 74 Vineyard 36 08 Strawberries 20 20 Easpberries 12 34 New Vegetable Garden (permanent improvements) 6 43 Experimental plats of potatoes . - 15 76 Experimental plats of corn 17 75 Pear orchard 7 50 Tools (care of, repairs) 67 55 Office (posting books, copying, etc.) 8 08 Compost- 35 90 Team 1 61 Exi^eriments (under Prof. Beal) 43 96 $843 15 MEN AND TEAM LABOli. Labor bills for men Board of men — Feed for team and repairs for harness, etc This labor has been charged to the various accounts at 25 cents per hour for man and team, and (7) seven cents per hour for labor of a single horse. $272 46 143 28 292 30 $708 04 DEPAETMENT REPORTS. Ill The account is as follows : Amount received for labor outside of tlic department. §343 13 Labor charged to department- - 45G 67 Total - «>798 80 Showing a balance of $90.76 in favor of the labor account foi' the year. The men and team labor has been charged to the department as follows : Grounds $110 00 Vegetable Garden - - 64 19 Orchard - - 67 19 Pear orcliard 6 50 Nursery 1 73 Vineyard 10 09 Strawberries 3 74 Kasp berries 5 56 Experimental corn 8 09 Experimental potatoes 20 64 New Garden, permanent improvements 7 59 Compost Heap 146 85 Shop (drawing lumber) - . . 1 25 Team 3 25 $456 67 VEGETABLE GARDEN. The larger part of the garden was planted on poor soil, as much of the surface had been drawn off to fill up low spots on the lawns : for this reason, it ■was heavily manured to leave the land in condition to seed to lawn next spring. One-half only of the value of the manure was therefore charged to vegetables. The account is as follows : Dr. Cr. To labor on crops $235 60 200 loads of compost @ .75 150 00 raspberry plants 8 70 hellebore 1 50 Paris green 5 60 seeds 16 44 seed potatoes 6 00 barrels 24 90 By cash for vegetables sold $225 91 vegetables on hand 200 00 Paris green sold 3 40 barrels on hand 4 00 compost left in ground 75 00 To gain to balance 59 57 $508 31 $508 31 113 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. Having: taken sonic pains to find out what, and liow many vegetables are used in Lansing, I lind the hirger part are sent in from otlier places. I am well satisfied that by having a constant supply of vegetables put up in good shape and delivered fresh in town every day, we may increase our garden to a large extent, furnish profitable labor to the increasing numljer of students, and allord valuable practical instruction in the growing of vegetables. As we shall have a sufficient extent of suitable land for this purpose the coming year, we only need a market wagon for delivering stuff, and a suitable building for storing vegetables, with a cellar to keep ai)plcs, potatoes, squashes, &c., into the winter and spring months, when tliey can be marketed with greater profit. INJURIOUS INSECTS. Insects injurious to plants were numerous as usual, and destroyed all our earliest radishes and cabbages. The small striped cucumber beetle attacked our melons, cucumbers and squashes in swarms, but light sprinklings of air slaked lime on the vines, and gas lime scattered around the hills seemed to keep them o2 so that little damage was done. Our cabbages were infested early in the season with the latest and worst scourge of the garden — the larvre of the cab- bage butterfly. I commenced at once trying all the remedies I could hear of, applications of carbolic acid, ammonia, fine middlings, salt, cayenne pepper, tar water, and several other things, proved almost worthless, but a suds made of whale oil soap and soft water applied as often as the ravages of the larvse began to show, was quite effectual. We also tried planting a patch of cabbage at a distance from where they had been grown before, thinking that possibly they would not be found. At first it seemed a success, but by the latter part of July the butterflies were swarming over tlie patch. An occasional sprinkling of the whale oil soap suds was an effectual remedy, and but few of the cabbage heads show the marks of the larva\ I found tlie best method of api)lication was to place a barrel of water in the field and add two pounds of the soap, it would dissolve and be ready for use after a day or two. The longer it stands the more disagreeable it smells, and its effect on the worms more ra})id. We applied it with a common watering can, with a fine nose, just enougli to wet over the surface of the leaves. It can not be detected eitlier by taste or smell if the suds is not applied for a week or ten days before the cabbages are harvested. From other experiments made at tiie College this year, and from what I have heard of its use at other places, I think this soap will prove to be one of the best insecticides known. AVe shall experi- ment very thorouiihlv with it next season. Our melons, planted on the poorest of soil, yielded abundantly. The method of cultivation was as follows : After the land was plowed and harrowed, two or three shovelsful of old rotten compost were thrown down wliere each iiill was to be, and thoroughly forked in over a surface three or four feet square. Eight or ten seeds were then drop[)cd at the center of the i)lace forked over, and covered with half an inch of fine soil, the ground being left level. A small box without top or bot- tom, eight inches square on tlie bottom, eight inches deep, with the sides flar- ing out so as to be ten inches square on top, was ])laced over the seeds ; dirt Avas then drawn up around tlie box with a hoe and packed down firm, four inches high ; the box was then carefully lifted out and carried to the next hill, and the operation repeated. This leaves a bank of earth around each hill, and DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 113 by laying ou a putio of glass each hill is a niinatnre cold frame. After the j)lants were well started and began to touch the glass, the hills were leveled down, and the plants thinned to three in number. Melons, squashes, and cucumbers may be planted earlier by this method as they will be protected from late frosts, while tlie additional warmtli })roduced will cause them to grow rapidly. It also protects from insects wlien the plants lirst come up. In using glass in this way, the glass must be partly removed on bright, warm, sunny days, after the plants are up, or they will be scorched; they should also be taken off during showers. EXPERIMENTS. During the year we have been carrying on a series of experiments in root pruning, corn, and potatoes. The theory is strongly recommended by Dr. C. L. Sturtevant, of Massachusetts, who reports remarkable results from the practice. We have also experimented on potatoes planted at different depths, on the proportion of eyes that grow on whole and cut potatoes, and on the amount produced per acre from different quantities of seed. As these experi- ments are not complete at this date, they will appear in another part of this report. F. A. GULLEY. DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING! AND MATHEMATICS. To President Abbot : I have the pleasure of submitting the following report of the Department of Engineering and Mathematics, from the first of October, 1877, to the thirtv-first of August, 1878. CIVIL ENGIXEEEIXG. Civil engineering was taught the last term of the school j-ear of 1877 to the senior class of that year. Trautwine's work on civil engineering was used as a text-book on such subjects in our course as Avere treated of. From the text- book instruction was atforded the class on the subjects relating to, 1st, prep- aration of foundations ; 3d, preparation and use of morters, limes and cements ; 3d, strength of materials; 4th, construction of frames; 5th, bridge, truss and roof building. In order to connect the course more intimately witli agriculture, lectures were given the class on the subjects of, 1st, architectural orders and farm architec- ture ; 3d, ^n-inciplcs of machinery, and use and care of farm machinery; 3d, construction and care of common roads. This course, embracing as it does such a variety of subjects, on nearly any one of which a term's work could profitably be spent, is of necessity rudiment- ary and general in its character. ASTRONOMY. Astronomy was tauglit six weeks during the third term of 1877 to the junior class of that year, consisting of 38 members. The class exhibited a great deal 15 114 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. of enthusiasm both in their chiss recitations and in Iheir evening work of observing jihmets and constelhitions. The chiss ])assed coni})letcly tlirough their text book, White's Astronomy, and did mucii to fix tlie names of the constelhitions. Our means of ilkistration in this study are very meager and consist entirely of borrowed apparatus, viz. : a small telescope and a celestial globe. A good telescope, properly mounted, is needed very much. IXDUSTKIAL DRAWING. Drawing was taught the last half of the first term of the school year of 1878 to the junior class, consisting of 25 members. Minifie's Mechanical Drawing was used as a text-book, and each student was required to draw on Whatman's paper ten plates of uniform size, finished in India ink. The course embraced the principles of projection, isometric and perspective drawing, and tiie plates consisted of title page and examples under the heads enumerated above. Con- siderable disadvantage is experienced in the study of drawing from the fact that there is no room in the College fitted with desks so that tlie students can draw under supervision of the teacher. The drawing was done almost entirely in the private rooms of the students, although the class was divided into three sections, one of which drew one liour each day under my supervision. Tlie manner in which the work in drawing was performed was higlily creditable to the class. MECHANICAL PHYSICS. This course is a continuation of the course in mechanics and embraces the principles of hydrostatics, liydraulics, acoustics and optics. It was taught to the junior class the first half of the first term of 1878. Snell's Olmstead's Philosophy was used as a text book. The class passed over the whole course in a satisfactory manner. Instruments for illustration in this study are urgently needed. GEOMETRY AXD ALGEBRA. The course in Geometry extends over two terms, the last term in the Fresh- man year, and the first term in the Sophomore year. That portion belonging to the Freshman year has been pursued by the class, and consisted of all that portion of Olney's Geometry preceding the section on equivalency. The class studying geometry consisted of 93 students ; in order to afford each student a better opportunity, this class was divided into three sections, each of wliich had one recitation per day. Algebra was taught the first and second terms of the Freshman year, that is, the last term in tlie school year of 1877, and the first term in the school year of 1878. Tiic total number of students who pursued Algebra, as shown by my class book during the past year, is 122. The class passed entirely through the first and second parts of Olney's University Algebra, and also the parts relating to differentiation and the solution of higher equations. The course is not suf- ficiently long to embrace the subject of probabilities and several other subjects important to the scientific student. Because a large proportion of our students, when they enter, arc acquainted with the elements of Algebra, it is thought that a short course in algebra soon can ])e required as a qualification for admission. RIIETORICALS. During the first two terms of 1878, I met 'the Freshman class for rhetorical exercises in two divisions each Saturday forenoon. These exercises consisted DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 115 of essays and declamations, and in every case were higlily creditable to tlio class. These exercises increased my work very much as the labor of correcting essays occupied a great many hours each week. LECTURES. I prepared and delivered two lectures before the Farmers' Institutes held at Saginaw and at Climax ; tiie subject of tliat delivered at Saginaw was Farm Drainage, at Climax, Use of Steam in Agriculture. Both of these lectures are printed in full in the Report for 187?. I have also prepared and delivered two lectures before the students, one on the subject of tlie Planet Mars, the other in regard to the Improvement of the Mouth of the Mississippi River. ENGINEERIKG WORK OUTSIDE OF CLASS ROOM. Brick Oven. At the request of Hon. II. G. Wells, President of the State Board of Agri- culture, I took charge of the construction of the brick oven, which was author- ized by the Board at their meeting iu the spring of 1878, and was built in August. The oven is directly south aud adjoins the kitchen iu the College 'boarding hall. Externally it is twelve feet square and seven feet two inches high. It stands on a foundation of concrete a little larger than the oven, and about twelve inches in depth. Directly on the foundation and 2.^ feet high, is a stone wall eighteen inches thick, stone for this wall being obtained from the ruins of the hall burned iu 187(5. On this wall is built a 16-incli brick wall which constitutes the sides and ends of the oven. One and one half feet above the stone work is the floor of the oven. The space enclosed by the walls and below the floor is filled with sand, broken brick, aud other indestructible rubbish obtained from the ruins of the burned hall ; this is thoroughly rammed and supports the floor of the oven. The oven arch was turned on a sand center and is composed of two layers of bricks, "grouted iu," in order to expose as little mortar to the action of the fire as possible. The oven flue is connected with a chimney of the boarding hall, and is regulated by a heavy turning damper, it being impossible to put iu a sliding damper on account of the peculiar shape of the chimney. The interior dimensions of the oven are 9^ feet by 10^ feet, its hight at the center is twen- ty-two inches, and at the springing of the arch six iuches. The arch is held firmly in place by eight iron rods, four of which pass above the crown and four below the floor of the oven. The ends of these rods pass through horizontal l^lank and vertical posts outside of the oven, and are held in place by burrs. The arch and floor being constructed of ordinary brick cannot reasonably be expected to stand more than three or four years, but the oven is so con- structed that they can be replaced with little expense when burned out, by which time it is hoped that a fire-brick arch and floor can be afforded. The total cost of the oven to the College was $74.54. Pipe Dies. In accordance with a resolution of the Board I procured two pipe dies aud one pair of pipe tongs for the steam works in the hall at a cost of $10.34. IIG STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. Zincing the Ceiling of Engine Room in WiUianis Hall. Ill accordance Avitli a resolution of the Board, tlic latliing ^vas removed from the ceiling over the boilers in AVillianis Hall, and zinc put in its place to pro- tect the building from fire. This work was done by the engineer, Mr. George Burdick, assisted by students. Its total cost to the College was $20.44. Steam Pump in Williams Hall. Since lowering the steam pump three feet as described in the Report for 1877, it has done satisfactory work. The total cost of repairs has been $2.00, which was for replaning the valve seats as autiiorized by the Board. Its capacity is about twenty-five barrels per hour, although this to a great extent depends wpou the depth of the river. The pump in its present position is about 23 feet above the bottom of the river, and 21.44 feet above the check valve in the inlet pipe near the river. To raise the water 1.44 feet we have depended uiDon a dam of loose stone. This was not sufficient, however, and during the lowest stages of water no pumping could be done. We are now replacing this dam with a more substantial one as shown in another portion of the report. The steam pump is 804 feet distant horizontally from the river. It lifts water by suction about 21.5 feet (depending on the depth of water in the river), and forces the water to the top of the tank in Williams hall, 01.19 feet farther, making a total lift of 82.7 feet vertically, and 804 horizontally. The bottom * of this tank is 19 feet above the upper floor in Wells hall, and 39.63 feet above the bottom of the wind mill tank at the greenhouse. The capacity of the tank is 37 barrels. Because of the uncertain and limited supply of water at the greenhouse it has been proposed to connect the pipe recently laid from the water tank in Williams hall to AVells hall with tlie greenhouse water pipes. The estimated cost of such connection would be : 397 feet of inch pipe - -.. $39 70' Extra valves and cost of laying 10 30 Total cost $50 00 Wafer Pi2)e Connecting Williams and Wells Hall. The bottom of the water tank in Williams hall is 49.4 feet above the lower water table and 19 feet above the level of the ujiper floor of Wells hall. The steam pump is so connected as to pump directly into the tank in Williams hall, which holds 37 barrels. It was seen that by connecting this tank with Wells hall there would be head suflicient not only to supply the boilers in the base- ment with water, but to raise the water to the various floors in the building, thus providing a cheap and efllcient water supply for AVells hall. The pipe which was laid in 1872 between the Laboratory and the boilers of Williams hall for supplying the Laboratory with steam, being no longer used was taken up, a trench between the two halls was dug and the pipe laid in this position. The old pipe not being quite long enough, 75 feet of new pipe were obtained; also two new valves and several couplings, the cost of which was assumed by the boarding hall. In the valley between the two halls was placed a drip valve, so that the water could be emptied from the pipe if necessary. The total cost to the College of this improvement was $19.25 for students' labor in taking up and relaying pipe. For want of means the supi)ly pipe was not carried above the basement of Wells hall, but a valve was put in the DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 117 pipe where it leaves the ground near the boiler room, and a convenient place for getting water outside of the building was prepared. Should tlie Board think it desirable to supply each tloor in the various sections of Wells hall with water, the cost will be approximately as follows : 330 feet of inch water pipe , . $33 00 Cost of putting in the same 17 00 Total cost - - 850 UO These figures are doubtless high enough to include the cost of all extras which may arise, such as carpenter work, drip pipes, drip basins, faucets, etc Dam across the Bed Cedar River. It was found impossible for the pump to obtain a supply of water, when the river was low, as previously stated. The pump, althougli as low as possible in its present position, is twenty-three feet above the water in the river at its lowest stages, which at some times does not even cover the outlet of the supply- pipe. To remedy this there seemed no practical method except to build a low dam across the river. Several years ago a dam of loose stones w'as constructed about 18 inches high. This dam has been kept in existence by relaying the stones each year, which were invariably rolled out of place at the next flood. This system of annual repairs being so costly, it was thought advisable to form some sort of a permanent dam. After examining the dams in the vicinity, it was decided that a dam constructed of piles, brush, and stone could be built stronger and cheaper than any other style of dam. Finding tliat it would be impossible to hire piles driven for less than $5.00 per pile, an amount that we could not atford, I designed and had a pile driver constructed whose cost was as follows : For casting hammer 3G0 pounds $10 00 For building ways G 08 For making shears 2 00 Total .'. 818 08 Although at the date of this report the work on the dam has not been com- pleted, yet a sufficient number of piles have been driven to allow us to form a correct estimate of the cost of piling. The actual cost of driving has averaged for the piles already driven 81.25 per pile. It is tliought that the dam will be finished during the months of September and October, although should the water of the river rise very much the completion of this work will have to be postponed until the summer of 1879. Surveys. The west line of the farm has been surveyed and short pieces of iron water pipes have been put in the ground at the various corners established. This way of marking corners is not without objection, but iron pipes are certainly jireferable to wooden stakes, and we had no means for purchasing more per- manent monuments. The survey of the east line of the farm north of field No. has been nearly completed and will probably be finished before the third term of school closes. 118 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. Drains liavc been located and surveyed at tlie request of the farm department in fields No. 9 and JS'o. 2. Tiie drains i)rcviously located are shown on the map published in the annual catalogue and in the Report for 1877. It is the intention to survey the whole farm as soon as possible, but the past year so many other duties required my immediate attention that no opportunity presented itself even for commencing tliis work. LATITUDE AND LOXGITCDE. During the year some observations and surveys have been made, with the view of determining the latitude and longitude of College hall. The latitude and longitude of the dome of the Capitol was found by engineers in the U. S. army, witli excellent instruments, in 1875. With the instruments belonging to the College very accurate work is impossible, and the results here given are liable to a probable error of about one second of arc. The result of our survey is as follows : AgriculUiral College. Latitude. Longitude W. of Greenwich. Longitude W. of Washington. 42° 43' 54.23" 84° 29' 00.60" 7° 25' 54.80" Time at the Agricultural College is oh. 37m. 56. 04s. behind Greenwich time, Oh. 29m. 43.66s. behind Washington time, and 17.504s. ahead of Lansing (dome of Capitol) time. The latitude and longitude of tlie various places given below are compiled with a few exceptions from the United States engineer s report for 1875, 1876, and 1877. In each case, unless otherwise specified, the longitude and latitude given is of tlie astronomical post which was set in the town by the U. S. engi- neers. TOWN. Latit udc. Longitude West of Greenwich. Longitude Washin West of ;ton. Detroit. *42° 42° 42° 43° 43° 42° 42° 42° 42° 42° 42° 42° 42° 42° 43° 42° 42° 42° 42° 43° 41° 20' 16' 38' 03' 01' 59' 58' 57' 58' 36' 43' 38' 14' 31' 25' 34' IG' 17' 13' 17' 50' 48" 07.20" 07.61" 13.02" 59.94" 52.53" 49.02" 22.23" 00!24" 53.11" 52.85" 51.02" 43.01" 14.16" 04.12" 21.21" 25.83" 02.41" 29.74" 01" J 83° 03' 83° 43' 83° 17' 83° 18' 83° 41' 84° 33' 85° 03' 85° 40' 84° 07' 83° 55' 84° 33' 85° 17' 84° 24' 85° 51' 85° 48' 84° 50' 84° 57' 85° 35' 85° 53' 85° 04' 87° 36' 03.60" 45.80" 20.85" 54.90" 06.75" 37.35" 49.20" 01.65" 04.56" 44.25" 19.68" 18.25" 31.86" 08.77" 03.78" 01.40" 49.11" 05.60" 04.94" 58.80" 39.70" 5° 59' 6° 40' G° 14' 6° 15' 6° 38' 7° 30' 8° 00' 8° 3G' 7° 03' 6° 52' 7° 30' 8° 14' 7° 21' 8° 48' 8° 44' 7° 46' 7° 54' 8° 31' 8° 49' 8° 01' 10° 33' 57.80" fAnn Arbor Pontiae . Lapeer 40" 15.05" 49.10" Flint 00.95" St. Jolms Ionia Grand Eapids Coniiina 31.55" 43.40" 56.85" 58.76" Howell Lansi ng Hastings 38.45" 13.88" 12.45" Jackson Allejjan 26.00" 02.97" jSewavffo 57.98" Charlotte 55.06" Marshall Kalani azoo 43.31" 59.80" Paw Paw 59.14" Stanton 53" tChicago, Illinois (Observatory) 33.09" •From coast survey report. t From Nautical Aliiiaiiac. X From U. S. Engineer's lieporl. DEPAKTMENT REPORTS. 119 Lansing City. POINT. Astronomical post Dome of Capitol ..- N. E. corner of section IG Intersection of axes of Capitol and Michigan avenues Latit lule 42° 43' 53.11" 42° 43' 5() .06" 42° 44' 21 .87" 42° 43' 55 .79" liOngitudo West of Gi'eenwiclj. 84° 33' 19.G8" 84° 33' 23.17" 84° 32' 37.3G" 84° 33' 1G.9S" LonKiturlo West of Wasliington. 7° 30' 13.88" 7° 30' 17.37" 7° 30' 31.56" 7° 30' 11.18" On the supposition that the longitude of Washington is 77° 03' 05.80" Avest of Greenwich, the hist cohinui in tlic foregoing table was computed. This is the longitude of Washington commonly used in all computations, but the most recent determinations of the coast survey make the longitude of Wash- ington 4.05" less than the value given above. In accordance with these values Lansing time (dome of capital) is 5h. 38ni. 13.54s. behind Greenwich time, Oh. 30m. Ol.lGs. behind Washington time, Gm. 01.07s. behind Detroit time (lake survey observatory), 12m. 13.10s. ahead of Chicago time, and 3m. 18.493. behind Ann Arbor time. ELEVATION OF THE COLLEGE. An arbitrary mark on the iron water table of College Hall, and near the northeast corner, has been taken as a standard bench mark, and is the refer- ence point of all the levels run on tlie College premises. Prof. Kedzie, desiring to test the accuracy of elevation of the College as found from the barometer, learned by correspondence with the railroads that the ele- vation of the D., L. & jST. R. E., at its crossing with Michigan avenue was 260 feet above the level of Detroit Eiver, and the M. C. R. R. at the same crossing (both roads use one track at this point), was 810 feet avove the level of the sea. The raih'oad at this crossing, as found by actual survey, is 9.13 feet below the bench mark previously described. This bench mark then must be 819.13 feet above the level of the sea, and 269.13 feet above the water in Detroit River. This bench mark by actual survey is 2.35 feet below the top of the lower front step of the Capitol. In concluding this report, I wish to call attention to the fact that the success and economy which cliaractcrized the various constructions undertaken by this department, were largely due to the efforts of the Engineer of the Boarding Hall, Mr. Geo. Burdick. For no extra compensation, and no relief from his already arduous duties, except such as could be afforded by student labor, he took the immediate oversight of the construction of tlie dam, laying of the water-pipe between the two halls, zincing tlie boiler room of Williams hall. He also did much mechanical work about the halls that otherwise would have required the services of a costly mechanic. R. C. CARPENTER. State Agricultural College, Mich., ] August 31, 1S78. \ 120 STATE BOAED OF AGRICULTUKE. EEPORT OF THE PROFESSOll OF AGRICULTURE. To the President of the Michigan State Agricultural College : 111 presenting this report, I wish to call attention to the fact that it covers a period of only eleven months, and conseqnently will be less complete in some of its particuhu's, than it wonld otherwise be. It was thonght advisable to make this the time for change in regard to inventorv, inasmuch as hereafter the year is expected to close August 30, so that the fiscal and College year begin and end at the same time. Tliis has seemed to necessitate the changes that have been made and which will be duly noticed in their respective places. The year opened with the Superintendent of Farm and Ilorticultural departments and myself only to do the work, and the Superintendent largely occupied with the Horticultural department, which was without a regular foreman. On October 5, Mr. G. W. White, farm foreman, was again able to take up his work, and has since that time been unremittingly at his post. On November 20 (a change having taken place whereby the office of Superintendent was abolislied, and more responsibility and labor devolved upon me), Mr. Ransom H. McDowell was engaged as assistant foreman, thus making the working force of the department for supervision the same as in former years, although the work of the department has largely increased. During the winter vacation I attended three Farmers' Institutes, to which I Avas assigned, and also the one at Saginaw by the advice of yourself on account of the necessary absence of Secretary R. G. Baird, I attended an independent Institute at Manchester, shortly alter, — a very pleasant gathering of farmers and others. AVith the opening of the spring term in 1878 we had a working force of 100 students to manage and furnish work for; and as it was decided not to clear any more land tliis year, some difficulty was experienced in furnishing and planning work for so large a force during the month of March. The Freshman class was under my instruction in agriculture during the spring term. The number was 10? on the class roll, and having no recitation room capable of holding them, seating room was found first in the armory and afterward in the chapel after it had been reseated and repaired. The interest was well kept up and 9G were present at the final examination of the class. Some understanding of the course may be gatiiered from the following ques- tions, which were used on examination : I. (1) Describe Roman agriculture. (2) "What was the feudal system? (3) Its effects and when abolished in France? II. (I) AVhat gave rise to the beet sugar industry in France?? (2) What countries make most beet sugar? (3) Describe the agriculture of Belgium. III. (1) Describe a Devon. (2) A Holstein. (3) Tell where each is originally found, and for what each is valued. IV. (1) Name two men who did much to improve Short-horns in England. (2) When was tlie first Shorthorn herd Iwok published and who was the editor? (3) Trace the Duchess family from the cow Duchess to the New York Mills sale of 1873, through the hands of the various breeders. DEPAETMENT EEPOllTS. 131 V. (1) Name one improver of Herefords. (2) For \vhat arc tlic Galloways noted? (3) Where were botli breeds found originally? VI. (1) "Where are Clydesdale horses found? •(3) For what valued ? (3) What influence has Aral) blood had on the horses of Great Britain? VII. (1) Classify sheep and mention one pure breed in each class. (2) Classify Merinos and give characteristics of each class. (3) Classify wools and give the basis of such classification. VIII. (1) When was the Eoyal Agricultural Society formed? (2) What is its work? (3) What is the value of its work to Great Britain and to the world? The foregoing will serve as a sample on those topics. On drainage questions like the following were nsed : I. (1) Describe three kinds of drains? (2) How lay out a tile drain? (3) Name three conditions on which the size of tile used will depend? II. (1) Where does the water enter tile drains? (2) How form a junction? (3) How does the capacity of tile vary when the fall is the same? III. (1) Wl) at is a silt basin? (2) How constructed? (3) Name four conditions or circumstances on which cost depends? IV. (1) How does a sewer differ from a tile drain? (2) Should sewers and tile drains be run together? if so, which should be the main and why? (3) What is a trap? how constructed and why used? During the summer term a course of lectures was delivered to the senior class ■on the history and characteristics of breeds of cattle, horses, sheep and swine, followed by principles of stock-breeking, after which the subject of farm econ- omy was taken up ; and methods of experimenting; but time did not permit us to pursue the last two subjects so fully as was intended. The class num- bered 31. During the year I have delivered one public lecture on "Tips and Downs in Short-horn Prices." I have also kept the books of the farm department, and made out the last report of the Superintendent of the Farm, Through the efforts of the President of the State Board — Judge Wells — we have obtained and have on deposit 60 stand of arms and equipments. These are for the use of those students who desire military drill and instruction. I have met with and have had the general oversight of the organized com- pany of cadets, which has had a weekly drill. The armory has been fitted up with gun racks for the reception of the arms, by tlie college mechanic under my supervision, and sliutters have also been placed before all the windows. The company numbers about 55, with an average attendance of 30 at drills. There has long been a felt want of a good, reliable mechanic at the Col- lege — one whose interests should be identified with those of the College — and for such an one almost constant employment could be found. The State Board, having authorized such an engagement, the committee, of which I was a member, secured the services of Mr. A. M. dayman, who has taken the brick shop in charge, with all the tools and appurtenances. He has since that IG 122 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. time (July 1, 1878) managed the shop with a view of doing the work of the College as cheaply as may be, while at the same time he employs as many stu- dents as possible, instructing them in the proper care and use of tools, and other matters pertaining to mechanism. The aim has been to charge for the repairs and work that goes from the shop only enough to balance the shop account, so that the shop may not be the loser. The plan so far has worked better than was anticipated, and I would recom- mend that the present arrangement continue. EXPERIMENTS. Considerable time has been spent on the experiments this year, and as the results and observations are somewhat incomplete, I will make a report upon them in in a supplement to be published hereafter, but in tlie same volume. FARM DEPARTMENT REPORT. The Farm Department would respectfully snbmit the following report, covering a period of eleven months, viz. : from Oct. 1, 1877, to Aug. 31, 1878 : I Avould first call your attention to the reduction of Inventory noticed in the rei)ort of the Secretary. This will explain the poor showing that the farm makes during the period covered by this report. For notwithstanding the reduction in amount of money value we have more stock upon tlie farm and more bushels of grain, &c., tlian when the Inventory was taken last year. The tools and lumber in the shop have been transferred by Inventory to the Mechanical Department, to the amount of §93.28. The crops in the fields have been placed upon the Inventory at about their cost at the time of invoice. Heretofore, on September 30, the yield was estimated, which was not a very satisfactory way of getting at the amounts^ and the record of the crop the ensuing year gave the true result. A large amount of work has been expended on permanent improvements, such as drains, ditches, logging, stumping, and picking stone. Considerable new fence has been constructed during the year. These improvements are beginning to show, especially on fields No. 12, 13, 14, and 15. During the autumn term of 1877 the entire Freshman class was assigned to the farm for labor. This was done in order to give a smaller force to the Horticultural Department, soon to be in charge of Mr. \Y. C. Latta, a senior, working under the direction of Su])erintendent A. B. Gulley. This gave a working force of 03 students for the farm ; the working forces of the two departments being quite largely out of p.ioportion. STUDENT LABOR. Tho student labor upon the farm has been 31283 hours, for which has been paid 83100.08. Of this labor 859S| hours was outside the department. The account is : 8, 598f hours outside department, @ 10c 8859 88 22,G90i " iu " @ 09.8750 + c 2,240 80 31,289 Total ?3,]U0 08. DEPAIITMENT REPORTS. 123 Tliis arnonnt of labor, because carried out in liours, at first thou'^ht, seems large; but, at 10 liours per day, gives 2,2G9 days' work in the department, or 87 mouths and 5 days. This would be equivalent to employing 7 men for 1 year with 3 months and 5 days extra time. When we take into account the large amount of work performed on permanent improvements, beside the reg- iilar labor of caring for the crops, tlic amount of labor docs not seem so large. The student labor^ as above, has been distributed as follows: EieldNo. 1 .-- 128 10 No. 2 - - - - --- 40 27 No. 8--- --. 48 94 No. 4 -- 74 30 No. 5--- - - - 109 08 No. G - - 187 55 No. 7 - ---- - 50 4G No. 8 -- - --- 339 32 No. 9 - -. -- 7G 24 No. 10 --- 8G IG No. 11 ---- - 122 7(> No. 12 - - 32 09 No. 13-. -. 51 31 No. 14-. ...: 61 62 No. 15 70 86 No. 16 118 10 Cattle Barn account - - 95 50 Horse " " 59 26 Sheep " " 33 94 Piggery account 72 48 Sliop " --.- 108 41 Stock " . - - 219 04 Granary " - 19 36 Office '' - .- 14 64 Grade wheat - - . - - G 86 Farm Department account 114 09 Total. - - - §2,240 80 MEN AND TEAM LABOR. The cost of men and team labor for the year is as follows : Labor bills of men - - $1,145 15 Board of men 483 63 Cost of mens' labor — S1,G28 78 Cost of team labor (see horse barn account) 915 71 Total cost men and team labor 82, 544 49 The labor has been charged to the various accounts at the uniform rate of J. 50 per day for man and team, or 25 cents per hour; or 12| cents per hour 124 STATE BOAED OF AGRICULTURE. for each alone. Tliis account shows a slight gain, which is represented as follows : Cash for labor outside department §G40 86 Amount charged to department accounts. - 1,924 77 Total credit to men and team labor $2,5G5 G3 Less cost - - - - - 2, 544 49 Balance - 121 14 The small sum shows that the labor was charged very nearly at cost, the actual cost being S2.47.9+ per day. The men and team labor has been distributed as follows : Field Xo. 1 $17 40 No. 2 -- - - 11 62 No. 3 33 88 No. 4 - - 29 19 No. 5 - - 88 03 No. 6 - - 236 58 No. 7 ■ 66 63 No. 8.- 190 60 No. 9.. - 61 38 No. 10 - - 57 37 No. 11.-.- -.- -.- 88 09 No. 12-- 6 25 No. 13... - 13 00 No. M - - --- 71 50 No. 15.--- 21 50 No. 16 - 63 Cattle-barn account - 257 07 Horse-barn " 37 50 8heep-barn " 16 18 Piggery account .- 48 32 Shop '' 9 19 Stock " 463 25 Granary " 1 00 Grade wheat .- 4 44 Farm department, Sec. 1 94 17 Total - $1, 924 77 As considerable work has been done as permanent improvement, I present au account showing the amount and where such work has been performed. The drains and swamp work, including open ditches, will be given separately from other permanent im[)rovenients in iields in the following table. The account for permanent improvements is as follows : Field No. ] -.. §1 48 . No. 4 139 58 DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 125 Field No. 5 $6 42 No. G - - - 1 59 No. 7 - -- 72 GG No. 8 - 5 Gl No. 9 4 14 No. 11 - - 32 40 No. 12 43 34 No. 13 - 32 99 No. 14 85 61 No. 15 109 3G Tile drains No. 2, 129 rods . 164 96 Tile drains, Orchard, 143 rods 231 33 Clearing swamp, Nos. 11 and 13 128 50 Tile drains Nos. 9 and 11 23G 05 Farm Department Account — filling muck bed, labor in lanes, on road, etc... 122 81 Labor on experiments during the year 37 31 Total $1,456 14 This labor and material put into permanent improvements, is not shown to the credit of the farm, as when once done it is considered as part of the farm, aud does not appear ou inventory. The farm is inventoried as separate from the department, and has for some time been retained at the same standard of value. The fields will appear in regular order. FIELD NO. 1. The east end has been turned over to the Horticultural Department by con- sent of the State Board and the mutual agreement of the Superintendents of the two departments. The west end, 4.22 acres, has been plowed and planted to corn. The plowing was done in December, ou account of expected pressure of other work in spring. The account of the field is as follows : Dr. Cr. To preparing ground and planting $14 24 cultivation of crop 29 78 seed corn 65 permanent improvement 1 48 By " " - $1 48 inventory of crop at cost up to August 31st, estimating student's labor at 10 cents an hour 46 50 To balance 1 S3 $47 98 847 98 FIELD Xo. 2 was sown to wheat in 1877. The varieties sown were Arnold's Gold Medal and the Asiatic, mentioned in a former report. These came up Avell and looked finely for a few weeks ; but it soon became evident that the wheat was being devoured by the Hessian fly. They worked badly in both varieties (soil sandy loam), but worse in the Asiatic than in the other. 126 STATE BOAED OF AGEICULTUEE. The warm rains and open weather in December, 1877, encouraged us somewhat in regard to results; but in spring all hopes of the crop were dispelled by the appearance in unlimited numbers of the second brood, or more properly the spring brood. These attacked what remained from their fall work, and nearly ruined it. Four or five tile drains were put down across the east side of the field, making 129 rods of drain. The Held was seeded to grass (timothy and clover) in the spring, and will remain as meadow except the small part at the east side, which is used by the Horticultural Department for berries and other small fruits. The low or marsh ground was mown, the hay being of poor quality and hardly paying for the labor in cutting. The account of the field is as follows : Dr. Or. To wheat (Inventory 1877) sown $135 00 labor on hay 8 83 labor on experimental grain _ 20 29 114 lbs. clover seed® $4. 50.-- -- 8 55 43 ibs. timothy seed® $1.70 1 58 plaster "- 2 88 labor on seeding and plaster 7 13 labor harvesting and threshing IG 51 threshing bill, 119 bushels @ 4c - 4 7G By hay from marsh, 5400 @ $4.00, 1000 @ $5.00 -- $13 30 119 bushels wheat - -- 119 00 8 tons straw @ $3.50 .- 20 00 labor expended on experiments - 20 29 balance - - - - 23 93 $195 51 $195 51 The cost of the wheat was $140.27, or over $1.00 per bushel, on account of poor yield. The area sown was about 13^ acres ; but the reaper was run over only 8 J- acres in harvesting. The cost of seeding was $20.13, including the plaster, which was sown for the benefit of the grass. The field will bo mown next year. FIELD No. 3 was meadow. The excess of timothy sown, together with the dry weather during harvest, 18'* 7 (mentioned in last report), clioked or dried up the clover, so that the grass this year was very largely timothy. The field was mown, commencing on July 1st. The hay secured was of fine quality and in excellent condition. The account of the field is as follows: Du. Ch. To labor in hay and in sowing plaster $74 97 moving old stack bottom 7 85 1,776 pounds plaster, @ $4.50 - - - 4 00 By 96,965 pounds hay, @ $8.00 --- $387 86 To balance . - 301 04 $387 86 $387 86 DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 127 The yield was nearly 4,100 pounds per acre, and cost, delivered in the barns, $3.70 per acre or -$1.80 per ton, nearly. FIELD No. 4 was to be divided into small lots for the better accommodation of a few animals near tbe barns. It was divided so as to give six small lots, varying from 1 to 4 acres in size. A lane, two rods in width, divides the field and extends to the river. One of the small fields was sown to corn for soiling feed. The cost of the crop has been charged to the cattle barn where the forage has been consumed. The account of the field is as follows : Dr. Ck. To cost of soiling corn, seed, and labor $23 71 500 pounds plaster and sowing 2 13 labor, stumping 12 26 labor on fence - 50 85 oats - - - 25 lumber, @ $13 - 47 41 75 pounds nails, @ 3 cents . . 2 25 214 posts, @ 12^^ - 26 75 By oats - --. $1 05 permanent improvement 12 2G fence, at cost - 127 32 soiling, at cost to cattle barn - 23 71 by loss to balance - - 1 27 IV $165 61 $165 61 The new fence was 102 rods in length, but in the cost of fence are included several extra items. One of them is the moving of 20 rods of portable fence; another is the taking down of nearly 30 rods of old board fence, straightening up the posts, and with now and then a new board, rebuilding it. The cost of the new fence did not exceed 1)5 cents per rod. The item of oats in the account is for a bushel of New Zealand oats that were sown late in one part of the plat devoted to soiling corn. There was a yield of three bushels credited at $1.05. The oat plat was dug tlirough the center and oats destroyed by the repair of sewer running from boarding hall for a width of at least 10 feet. The variety will be tried next year, with better opportunities and surroundings. The division of No. 4 into small fields as planned has been one of the greatest conveniences of the farm. The lane is extended to the main lane near the barns and new gate put in for convenience in reaching the small fields witlioutjiassing through the yards. FIELD NO. 5 was in pasture the remainder of 1877 and plowed for corn in 1878. In this field was the experimental corn for this year. In the southeast portion of the field, clearing was in progress at the close of the last year. This was carried ou to completion and whatever wood there was, sold to the boarding hall at $2.25 per cord to assist in paying for the clearing. The trees were few and scattering. Began plowing for corn April 23d. The land was harrowed thoroughly twice, 128 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. rolled, and the corn drilled in 4 feet two inches apart with grain drill, sowing two rows at once. Tlie planting was begun on May 15 and finished on the 17th. The corn was cultivated, coniinencing May 28, twice in a row, and then thinned to 14 inches in the drills and hoed at the same time. It was cultivated affain in June and a third time in July, beginning on the 11th, some parts being hoed the second time more perhaps to keep down the grass than to benefit the corn. The crop has been inventoried at nearly its cost August 31, 1878. The account with the field is as follows : Dr. Cr. To wood, 4^- cords (Inv.), @ S2.00 $9 00 labor clearing 19 48 By 8i cords Avood, @ 82.25 $18 56 If " " (Inv. '78), @$2.00 3 50 balance . - 6 42 828 48 128 48 The account with the corn crop is as follows : Dr. Cr. To preparing for and planting - $58 31 labor on experimental corn 17 02 manure 21 00 labor on manure 13 97 seed corn 5 52 cultivation of crop 107 IG By inventory of crop $244 18 To balance 21 20 $244 18 $244 18 The crop is growing finely and promises well at this date. FIELD No. e. The year opened with a crop of roots growing upon the south part of the field. An oat croj) had been harvested from the north part, a portion of which was estimated in the account of 1877, as only a part of the crop had been threshed. The account with these crops is as follows: Dr. Cr. To roots as per Inv. 1877 $580 00 labor harvesting 207 35 By 11, GOO bu. roots, @ 7c $812 00 To balance 24 G5 $812 00 $812 00 Tiie account shows that taking the crop at the inventory the roots cost less than 7 cents per bushel in the pits, after paying for all the manure, labor on manure, and iicrmanent improvement upon the lield. Tlic account witli the oats is this: DEPARTMENT liEPOKTS. 129 Oat Crop of '77. Dr. Cr. To oats as per inventory "T? $138 50 threshing - G 10 By 431 bush, oats, @ 30c. S130 20 10 tons straw, @ 13.00 30 00 To buhmce 15 GO SIGO 20 *1G0 20 The crop in 1878 upon this field has been oats and barley, and the land has been prepared for the wheat crop tliat follows it. The account is as follows: Dr. Cr. To preparing ground for barley S9 77 seed barley 9 11 harvesting barley 13 99 liarvesting and threshing 6 50 threshing 197 bush., @ 4c 7 88 By 197 bush, barley, @ 50c $98 50 5 tons straw, @ $2.00 10 00 To balance 61 25 $108 50 $108 50 The south part of the field, 5 acres, was in barley. The yield, nearly 40 bushels per acre. The cost in the granary was nearly 24 cents per bushel. The barley was drilled in at the rate of 2^ bushels per acre. Oat Crop, 1878. Dr. Cr. To preparing ground for and sowing $44 96 seed... - - -. 29 92 harvesting... 49 34 By oats, 800 bu., at 20c, estimated, as per inventory, '78... $176 00 straw, as per inventory, '78 110 00 Tobalance - 161 78 $286 00 $286 00 The oats sown were of White Schoonen variety, and were drilled in east and west at the rate of 2^ bushels per acre. Tiie crop is unthrashed, as yet, and was raised on the north side of the field, 23 acres. There was $1.59 of permanent improvement put upon the field during the year. After the oat crop was taken off the barley and oat stubble was immediately plowed for wheat. The land has been harrowed once, in which condition it now remains. It may be of interest to remark here that many larvtt of the Hessian fly were found in the barley and some, even, in the oats ; thus showing that they are not wholly partial to wheat, but may attack other kinds of grain. The cost of tlie wheat ground as prepared is — 17 130 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. To manure - - S78 50 labor on manure 42 63 labor, preparing ground 48 75 Carried to ' 79 account - $169 88 FIELD NO. 7. This field has been used for pasture for most of the year. Much of the brush has been burned, some timothy seed has been sown, and some wood has been cut. The account of the field is as follows : Dr. Cr. To wood, as per inventory, '77 $211 00 rails - 2 70 labor, on wood cut, etc 117 09 to timothy seed 1 00 By 4:2k cords 4-ft. wood, @ $2.25 ) ..„. .„ 46i " 18-in. " @$1.20.-- [ 5>i04 4d 14 cords wood (Inv.), @ $1.50 2100 5 " " " @ $1.00 5 00 100 fence stakes (Inv.), @ 3c 3 00 3U cords wood (Inv.), @ $2.00 63 00 rails to farm department 2 70 balance (permanent improvement) 72 66 $331 79 $331 79 A large part of the labor in this field has been in clearing and burning, iso as to fit the field as rapidly as possible for cultivation. FIELD NO. 8 was in corn when the last report was closed, the corn standing in the shock, unhusked. The corn was harvested, and the stalks secured in good order. The account with this crop was as follows : Dr. Cr. To corn as per inventory '77 8280 00 stalks as per Inventory ' 77 40 00 harvesting crop 115 38 labor on experimental corn 3 36 By corn $448 05 20 tons stalks @ $2.00 40 00 To balance 49 31 $488 05 $488 05 The estimate of corn was too low, as the field yielded 1G2G bushels of ears, or at the rate of 81j bnshels per acre. The corn cost in the crib, 24 cents per bushel, nearly. The potato croji of 1877, three acres, was rather poor; the account is as follows : DEPARTMENT REPOETS. 131 Dr. Cr. To potatoes, as per Inventory '7? SGG 00 labor in harvesting 25 23 By potatoes sold $77 84 balance.-- - 13 38 $91 22 $91 22 The yield was 227-J- bushels, of which the large ones were sold at 30 to 40 cents per bnshel, and the smaller ones at 15 cents. The yield was estimated in the Inventory at 220 bushels. The Cornpton's Surprise did so poorly that they will be abandoned next year. riELD NO. 9 was being cut for clover seed at the close of the last report ; the crop was esti- mated to bo worth $75.00. The crop was secured in good order; has been threshed and yielded 32^ bushels or 1.27 bushels per acre. The field was to be in pasture, but the large amount of pasturage on some other fields led me to change the plan slightly and cut an early crop of rowen hay. The grass was cut commencing June 17, when the timothy was with the head in the sheath and the clover only sliowing an occasional blossom. The crop was secured in fine order, a little rain falling on four or five tons, but not enough to damage it. The yield was 4,100 ibs. per acre or over two tons. The account of the field is as follows : Dr. Cr. To clover seed as 2)er inventory - - - - $75 00 \ labor in clover seed. - 47 85 ^ labor in hay - 82 40 labor on fence --- 1 18 sowing plaster — 3 9:' o 1,200 lbs. plaster® $4. 50 -- 2 70 labor on drains -- - 2 96 threshing clover seed, 324- bush. @ $1.00 32 50 By 32.V bush, clover seed @ $4.50 $146 25 97,311 lbs. of hay @ $8.00 -- - 387 24 permanent improvement 4 14 To balance 289 81 $537 63 $537 63 The hay cost about $1.83 per ton delivered in the barn, for labor and plaster sown. The clover seed cost $2.95 per bushel delivered in the granary. This field is now in pasture. FIELD NO. 10. This field was already sown to Clawson wheat, the wheat being inventoried at $220.00 on the ground, or at $10.00 per acre. The Hessian fly did very lit- tle damage in this field, and the -wheat was a very good crop both as regards quantity and quality. That sown on the drained muck bed did not succeed very well, but the ground was seeded and had become so dry that the reaper 132 STATE BOARD OF AGEICULTURE. was run over the entire swamp, where horses were mired last year. The field has been measured and gives an area of 20.15 acres on which wheat grew, and the yield was 35.99 bushels per acre. The account with tiie field is as follows : Dk. <.^. To oat croj) * 77, as per Inventory ^314 00 threshing the same 34 83 threshing bill 20 32 By lOlG bushels oats @ 30c.. $304 80 20 tons straw @ 83.00 GO 00 To wheat as per Inventory 220 00 labor seeding 7 16 185 lbs. clover seed @ 84.50 13 88 173 fts. timothy seed @ 81.56 + 42 cents freight G 42 threshing 724 bushels Avheat @ 4c .' 28 9G labor, harvesting and threshing 101 55 wood for engine (two cords) 3 00 By 724 bushels wheat @ 81.00 724 00 48 tons of straw® 81.50 72 00' To balance 410 69 81160 80 811G0 80 The balance on oat crop shows a loss of 84.34 from estimate of the previous, year. The wheat crop shows a gain of 8414.63. The wheat cost, in the granary, a little less than 43 cents per bushel, including the cost of seeding the field to timothy and clover. "Without that the cost was 39 cents per bushel. The catch of grass was very fine, and promises well for ne.\t year. In this field were sown the experimental grasses. The results will be noted in the supplement. FIELD NO. 11 was in corn at the time of making last year's report. This crop was secured^ and in the spring tlie ground was plowed for oats; the crop sown and the land seeded to clover and timothy. The swamp has been cleared, and a large- amount of work done there by way of permanent improvement. The account is as follows : corn crop 1877. Dk. Cr. To 1,100 bushels corn (estimated) and inventoried @ 20 c. 8220 00 20 tons stalks @ 82.00 .-. 40 00 labor in harvesting, etc 90 98 By 1,075 bushels corn 8280 35 20 tons stalks (nj 82.00 40 OQ balance - 30 63 8350 98 8350 98 The corn was charged to the cattle barn at the uniform jirice of 30 cents per bushel of ears, and the poor corn to tlie piggery at the price of 15 cents per bushel of ears. The corn cost in the crib 23 4- cents per bushel. DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 133 OAT CROP 1878. Dr. Cr. To liibor on ijennanent improvement §32 40 labor preparing ground for crop and sowing 43 07 seed oats 21 26 labor seeding to grass 4 21 grass seed, 5^ bu., 3-5 timothy and 2-5 clover. @$4.35. 23 94 plaster, 1,000 lbs, @ $4.50 2 50 harvesting oats 32 47 By permanent improvement 700 bushels oats (estimated) @ 20c 40 tons straw @ $2.50 To balance 113 FIELD NO. 12 was in pasture during the entire year. The labor in this field was expended in logging, picking and burning. The fence on the west side of the field has been relaid on new blocks, staked and wired. The account with the field is as fol- lows : Dr. Cr. To labor $38 34 121 lbs fence wire @ 8c. 1 00 100 fence stakes @ 3c--- -. - 3 00 50 fence blocks @ 2c - 1 00 By permanent improvement $43 34 $32 40 140 00 100 00 . 113 55 $272 40 $272 40 $43 34 $43 34 FIELD NO. 13 was also in pasture during the year. The large swamp of 10 acres was cleared during the winter and a ditch dug on the south and east sides. This will drain the swamp sufficiently until tile drainage can profitably be employed to do the remainder. The hard land has had quite an amount of labor expended in log- ging and burning, but there remains much more yet to be done. The account with the field is as follows : Dr. Cr. To 14 cords wood inventoried in 1877, @ $2.00. . - $28 00 labor - - 51 56 By 21i cords wood, @ $2.25 - ..- $48 94 2 cords wood, inventoried 1878, @ $2.00. - - 4 00 121 rails, inventoried 1878, @ $3.00 -. 3 G3 To 25 lbs. fence wire, @ 8c 2 00 200 fence strikes, @ 3c 6 00 100 " blocks, @2c 2 00 By permanent improvement to balance 32 99 $89 56 $89 56 134 STATE BOAED OF AGRICULTUKE. The above docs not include the cost of ditching or clearing, which was let by the job; the reason for this being that many of the students had already been severely poisoned by working there. The fence on the east line of the field was relaid, staked, and wired. The distance was about 45 rods. A gate was also put in at the northwest corner of the field, opening into the lane. FIELD XO. 14 was broken up and i)lanted to corn this year for the first time. There was con- siderable labor expended in fitting the ground for the crop on account of the rough condition of the field. The west part was not touched : the east part had been partly logged. The corn is growing well and looks medium consid- ering the unpromising condition of things to begin with. The account with the field for the year is as follows : Dr. Cr. To clearing, logging, etc - 835 G6 picking up - 1 80 labor on fence - 22 40 4G0 fence stakes @ 3c.. 13 80 230 fence blocks @ 2 c 4 60 57|- lbs. fence wire @ 8 c 4 GO keg 12d for K. 11. fence 2 75 preparing for and planting crop.. 39 84 cultivation . . 33 42 seed corn 1 68 By 8 acres of corn inventoried Aug. 31, 1878, nearly at cost of labor expended on field $135 58 balance 24 97 81G0 55 $160 55 The fence on the south and west sides of tlie field was relaid, put upon the line, staked and wired. The distance was about 115 rods. The keg of nails was used in putting one nail in each post at each board, as the fence was not considered very strong along the railroad, and our stock were liable to get upon the track. The fence is now coiisidered secure. A part of this amount (82,75) might strictly be charged to fields No. 12, 13 and 15, as the railroad borders on each of these fields, and a part of the nails were used there. FIELD XO. :.") was in permanent pasture during the entire year. There was considerable la- bor expended in relaying fence on the east and south sides of the field. The fence was staked, wired, and laid on new blocks. The length of fence built was about 137 rods, iSonie clearing had to be done in order to get the fence on the line on the south side of the field. The remainder of the labor has been expended in logging and burning. Tlic account of the field is as follows: DEPARTMENT EEPORTS. 135 Dr. Cr. To labor. -- $92 30 55 lbs. fence wire @ 8c 4 40 220 fence blocks, @ 2c 4 40 440 fence stakes, @ 3c 13 20 By 2| cords wood, inventoried @ 12.00 §;5 00 balance (permanent improvement) 109 30 $114 30 #114 30 FIELD NO. 16 includes a small amount of labor in No. 17 in cutting wood, and also some labor in picking and burning in the lane leading to the D., L. and N. R. R. The account is as follows : Dr. Cr. To labor 1118 73 By 175 fence stakes, inv. @ 3c -. $5 35 80 " " @2c..- 100 44 fence rails, @ 3c 1 32 24| cords wood, inventoried @ $2.00 ^ 49 50 1,200 fence stakes, charged to accounts of fields Nos. 12, 13, 14 and 15, @ 3c 30 00 GOO fence blocks, charged as above, @ 2c 12 00 214 fence posts, charged to field No. 4 account, @ 12^c 20 75 To balance "... 13 09 $132 42 $132 42 FIELD NO. 17 remains the same as last year. The river field east of field No. 7, remains untouched, as also does the land south of the D., L. and N. R. R. The remaining accounts will be taken up in their regular order. CATTLE BAllN ACCOUNT. The corn crop lias been charged directly from the field to the cattle barn; also tlie corn-stalks and straw. Afterward, what has been taken from the barn has been credited to the account. The balance, $1,789.01, has been car- ried forward and charged to the stock account. HOKSE BAKN ACCOUNT. This account shows the expense of keeping the teams of the farm in working order, including all repairs to harness, wagons, &c. Dr. Cr. To Inventory of teams and team equipments, Oct. 1, 1877-.$1849 70 hay on hand 319 30 grain charged during the year 208 99 labor cutting feed, care of barns, colts, &c 90 70 hay charged from crop of 1878 393 13 casii disbursements on account of teams 130 58 80 lbs. plaster for disinfecting purposes @ |c 20 13G STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. Dr, Cr. By Inventory of teams and team equipments, Aug. oi, 1878 $1652 50 hay on hand, as per inventory same date - 393 13 hay sold from barn during year 29 46 ground feed sold - - 7 23 cash receipts (horse, etc.) 60 63 amount carried to account of men and team labor 915 71 $3,058 66 $3,058 66 SHEEP BARN ACCOUXT. This is the account for feed, including grain. The manure has been credited at 50 cents per load, and charged to the field where it was drawn. The accouut shows a loss from two causes ; the first, that the large amount of hay on hand was very damp and of overweight when drawn in 1877, and mucii of it molded and was very poor feed, thus requiring more of other feed ; the second cause was the general reduction of inventory from last year. The accouut is as follows : ' Dk. Cr. To sheep, as per inventory Oct. 1, 1877. §910 00 hay, as per inventory Oct. 1, 1877 438 30 manure, as per inventory Oct. 1, 1877 5 00 rye straw for binding corn 20 00 labor - 50 12 grain fed - 52 72 hay, crop of 1878 239 88 cash disbursements on account of 76 92 By sheep, as i)er inventory Aug. 31, 1878 $816 00 hay on hand, as per inventory Aug. 31, 1878 285 88 corn sold 60 rye straw 20 00 manure sold 35 00 cash receipts from wool, etc 362 15 balance - 273 31 $1,792 94 $1,792 94 The flocks did not shear quite as heavily on an average as they did last year. The Merino ram Armada sheared 19 lbs. 5^ oz. Tiic imported Soutlulown ram Baronet sheared 8 lbs. 2 oz. The Cotswold 2 years old sheared 8 lbs. 15 oz. The Highland ram Ilocky sheared 5 lbs. 13 '> oz. The averages were as follows : 13 pure Merinos average 8 lbs. 13 19-26 oz. 37 grade " " 8 lbs. 14 27-37 oz. 50 Merinos average 8 lbs. 2 3-5 oz. 25 pure Southdowns average 4 lbs. 7 oz. 12 grade Southdowns average 4 lbs. 6 5-6 oz. 37 kiouthdowns average nearly 4 lbs. 7 oz. 2 pure Cotswolds average 9 lbs. 3 oz. 23 grade " " 7 lbs. 8 oz. 52 Uotswolds averaged 7 lbs. 10 4-25 oz. DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 137 The average of 113 fleeces was G lbs. 13 oz. The wethers had nearly all been sold from the flock tlie fall previous, which accounts in part for the falling ofl'. The brooding ewes have reared 47 lambs the present season. The flock at present numbers 134. THE PIGGERY ACCOUNT. The hog and pork interest during the last year has been in a very depressed condition, and the consequence h^s been that fewer sales of hogs have taken place for breeding purposes, and when pork has been sold it has been at a loss. Added to this the inventory has been cut down nearly one-half. The swine record shows 78 animals on the inventory against 34 last year. The account is as follows : Du. Cr. To swine as per inventory Oct. 1, 1877 $G82 00 labor in care — 121 79 feed consumed — corn, roots, small potatoes, screenings, etc - 134 07 cash disbursements on account of, — mostly mill feed.. 103 90 straw for bedding - 1 00 5 cords 18 inch wood @ 11.50 7 50 %corn sold... - --- ^00 45 manure charged to fields 11 00 cash receipts - 334 31 swine as per inventory Aug. 31, 1878 - - G97 00 balance - - 107 GO 11,050 3G $1,050 3G SHOP ACCOUNT. This account is for the care of tools and their ordinary repairs, grinding, etc. •On Julv 1, 1878, the brick carpenter shop was turned over to Mr. A. M. Clay- man, the College mechanic, who was em])loyed by a committee. The tools and other appurtenances to the amount of $93.28 were assumed by the shop as a part of its inventory. The labor in the shop is generally spent on repairs. Six farm gates were made during the year, and three of them placed on the farm. The account is as follows : Dk Cr. To labor - $117 57 hardware - 34 IG paints - — - 4 GG By G gates @ $3.00 -- - --- $18 00 lumber sold G 41 hardware - - 3 85 balance - 119 13 \UQ 39 $14G 39 Three and one-half hours of time each day are given to giving out, recording, .and checking off the hand implements used by the students, or in their repairs 138 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. or miscellaneous jobs. This for the working days gives about 6C0 hours includ- ing the time sjicnt in distribution of bills at tlie end of eacli month, or §GG.0O. Hereafter tlie time of tiie boy caring for tools will be charged to farm depart- ment general account. STOCK ACCOUNT. This account is more properly the account of the cattle upon the farm. The cattle comprised at the time of inventory, Aug. 31, 1878, the following breeds, viz. : 8horfhorns, 2G ; at the head of which herd stands Kufus 18375 ; also the young bull Gen. Custer 2'JG18, lately from the herd of Avery & Murphy of Port Huron. Devons, S; at the head of which herd stands Batavia 159. Ayrshires, 13 ; at the head of whicli herd stands Horace 1G30. Jerseys, 2 ; the bull Saginaw 2044 and cow Irene 2d. Galloways, 7 ; at the head of which herd stands Johnny Scott. Hereford s, 1 ; Cora 3d. Grades and cross-bred animals, 4 ; making a total of Gl animals, representing G distinct breeds, besides the grades and cross-bred animals. I hope to be able to add a pair of pure-bred Holsteins to our herd at no distant day, as they rep- resent one of the dairy breeds and bid fair to become quite an acquisition to our State. The herd is in line condition, every cow but one having bred during the year. Milk has been sold to the boarding hall at 1^ cts. a pound. The sales of breeding stock from the various breeds have not quite equaled those of the year previous. The summary of the account is as follows : Dr. Cr. To cattle as per inventory Oct. 1, 1877. . - - $8,085 00 labor in care, milking, etc 682 29 amount from C. barn account 1, 789 01 By cattle as per inventory Aug. 31, 1878 5;G,210 00 cash receipts — milk, butter, breeding stock, beef, etc. - 1,515 17 other cash receipts 19 96 balance 2,811 17 $10,556 30 810,556 30 Througli the lessening of the inventory, largely, our stock account shows quite a large loss, but we have jjractically but 11 months represented in receipts and have the full cost of the keep for the year except the labor. The cattle while in pasture are not charged Avith pasturage. GRANARY ACCOUNT. The account shows labor on grain after placed in the grauary and labor in marketing. The amount expended this year has been $19.52. OFPICE ACCOUNT. Tills account shows the expense of the office, in blank books, stationery, stami)s, cards, &c., including fuel. The account for the vear is as follows: DErARTMENT REPORTS. 13 "5 Dr. Cr. To amount on hand, as per inventory Oct. 1, 1878. $2 75 labor, &c - - - 14 94 cash disbursements.. 53 98 By amount stationery, coal, etc., on hand, as per inventory Aug. 31, 1878 - -- $39 07 balance - 31 GO $70 67 $70 G7 GRADE WHEAT. This account shows the result of the wheat sown on the lawn or field north and west of tlie President's house. Most of the labor in preparation of ground was charged to improvement of grounds, as the ground had to be plowed and worked to smooth it down even though no crop were raised. The wheat was inventoried at $8.00 per acre. The area that was harvested was 3.7 acres, and was injured quite severely by Hessian fly. The Tread well variety was sown on all but a small corner by the pear orchard. The account with the field is as follows : Dr. Cr.. To wheat, as per inventory 1877 $30 00 450 ft)S. plaster and sowing 1 01 labor in harvesting and threshing. 11 30 ■^ cord wood for threshing-- 75 threshing bill 2 16 By 54 bushels wheat @ $1.00 $54 OO* Tobalance 8 78 $54 00 $54 00 The ground was seeded to clover and timothy to remain as permanent lawn in grass. The cost was charged to No. 2 account, as this is in the same enclosure. FARM DEPARTMENT ACCOUNT. This account is for sundry matters not strictly chargeable to any other account. The summary of the account is as follows : Dr. Cr. To labor on temporary cribs $17 GO cost of exhibit at Central Fair in 1877 9 93 labor in lane on road, filling holes, &c 35 16 repairs of barns 26 26 filling hole in muck bed in rear of barns. 39 4G miscellaneous items, teaming, etc 77 08 By balance $205 49' $205 49 $205 49 This closes the record of field and other accounts for the year. The year on the whole, has been quite a prosperous one. There has been considerable work done in permanent improvement which has mostly been noticed under 140 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. the record of the different fields. Some surveying has been done in various phices that Avill probably be noticed in Prof. Carpenters report. The drains in the orchard have been completed, and also those in No. 2. Some drainage has also been begun in field No. 9. On carefully looking over the timber directly south of No. 14, I recommend that 25 acres be cleared in No. 16 in the spring of 1879, and that No. 15 be got in crop if possible, in the same year. The plan of arrangement of crops for 1879 is as follows: No. 2, Meadow. No. 3, Pasture. No. 4, Pasture and soiling. No. 5, Roots. No. 6, Wheat seeded with grass. No. 7, Wood pasture. No. 8. Oats. No. 9, Corn. No. 10, Meadow. No. 11, Pasture. Nos. 12 and 13, Pasture. No. 14, Barley, followed by Wheat. No. 15, Corn, if broken up. No. 16, to be cleared. No. 17, Some ditching to be done. The rotation has brought field No. 9 to the point of starting, aud hereafter I propose to give the result from each field as it closes the 6 years' rotation. The record of No. 9 is as follows : 1873. Corn, gain.. $352 88 1874. Koots, charged to stock at cost. 1875. Oats, gain 223 88 1876. AVheat, gain 122 06 1877. Meadow, gain 475 61 1878. Pasture (one crop mown), gain 289 81 Total gain in six years over expenditures in labor and manure. $1,464 24 This gives an average of $244.04 profit for each year on an area of 23| acres. It M'ill be noticed that the least profit was received in the year in which the field was in wheat. Before closing this report I Avish to call attention to that portion of the report of the Secretary relating to the farm. To give the true result of the years' work on the farm, credit should be given for $1,456.14. This sum, with the cutting down of tbe inventory $1,976.82, gives a sum of $3,482.96, thus leav- ing $875.45 apparently unaccounted for. This, however, is more than made up by the dilTerence in the manner of inventorying the crops of corn, potatoes and roots, being in all 54 acres of growing crops. These have been inventoried at cost to Aug. 31, 1878, and have not been estimated at their probable value on harvesting as heretofore. In closing let me express my approbation of the patient and thorough assis- tance I have received at the hands of the foreman, Mr. G. W. AVhite, and the •assistant foreman, Mr. K. II. McDowell. Tn fact all connected witli tlie DEPARTMENT REPOKTS. 141 department have done "well. The plan of having senior students take charge of some particular piece of work lias been continued and has worked well. It is hoped in closing this report that the next one will be for a full year, as it will thus be more satisfactory to those who consult it as well as to tlie head of the department. This report only gives results under my own management, from November 20, 1877. llespectfully submitted, C. L. INGERSOLL, Professor of Agriculture. State Agricultural College, Lansing, 3Iich., August 31, 18 IE, » 78, [ DONATIONS TO THE COLLEGE DUKING THE YEAR ENDING AUGUST 31, 1878. Eeported by Pees. Abbot : Fifty copies of Judcre W. V. Way's "Facts and Historical Events of the Toledo War of 1835." By Gen. J. W. Brown. Eeported by E. C. Carpenter : One Sibley's Level. By A. J. Bicknell, of New \''ork. DONATIONS TO THE FARM DEPARTMENT. From Hon. E. E. Trowbridge : ^ bushel fowl meadow seed. From Mr. Lowrie, Fowlerville, Mich. : One bushel New Zealand oats. From Karl E. Eudd, of Cassopolis : One gate and one wagon-jack. From L. F. Ingersoll, Oakland county : Samples of wheat, as follows : Deihl, Lincoln, Clawson, White Eose, and Treadwell. From B. Hulick, Sliiawasscc county : Samples of Gold Medal wheat and clover seed. From i\Ir. G. E. Breck, Van Buren county: Samples of two varieties of dent corn. From Dr. Kedzie : Sample of Powers' wheat. From A. J. Armstrong, Kalamazoo county: Sample of Armstrong wheat and several hybrid varieties. From Jarvis & Hooper, Detroit, Mich. 200 ibs. homestead superphosphate. 200 lbs. potato grower superphosphate. DONATIONS TO HORTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT. From Wm. H. Carson, through Eural New Yorker, 125 Chambers St., N. Y: Package of Beans, Mont D'or or Golden Butter Pole. " " Cuba Asparagus Pole. Corn, Crompton's Early Field. " Hickox's Lnproved Sweet. Cabbage, Newark Early Flat Dutch. Excelsior Flat Dutch. Celery, Crawford's Half Dwarf. DONATIONS TO THE COLLEGE. 143 Carrot, Long- liod Froiicli. " Early Half Long Ciirciitjui. Ohufa or Earth Almond. Cucumber, Peerless White Spine. Onion, Giant Ivocca Indian. '' Marzajola or March. " Maggiajola or May. " Agostcgna or August. Radish, Early White Giant Stuttgart. Tomato, Blount's Champion Cluster. " Acme. " Trophy. Lettuce, Marshall's Head. " California Curled. " American Gathering. " Head Corn Salad. East India Mullet, Antirrhinum, Molucella hevis. Petunia, Candituft, Mentzelia ornata, Liatris spicata, Piosinte reana luxurians, Mignonette. From Industrial University, Champaign, Illinois : One Ear Husk Corn. From Dr. H. B. Peterson, Owosso, Michigan : Scions of Mandrake Apple. From Hon. H. G. AVells, Kalamazoo : One pkg. Striped Carolina Watermelon. From C. Engle, Paw Paw, Mich. : Quantity Seeds of Quince. From Frank D. Wells, Grass Lake, Mich. : 3 pints 1st Prize Lincoln Wheat. From Thomas G. Hunt, Leslie, Mich. : 3 Stalks Dent Corn, 13 ft. long. From 0. D. Phelps, Portland, Oregon: Pkg. of Wheat, of^ Oats, of Barley. From G. H. Button, Unida, Kane Co., Illinois: Descriptive Catalogue. From Edward D. Cole, Lansing, Mich. : Pkg. White Belgian Oats. " Chinese HuUess '' " Rye, White Russian S]iring. From Dan AV. Van Auken, North Lansing, Mich. : 3 Ears Tuscarora or Flour Corn. From Dr. John A. AVarder, Ohio — Scions of the following varieties of Apples : Ohio Nonpareil, Nickajack, Kentucky Longstem, New York Spice, Grifiith, Indiana Favorite, Minois Greening, Roman Stem, Domine, Smith's Cider, Harvest Red streaked Menagere," Grimes' Golden, Early Pennock, Car- ters (N. C), Jeffries, Fall Queen, Gulp, Fink, Clyde Beauty, Bethlemite, Philip's (sweet), Fulton, Housum, Dr. AA^atson, Hoadly, Kirkbridge, Ash- more, Bonum, Canada Reinette. From D. S. Marvin, AVatertown, N. Y. : 1 Grange Potato. 144 STATE BOARD OF AGKICULTUKE. From Prof. A. J. Cook, Agricultural College : C plants of Glen Dale Strawberry. From E. S. Pouter: 2 Pkgs. Onion Seed, one Carrot. From E. Lewis Sturteyant, Boston, Mass. : Pkg. Seed Corn. From A. G. Gulley, South Haven : Pkg. Peach Pits. From Arthur Greexmax, Lockport, N. Y. : 50 Patent Tree Bands. From J. M. Tkorburx, Seedsman, 15 John St., New York. Seeds in small packages as follows: Rosa setigera (Prairie Rose), Pentstenion coha3a, \"ernonia Lindheimeri (Texas), Liatris pycnostachya, Pentstenion secundi- ilorus, Pentstenion grandiflorus, Pentstenion confertus var. co3ruleo- purpurcus (Rocky Mts.), Pentstenion Murrayanus (Texas), Pentstenion glaber (Oregon), Pentstenion coboea var. purpurea (Arkansas), Clematis graveoleus (China), Clematis crispa (Georgia), Clematis Pitcheri (Arkan- sas). Clematis verticillaris, Petalostemoii violaceum (Texas), Petalostemon multiliorum (Texas), Liatris punctata (Texas), Liatris scariosa (Arkansas), Liatris clegans (Texas), Rosa Californica var. ultra montana, Liatris spicata (spiked blazing star), Sisyrinchium gnindillorum (Oregon), Ipomaea leptophylla (Colorado), Engelmannia pumatitida (Texas), Aquilegia coerulea (Rocky Mts.), Gaillardia pulchella (Texas), Panicum virgatum, Eupatorium Eryngium Leavenworthii, Glaucium luteum (horned poppy), Petunia grandiflora (fimbriata fl. pi., coll. ]knary), Mixed Zinnia Darwinii, Solanum rostratum, Linum Berlandieri (Texas), Cassia Rromeriana (Texas), new crimson Godetia (Lady Albemarle), Eupatorium argeratoides, Zinnia elegans gloriosa, Sesbania macrocarpa, Coneitivis rowgides, Diplagium arborescens, Careus Zama^avus, Craspedium repcns, Euphorbia acanthothamus, Euphorbia grandiilora. Eryngium Wrightii, Gynandvivia neyvindium, Gossypium pumelianum, Gossypium vovycatum, Gossypium cornntum, Gossypium Wightianum, Gossypium verbaceum microcarpum, Gossypium microcarpum, Gossypium hirsutum intermedium, Gossypium hirsutum, (T0ssy})ium microcarj)um miniata, Gladiolus inpestus, Liunia calva, Stephans pleynum pulchellum, Notelia rigida, Oldama imbricata, Perilla occidentalc, Parvatropia teynioiniana, Parvatropia scandens, Parvatropia favisnifeas, Zephyranthus Lindleyana, Zamium arborescens, Cordyline canivfolia, Cordyline cana'folia "nar- row-leaved/' Erythrina verpertis, Jasniinum .simplicifolium, Lespedeza cuneata. From BussEY Institute, Jamaica Plain, Mass. : Specie:^ of Imlhs — Muscaria (Saxifriga) inilchoriina, ]\Iilla laxa, Lxia crosata, Bodia coccinca, Ncsine curvifolium, Jjoslienolia tricolor. Ornithagalum natas, Ornithagalum , Sparaxis tricolor, (Jladiolus, sp. Cape of Good Hope, Lxia annetia, Fresia Siash Colcliicum speciosum, Hes- peroscarduni ervstalinum, Tritonia brilliant. Tritonia squulida, Sparaxis Californica, Tritonia lineata, Milla hyacintha, Tritonia miniata, Oxalis flava, Colochortus pulcellus, Nesine crispa, Amaryllis crispa, Hyacinthus candicans, Milla uniiiova, Oalocliortus venustus, Camassia csculenta. Glad- iolus byzantinus, Tritonia eximia, Bridia'a grand itlora. DONATIONS TO THE COLLEGE. 146 Greenhouse Plants — Drosera filiforimis, Sarracenia flava, Sarracenia Drum- mondii, Sarracenia variolaris, Yucca Bassala, from Japan (Liliaceae), Seni])erirvuni Finibriatinii, Cyi)erus Iria, Seniin'ivuni patens, Iris sp. Sandwich Islands. Hardy Plants — Viola striata, Viola conuti, Saxifraga cordifolia, Oinha lodes verna, Iberis sempervirens, Trollius Asiaticns, , Epirnedium alpinuni, Arteniesia frigida, Papaver orientalis, Artemosia i)ontica, Core- opsis rosea, Ileuchrea cylindrica. Lychnis viscaria superba, Ilouchera villosa, Allium mollis, Ajuga reptans, llibiscus Moscheutos, Dianthus delt- oides, Aubretia deltoides, Campanula turl^iuita, Arabis alpina var., Jjilium tigrinum fl. \i\.. Liatris ])yriostachia, Trifolium panonicum, Lilium loiigi- fiorum, Veronica pulchella, Fuidvia Sieboldii var. Centrathus rubra, Corema Couradii, Arenaria graminifolia, Anemone Japonica, Rumex san- guinea. Hibiscus militaris, Elymus glaucophyllu.^, Crambe cordifolia, Eupatorium aromaticum, Anthesisum liliostrium var, Fraserii, Conium variegatum. Astragalus conadens, Chelidonuni mtijus fl. pi. Statice latifolia Salvia lyrata, Wolenbergia grandifiora, Calystegia sepium. Anemone Pulsa- tilla, Empemedium rubrun), Vicia sylvatica, Saxifraga repanda. Astragalus verticillatus, Calamantha alpina, Arabis lilacina, Ilelenium grandiflorum, Papaver pilosuni, Eryngiuni planum, Dianthus crusiatus, Campanula rotuu- difolia, Salvia Japonica (Germany), Veronica candata, Heuchera pilosis- simia, Anemone sylvestris, Arabis vernus, Vicia amphicarpa, Aletris farinosa, Cochlcaria officinalis. Hibiscus species (Jajian), Gymnotrix caudata, Lunaria rediusa, Cardamiue hirsuta, Ilabenaria ble})hariglottis, Erigeron glaucum, Aquilegia lactifera, Stokesia cyanea, Crambe filiformis, Cheiranthus alpinus, Sempervivum lestrum, Iris setosa, Spiraea digitata, Teucrisum pyrenalsum, Andropogen schinoperis, Saxifraga longifolia. Primula cortusoides, Scutellaria macrantha, Kinfophia inconvenii, Aqui- legia jucunda, Silene Italica, Hedysarum boreale, Aquilegia glandulosa, Smilax mauritanica, Silenia quadrifolia, Asperula hystrix, Arabis verna, Orobus lathyroides, Scutellaria Japonica, Iris sp. (St. Petersburgh), Sedum maximowizi, Ferula communis, Statice tartarica, Arabis ciliata, Sibbaldia procumbens, Potentilla pyrenaica, Conium divaricatum, Adenophora den- ticulata. Saliva dealbata, Melissa officinalis, Penstemon digitalis, Iris lurid a (stenopetala). Asparagus capensis, Silene viridifolia, Stokesia cyanea, Campa- nula alariaafolia, Agrimonia S}). Arabis turita, Sem})ervivum tictorum glau- cum, Cynthia dandelion, Carduus crispa, Mediola asparagoides, Heleniuni bracuyglossum, Iris stenogyra, Sedum nevii, Allium Steveuii, Dianthus cru- ciatus, Dipsacus laciniatus, Saxifraga ca?spitosa, Gentiana Andrewsii, Aiichusa augustifolia, Asphodeline taurisa, Bignonia alba lutea, Asparagus capensis, Crepis aurea. Iris retusa, Andropogon argentia. Campanula macrantha, Arabis borealis, Arabis rosea. Inula Tliapsoides, Dianthus viscidus, Hedysarum sibiricum, Sedum hybridum, Alyssum geoniense, Potentilla verna, Saxifriga sporihemisa, Englemanniapinatiflda, Rudbeckia Californica, Aubrietia alympisa, Scutellaria minornona. Lappa tomentosa, Allium fragrans, Allium sphasrocephalum, Hemerocallis gramniea, Inca- villa sinensis. Delphinium cheilanthum, Ameria maritima, Potentilla rupes- tris, Scrophularia chrysantha, Anchusa sempervirens, Penstemon pubescens, Lychnis leuuo, Tigridia speciosa, Tigridia conchiflora. Aster leucanthus. Everbearing Mexican strawberry, Sedum purpurascens, Pyrethrum car- 19 146 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. nenm, Pyreiiantheniuin laiiceolutnni, Tigridia jmvoiiia, Aqnilegia crenilia, ^litellaBrowei'ii,, Irisvirginica, Potontillamultilida, Lobcliasyiiliylitica, Gen- tiaiia pneiinionaiithe, Nepeta mida, Inula squarrosa, Sedum inaxiinum, Iris aurea, Helonias bullata, liyacinthus candicans, Geutiaiia acaulis, Iris lurida var. steno})etala, Iris sp., Arnieria elongata, Iris ocliroloucra, Saxifraga cordifolia. Asphodc4iiie crelisa, Astor poregrinns, Allium ceruuuni, Ligularia Siberica, lleucherapilocissinia, Sabatiachloroides, Seduui Fabaria, Nei)liita niuscina, Saxifraga geum, Arabis bellidifolia, Ampelopsis veitchii, Allium fistulosum, Iris spinosa Siberica, Tleliojjsis sp. (Mexico) Ptarmica impa- tiens. Allium carinatum, Allium seiiescens. Iberis Gibraltarica, Calycan- thus hevigatus, Saxifraga peltata, Calycanthus floridus, Artemesia ludov- ciana, Gypsophylla scrozouerafolia, Stellaria holostea, Arabis albida, Hibiscus militaris, Hydrangea quercifolia, Si)ira^a filipcndula, Zanthorhiza ())inlifolia, Spiralea armieus, Salvia Pitcher (Texas), Aquilegia chrvsantha (new yellow columbine), CEnothera Missouriensis (Texas), Marshallia ca?s- pitosa (Texas), Asclepias incarnata, Thermopsis Montana (Oregon), Leu- tillaria lateriflora, Desmodium Canadense, Hydrophyllum capitatuin (Oregon), Anemone multifidum (White Mts.), Rhexia virginica, Gundella squarrosa (Texas), Guitienezia Texana, Mentzelia ornata perpureum. From J. A. Foote, Terre Haute, Ind. : ] pkg. Green Fringed Lettuce. 1 pkg. 100 Day's tomatoes. Pkt. Seeds of Hybrid Uwarf candytuft. Gooddia Lady Albermarle. . Pansy, finest mixed. Phlox Drummondii. Spanish monstrous Pepper. Terre Haute Nutmeg Melon. From Rural New Yorker: Tomato, Golden Trophy. Aquilegia Bebb's Hybrid. Musk Melon, Surprise Monmouth. Onion, Creole. Tomato, Early Uwarf French. Acjuilegia truncata. Cauliflower, Earliest Algiers. Improved Brussells Sprouts. Rumex sagittatus. From Laxdketh & Son: Package Turnip Seeds. From Pres. W. S. Clark, Amherst, Mass. : 1 package Sciadopitys Verticillata (umbrella pine) from Japan. One of the finest conifers. Hardy in Massachusetts. 1 package Large Magnolia from forest of Yezo. 1 package Erythronium grandiflorum (red), a beautiful spring flower of Yezo, Japan. 1 })ackage Kokuwa actinidia polygama, a twining, woody vine of Yezo, Japan. 1 package Katrusa, a very large tree of Yezo, Japan, with timber like tulip tree. All the above are seeds. From Chas. Bingham, General Agent, Lock Haven, Penn. : 1 package of "The Virative Compound." From Hon. E. S. Moore, of Three J^ivers: Specimen of Alfalfa, from Lower California. Specimen of Alfillere, from Lower California. DONATIONS TO THE COLLEGE. H7 DONATIONS TO THE LIBRARY. From Smithsonian Institution : AiuuKil lie])ort 1876. From U. 8. Agkicultqkal Department: Annual Report 1876. From U. S. Bureau of Education : CircnTars. Nos. 1 and 3, 1877. Special Report on Medical Education, 1776 — 1876. Annual Report 1873. '•' 1876. From U. S. Treasury Department, Bureau of Statistics : Quarterly Report to Sept. 30th, 1877. From U. S. Department of Interior: Tertiary Flora, U. S. Geological Survey. Bulletin U. S. Geological Survey, Vo\. IV., 1 and 2. Bulletin of Xational Museum, No. 10. Land Office Report 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877. House Journal, 2d Session 44th Congress, and 1st Session 45th Congress. Senate Journal, 2d Session 44th Congress, and 1st SessionCongress. Form XJ. S. Nautical Almanac Office : American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac, 1880. From U. S. Light-house Board : Light-house list, Atlantic. Light-house list, Lakes. Reynaud's Memoirs upon Illumination of Coasts of France. Reports, 1876, 1877. From U. S. War Department : Roll of Honor, 26 vols. Paymaster General's Report 1876-7. Army Register, June, 1877. Descriptions of Military Posts. Wagon Harness. Hints on Horseshoeing. Army Register, 1878. From U, S. War Department, Surgeon General's Office: Circulars Nos. 3, 4, 8 and 9. Catalogues of International Exhibitions, Medical Department U. S. Models of Hospitals. Models of Steam Vessels. Models of Steam Cars. Models of Carts. Catalogues of Medical Museums. Catalogue of Skeletons. Surgical Section. Medical Section. Microscopic Preparations. Comparative Anatomy. From Office of Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. : Expedition up the Yellowstone. Forsyth. Nebraska and Dakota, 1855-6-7. Warren. 148 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. Recoil Tioissance of the Black Hills. Lndlow. Yellowstone Expedition, 1870. Doane. Expedition from Santa Fe. Macomb. The Great Basin of Utah. »Simpson. Carroll to Yellowstone Park. Ludlow. Compressive strength of Building Stone. Gilniore. Intiuence of Forests on Rainfall. Valles. Annual Report, 1875, 1870, 1877. Map of Battlefield of Gettysburg (three sheets). From Ordxan'ce Bureau, U. S. A. : Report of Chief, 1877. From Chief Signal Officer, U. S. A. : Suggestions, 1877. Report, 1877. From Hon. I. P. Christiaxcy, U. S. S. : Report of U. S. Commissioner of Agriculture, 18 7G. Diseases of Swine and other Domestic Animals, 1878. Congressional Record, Vol. V. [extra sess. 44th Cong.], parts 1-4 and index. Congressional Record, Vol. VI. [extra sess. 45th Cong.] Report of U. S. Commissioner of x\griculture on condition of the crops, July 1, 1878. From Hon. M. S. Brewer, M. 0. : Congressional Record, Vol. VI. [extra session 45th Cong.] Congressional Record, Vol. VII. [2d sess. 45th Cong.], Parts 1-5 and index. Message and documents, abridgment, 1877-8. Speech of Hon. J. A. Garfield, March, IS 78. Report of Commissioner of Agriculture on diseases of domestic animals, 1878. Report on Forestry, 1877. F. B. Hough. Message and documents, Navy Department, 1877-8. Message and documents. War Department. 1877-8. From Secretary of State, Michigan : Public Acts, 1877. Local Acts, 1877. Joint Documents 1876, Vols. 1, 2, 3. Report of Commissioner of Railroads, 187G. House Journal, 1877, Vols. 1, 2. Senate Journal, 1877, Vols. 1, 2. Report of State Pomological Society, 1877. Sixth Registration Report. From State Superintendent of Puulic Instructjon, Michigan: Report, 1876. Report, 1877. From Statk Lihkarian, Michigan : Michigan Court Reports, Vols. '6b, 36. U. S. Statutes, 1st session 43d Congress. From Secretary of State Board of Agriculture, Michio^an : Agricultural Report, Maine, 1876-7. Connecticut, 1876. ** Vermont, 1877. New Jersey, 1877. Report of Rutgei-'s Scientific School, 1877. DONATIONS TO THE COLLEGE. 149 From Secretary of State Pomological Society, Micliigan : Tratisactions of Wij^cousiu Af^ricultural Society, 1878. Triuisiictioiis of Wisconsin Horticultural Society, 1878. Report of Western New York Horticultural Society, 1878. Eeport of Ontario Fruit Growers' Association, 187G, 1877. From Adjuta.nt General, Micliigan : Michiijan Flao's. From State Agricultural Society of Michigan : Memorie Del Accademia D'Agricultura, Asti E. Commercio Ue Verona, Vol. LV. From Secretary of Massachusetts Horticultural Society: Schedule of Prizes, 187G, 1877, 1878. Transactions, 1876, 1877, 1878 (Part 1). From BussEY Institution, Harvard College : Bulletin (Vol. II., Part III.), 1878. From Secretary of Connecticut State Board of Agriculture : lie[)ort of State Agricultural Society, 1855. Report of State Board of Agriculture, 1877. From Director of Connecticut Experimental Station : Report, 1877. From Commissioners of Pennsylvania State Geological Survey: Report of Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania, Vols. HHH., II., KK. From Secretary of Ohio State Board of Agriculture : Report, 1876. From Commissioner of Agriculture, Kentucky: Report of Agriculture and Resources of Kentucky, 1877. From Commissioner of Agriculture, Georgia : Result of Soil-tests of Fertilizers, 1877. Monthlv Reports of Crops, etc, 1877-8. Report, '1877. Manual of Georgia for Immigrants, 1878. From Secretary' of Illinois State Agricultural Society : Transactions, 1875, 1876, 1877. From Illinois Industrial University : Report 1870, 1871, 1873, 1873, 1874. From Secretary of Kansas State Board of Agriculture : Report, 1876. Monthly Reports of Crops, etc., 1877-8. From jMessrs. Ginn & Heath, Boston: Allen & Greenough's Latin Grammar. From Prof. N. H. Winchell, State Geologist of Minnesota: Fourth Annual Report, 1875. From Essex Institute, Massachusetts: Bulletin. From Townend Glover, Author: Manuscript Notes; Entomological Index, 1877. From Seventh Day' Advent Tract Society : Thoughts on Daniel. Smith. Thoughts on the Revelation. Smith. The Sanctuary and its Cleansing. Smith. Man's Nature and Destiny. Smith. The Spirit of Prophecy. Mrs. White. 150 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. Life of Wni. Miller. White. From F. W. Christeux, Now York : Kaukine's Machinery and ilill Work. From n. S. Rodgers, Author: History of Cass County, Michigan. From Prof. S. W. Johxsox, Yale College: Some Reasons for Tillage. From F. S. Kedzie, Lansing : History of Lansing Reform Club, by Rev. George Duffield, U. D. From Prof. R. C. Kedzie, College: Healthy Homes for Farmers. Relative Food Value of Different Varieties of Michigan Wheat. From Prof. Geo. T. Fairchild, College: Proceedings of Industrial Department of the National Educational Associa- tion. 18 77. Annual Proceedings of Michigan State Medical Societv, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876. Official Catalogue of Centennial Exhibition. Parts 1, 2, 3, and -4. Cost and Price in Farm Products. A Practical Education, &c. From Prop. A. J. Cook, College : Cook's Bee Manual, Second Edition. From Pkof. W. J. Real, College : Numerous Catalogues of Seeds, Plants, and Garden Lnplements. From the several ])ublishers have been received the following periodicals : American Rural Home. The Grano-e Visitor. Michigan Farmer. Prairie Farmer. Practical Farmer. Scientific Farmer. Southwest Farmer. The Husbandman. Rural New Y'orker. Western Rural. ' Globe and Canada Farmer. Farmers' Review. Farm and Fireside. Western Agriculturist. Chicago Live Stock and Produce Reporter. Gleanings in Bee-culture. Bee-keepers' Magazine. Boston Journal of Chemistry. Browne's Phonographic Monthly. Young Folks' Rural. Churcli Union. American ^lissionary. Foothill Weekly Tidings, California. Also the following Michigan newspapers : Allegan Journal. Ann Arbor Michigan Ai'gus. Battle Creek Journal. DONATIONS TO THE COLLEGE. 151 Charlotte Tlepublicaii. Clinton County Tloj)nblicun. Coldwator liej)ublican (senii-\veokl\ ). Flint Wolverine Citizen. Grand liapids Times. Gi'and Rapids Saturday Evening Post. Grand Rapids Green!)ack. Hillsdale Standai'd. Ingham County News. Kalamazoo Telegraph. Lansing Journal. Lansing Kcpublican (sonii-weekly). Midland Independent. ^ Monroe Commercial. Newaygo Tribune. Pontiac Bill Poster. Romeo Observer. Sanilac Jefferson i an. Stnrgis Journal Times. Traverse Bay Eagle. The above have been received regularly for the wliole or greater part of the year. Occasional copies of other papers liave been received, among which are: The Benzie County Journal. Our Home Journal, New Orleans. The National Advocate, New York. From the American Unitarian Association: The Religious Magazine. The Christian Register. From United States Patent Ofpice : The Otiicial Gazette. From Mus. Pkatt, Lansing: The Woman's Journal. From President Abbot: The New York Evening Post (Semi-weekly). The New York Independent. The New York World. The Weekly Scotsman. The Springfield Republican. From Prof. Fairchild : Tlie Advance. Harper's Weekly. The Oberlin Review. The Literary World. From Prof. Beal: The American Cultivator. The Chicago Journal. iVnn Arbor Courier. From Peof. Carpenter : Ann Arbor Register. Detroit Free Press (Daily). From Professor Ingersoll: American Live Stock Journal. 152 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. From Secretary Baird : The American Farmer. The Now Fnolaud Farmer. Tlie Chicago luter-Oeean. From Mr. James Cassidy, Gardener : The Lt)ndon Times (Weekly). From C. J. Strax(;. Student: The New York Tribune. From F. W. Hastings, Student: The Educational Monthly. TO THE .MLS ELM. Name. Geodes liuliiiii relic Aiiiinonite Favosites favosus Favosites obliqiuis Favosites veniistus Favosites Ilumilronensis Favosites placenta IFalysites cateniilata Stromboiies striatus Stroinbodes pentajj-oims. Cyathopliylluin Jlouj^litoiii Cyalhoi)liylliiin Scy plms (Jyatliopliylliiin Davidsoiii Alveolites Niai;'ai'eusis Di|)hypiiyniun arehinci Syriiiijopola verticellata Atryi)a reticularis Atryjta reticularis (Jyrt ilia luuhoiiata. Strouiatopoi'a Stroniatopora cespitosa Stroniatopora pustulifera Stroniatopora miiuita Stroniatopora Stroniatopora monticulifera... Fisiulipora spinulata Spirifer iiiucronatus Spirifer «^ranuliferous Stroplioilonata deniissa Hi tinniiiiius '^hale A try pa reticularis (.'liiiton Liinestone (97 per ct.). Strophoineiia plannmbona Ortliocerata CiuTtetes lycoperdon Waverly Iron Ore Stroplioinena alteriiata Kliyncbonella eapax Ainboiiycbia radiata Modiolopsis inodiolaris Ortliis biforata Orthis inscnlpta. C>rtliis testudiiiaria Orthis snbquadrata Locality. Keokuk, Ta Lenawee Co. Grayson Co.. Texas... Pt. Detour, L. Hurou. Petosky... Tluinder Ba}' Pt. Detour, L. Huron. Petosky Alpena Petosky Pt. Detour, L. Huron. Alpena , Pt. Detour, L. Huron. Petosky 'i'ro\vl)i'id.sje"s ^Uils. .. Thunder JJay liiver.. Pt. Detour, J.. Huron. Petosky Pt. Detour, Ti. Huron. Middle Island Petosky Alpena Aipena. Petosky. Ohio No. 4G 1 1 8 4 2 2 2 •A 2 1 4 ;{ 2 2 1 1 5 40 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 5 16 5 24 1 3 1 1 2 2 1 4 4 1 1 8 5 12 3 Donor. O. Clute. H. Hamlin. E. B. Kiiapp. State Geological Sm-vey, President Orton. DONATIONS TO THE COLLEGE. 15? Name. Orthis occidental is Rhyiiclioiic'lla perlamelloso Cycloiieuiu bilix Petrai a coniiculnm (Stroplioniciia planuinboiia. Stroplionicna sulcata Strophoineua nutans Lepta?na sericea Crinoldal stems Zygospira modesta Fossiliferous rock Protarea vetusta. Stellipora autlieloidea Cliastetes nioniatatus Microcerous Inonatus Chretetes Dolii.. Orthis Carllyi Bellerophon bilobatus Water-lime Clia3tetes ":rasolis Locality. No. 2 4 5 3 4 2 3 3 8 9 1 1 1 3 1 3 1 1 1 G Donor. Ohio President Ortoii. i^ h. it ii» it tl ii. U Ik u U (i t( (i tt it i; it c; >; 11 a u i; u 41 it it it i; a Ck i; it u i; ii ;; i; it ii (( ti (( (i a (i ti. (> (; (I (. i; i; u It C( DONATIONS TO THE APIARY. From T. F. Bingham, of Allegan : Tl\rce Smokers. From L. C. Koot, of New York: A Quiuby Smoker. From J. H. Nellis, of New York : One Bee Hive. From Ct. M. Doolittle, of New York : One Bee Hive. From McCall and Williams, Schoolcraft : Bee Hive. From A. J. King, of New York : One Feeder. From A. J. King, of New York : One Atomizer. From J. M. Shuck, Iowa : One Feeder. From Sperry & Chandler, Minnesota: One Bee Hive. From C. 0. Hetherington, East Saginaw: Bee Hive. 2 lbs. Foundation. From B. 0. Everette, Toledo : Extractor. From lluDOLF Mayerhoffer, Prague, Austria : Seeds from twenty varieties of bee-plants. 20 154 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. SUPPLEMENTAllY llEPOKT OF THE PROFESSOR OF AGRICUJ^ TURE. To the President: la writing this supplement I will beo^in with the report of tlie expenditure for steam power wliich was concluded in this year (1878-9.) The money for motive power was to have been expended in connection with steam power at the boarding hall ; but a change in jilans there obliged us to expend the money independently. After correspondence with several parties, we concluded to accept tlie propo- sition of James Leffel & Co., Springfield, 0., and accordingly purchased a 6^ horse-power engine of their manufacture. It was then planned to have it placed away from the barns, so as to avoid all possibility of danger from fire. It was placed 400 feet distant and east from the main barn, and 310 feet from the nearest shed, connected with the barns. A small building 10 by 14 feet was built to receive it. The power is transmitted to the barns by means of an endless wire rope 7-16 inch in diameter, over two large iron sheaves or pulleys, manufactured ex- pressly for such use, 5 feet in diameter. The rope and pulleys were obtained of John Roebling's Sons, Trenton, N. J. The engine house is connected with the wind mill tank and water supply by a connection of 23 feet of gaspipe, which with proper stopcocks controls the supply of water to tlie engine, and at the same time taps the tank for the pur- pose of wetting down the newly formed compost heap of the horticultural de- partment which is near, in a dry time. If the well now pumped by wind-mill, proves to be of sufficient capacity, it is proposed to use a rotary })nmp, which can easily be attached to the shafts in the engine house, and abandon the wind- mill at that point (as it is getting somewhat worn) when it may finally give out. Tliis change caused the purcliase of a G-foot shaft for tlie driving power in tlie engine iiouse with one oO-inch pulley; also the purchase of 28 feet of shaft for the main barn with one 4-foot pulley and two 2-foot pulleys. The former drives our thresher, or the No. 4 Cummins cutter. One of the latter drives combined Challenge feed mill (with shelling attachment). This is set in the room known as the east granary. By cutting through and putting in an outside door, wo are enabled to deliver loads of corn within 10 feet of the shellcr, and unload in bin ]irepared to re- ceive it, while a pipe from the grinder conducts the meal below below into a bin with capacity of 75 bushels, wliich is on the same floor with the stables and but a few feet removed from them, thus rendering the feeding very con- venient. The handling, both of corn and feed when ground, is thus reduced to a minimum. Tlie remaining jiullcy drives a shaft in the basement (which was in use before), and this in turn drives the pulper or grater for roots. Our engine furnishes us the power and we arc able by the above arrange- ment of shafts, pulleys and belts, to thresh, to shell and grind, and cut feed at one time, to grind and pulp roots at one time, or to cut feed and pulp roots at one time. In this way we have considerable latitude in i)hinning the work to be done in the barns with the machinery. » DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 155 This supplies a long felb want, and is a great saving in many ways to the de- partment. The old method of using tread power did very well when a small amount of work was to bo done, but witli our increased amount of stock, we needed the power we now have. Tlie engine and machinery give entire satis- faction. The account of expenditure is as follows : To engine, - ^310 00 Freight from Springfield, 14 61 Cost from town and setting up, 8 00 Two 5-foot pulleys for wire rope, 75 60 8'20 feet wire rope spliced, 48 32 Freight on rope and pulleys from Trenton, 6 84 Cost of shafts and pulleys with hangers and boxes, etc., etc., also labor in putting up, 133 87 Cost of engine house, lumber, labor, &c., 69 83 Extra belt, oil cans, &c., 16 57 Alterations at the barns, door cut through, bin made, etc., etc.,.. 23 07 Total .-.- $705 70 The engine, ^vire rope and 5 foot pulleys were purchased at from 10 to 13^ % discount from regular prices. With this new arrangement Ave are able to grind from 50 to 60 bushels of ground feed (corn and oats) in 5 hours or one-half day. This saves us nearly $3.00 for each half day we grind, when compared with the old way of going 5 miles to town to mill, and paying toll, or for the grinding at the rate of 5 cents per bushel. The cobs from the shelling of the corn furnish nearly oue- half the fuel for the engine. CORN HOUSE. The expenditure of funds for corn house, was ordered for the first work of this year (1878-9). A house has been erected 34 by 40 feet in size, with 10 feet posts. There are two cribs, 6 feet in width and 13 feet high, one on either side of the build- ing, thus leaving a drive way of 13 feet in width with plenty of storage room above. This furnishes crib room for over 4,000 bushels of ears with room for 1,000 more above. The building is put upon a good stone foundation laid in mortar with piers under the center. Small sections of the wall on the sides and ends are left out in order to give free access and passage to currents of air. The building is well ventilated by means of notched work on the side and end studding, leav- ing an air space of one inch betw^een each two pieces of siding. The slant of the siding tends to force the air, when the wind is blowing from any direction, ■diagonally across the crib. There is a funnel shaped ventilator placed on the roof and connecting with the cribs, to assist in inducing currents of air through the corn, when little air is stirring. The bottom of each crib is an inclined plane, with the joists used as supports notched in such a manner that the bottom boards overlap and have an inch air space in every 10 inches of surface, and no corn can possibly fall through, but must be conducted forward to the opening on the iloor of the main drive way. With this arrangement, and taking from the base of the crib each time as from 156 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. « the bottom of a shutc, all the corn above, in the crib, must be moved and, with such movement of the corn, it is claimed by those -who have tried it, tliat ver- min are very effectually driven from the crib — tiiat they will not nest and stay wiiere their arrangements are disturbed every week. The corn is easily loaded under cover in the drive way and moved to any point where wanted for use, or to the granary for grinding. The doors to the drive way arc G feet wide and are upon rollers, opening each way, and when open just cover the space to the outside of the building allotted to cribs. This enables the doors to be thrown open to drive through, or they may be left open for purpose of better ventilation of the interior, without any danger of doors being torn off or being otherwise injured, as they are entirely out of the way. The drive-way is planked, and may serve to store some of the larger farm implements when not in immediate use for drive-way, while the upper floor can be used for smaller implements if not used for corn. The cost of construction, with one coat of paint, is as follows : To mason work on foundation $12 94 lime - 4 00 lumber 194 CG paint and oil - 7 00 mechanic's labor 74 00 student " 39 72 one window, 3 sash, glazed, 12 by 14 1 75 hardware, nails, etc — 18 19 men and team labor, hauling stone and grading for foundation,.. 24 30 freight on lumber from Coral 39 64 $417 00 There were 10 perch of stone used of those tliat were on hand, worth 87|- cents per perch. The lumber was purchased by the car-load at Coral, Montcalm county, and thus a saving of from three to four dollars per M. was made on the material. The students have i)erforn)ed 49G| hours' labor on the building, under the charge of the mechanic. The building was some larger than will be essential at present, but when three or four ricw fields are brought under cultivation, as they soon will be, all the room will be needed, and perhaps more. EXPERIMENTS — WHEAT. In my report as Professor, in 1877, I mentioned the fact that I had sown thirty varieties of wheat, for experimental and educational purposes. These plats were noticed for work that the Hessian lly had done, and I do not know as I can better give the result than to copy the article entire, as written by me in July and published in several of the State papers. AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE WORK. EXPERIMENTAL WHEATS AND THE HESSIAN FLY. In 1876, the Agricultural College received (too late for sowing) several va- rieties of wheat from David Landreth and Sons, Philadelpliia. These were sown in field No. 2 on the farm, September 14-1 G, 1877, this field lying beside the Lansing and Howell Gravel road. The west portion was sown to Arnold's Gold Medal, while the eastern portion of the field was sown DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 157 to a tender variety of Asiatic wheat. This variety was presented to tlie college in 1875 and sown that year, yielding only 7J bushels per acre, while other va- rieties yielded 15 to 17| bushels per acre on the same held, and witli the same conditions surrounding them. It was sown again in 187G, and in 1877, yield- ing 17 bushels per acre, while Arnold's Gold Medal by its side, yielded 35 bushels. It was determined that we should try it once more, and see if by continued sowing it would not become more hardy, and thus become a valuable acquisi- tion to our list of white wheats. It was accordingly sown as stated above. The experimental varieties were sown at the south side of the field, and were bounded on two sides by this Asiatic wheat. The plats were sown with four rows or drills 8 inches apart and 30 feet long, a path four feet in width run- ning around each plat. These plats were sown in order to observe the character and growing quali- ties of the varieties, as well as to furnish our students with an opportunity to see and study the different wheats during the period of growth ; and to their credit be it said, that more than three-fourths of the students have visited the plats from the time the heads began to appear, many coming every three or four days to observe the difference in growth, — a few tried hybridizing some of the varieties. Several have asked for sample heads from the plats for a col- lection of wheats to preserve. That these plats Avere admirably situated to make comparisons will be shown by the havoc the Hessian fly made in the Asiatic wheat, which I have men- tioned as lying beside the road and bounding these plats on two sides. The soil was rather light loam underlaid by a stratum of hard blue clay, the loamy or sandy soil being the best place for the insect to work. Oct. 1. — Asiatic wheat up and looking as well as any wheat upon the farm. Oct. 26. — The Hessian fly has been at work so that in many places over 50 per cent of the wheat has been destroyed. The warm rains, however, may help matters some, as new tillers or shoots are sprouting from those plants not eaten off below the crown. Nov. 25. — The wheat has improved in appearance wonderfully since the last observation, but the new shoots are not strong. Plenty of larva in the pupa or flax-seed state in almost every stool. April 5. — Field much improved in appearance ; wheat growing well. Many places where there is not a wheat plant or stool in 18 inches distance in the drill rows. May 30. — Saw several heads of smut. June 4. — The field showing smut in large quantities, — the larvse of Hessian flv numerous. June 31. — Out of 38 consecutive stalks at one examination found larva?, these being from a single stool of wheat. Larva) in all heads that showed smut, as far as observed, and in some others, — fifteen larvae found in a single stalk and 103 in a single stool of wheat. July 10. — Harvested, and more than 50 per cent of what was growing in the spring, cut down by the Hessian fly. The field is scarcely one-fourth a crop. You will thus see that the plats were side by side, with a field with over three-fourths of the crop destroyed, and in no case were the plats more than 40 feet from the poor field of wheat. The Gold Medal wheat was injured by about 25 per cent in the fall, — the Treadwell by about 35 per cent, and the Olawson not at all. Part of the Gold Medal and Treadwell were sown on the clay hill west and 158 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. north of the President's house, after wheat of the previous year. This may liave had an iullueuce ou their work for this year, and made them worse ou that particuhir ])iece of ground. Wlieat was sown after wheat in order to work and smooth the ground more, preparatory to seeding it down in meadow or hiwn. I liave compiled the following table of work of the Hessian lly, from ob- servations conducted myself or under my immediate supervision. The first column shows the per cent destroyed as observed and computed Nov. 25, 1877. The second and third colums show the number of larva? found in 30 stalks selected from tliree different places in each plat, as observed June 14, and some that were duplicated on June 2G. As a general observation, we might say that the ground on which these plats of grain were situated was much too poor, and entirely unfitted for best results in wheat raising : VARIETY. Per Cent. l.arva; June 14. L.arya3 June 2C. Asiatic 55 70 18 70 40 35 5 2 20 20 45 5 2 3 5 40 42 8 15 10 Red May 30 5 209 C8 58 1 42 52 49 130 71 101 94 156 3 4 o 10 3 17 43 Mediterranean 4 Louisiana Keiituckv - - 72 Tappaliaiinock 22 Sluuiiaker* Post 8 White Rodders. Silver Chafl". Victoria Amber Trump Jenniiig's AV'lute 13 Rough Chatrt -- - Lanunas .. . Dott Michigan Wick Russian Muskingum 6 Arnold's Ilvbrid Fultz Nurserv ... . 19 Treadwoll... Hertz's AV'hite Delhi 27 71 73 '"83" 30 43 Arnold's Gohl Medal .. .. 189 (Jlawsf)u . Field Clawsoii || IS Grecian \\'hite§ Red Russian Childhaui H * Very good, t Very few heads. 1| Two observiitions. §Poor. 1[ Very lew heads. The inference cannot be drawn from the foregoing that some varieties are insect proof or nearly so. We can infer that where there are several varieties of wheat growing side by side, some varieties seem to l^e i)rcferred to others. The last three varieties mentioned in the table, were sown October 25, too late for the work of the fall brood of Hessian fly. It has been very interesting to watch the development of these varieties and see how thev have conducted themselves under the ordeal. DEPARTMENT EEPOETS. 159 Some varieties fall down at once when the grub or larva? begins its work ; others stand erect but the blossoms seem to blast, as tliere will be no filling of the head and no grains produced Other varieties have produced shrunken grain, the straw standing erect to tlie time of harvest. These plats have been visited by many farmers in this and adjoining locali- ties, who liave evinced a marked interest in the results that were to be reaped by watching their growth and development. July. 19. — We have threshed out tlie grain by hand and weighed, with the following results, tlie same amount of seed having been sown in each instance, viz., one and one-half ounces : VARIETY. Weight in oz. VARIETY. Weight in oz. Red May 9 43 ]7 21 1S| 72 17 20J- 30" 3 31 9J 60" 3i 50i Lammas S Mediterrauan Michigan Wick 65. IjOuisiaiia - . Russian 35. Kentuckv Muski iigum . 45 Tappahaiinock Arnold's Hybrid - 53 Shumaker Fultz 68- Post N ursery 33- White Rodgers Treadwell -. 42: Silver Chaff (full) . .... Hert's White 13 Victori.a Deihl 41 Amber . Arnold's Gold Medal 40| 43 Trump Clawson Jenning's White Grecian White 3 Rough Chaff Red Russian G Dolt Chidham (estimated) 1 The yield per acre was as follows, for some of the leading varieties : Shu- maker, 40.8 bushels; Fultz, 38.5 bushels; Michigan AVick, 36.88 bushels; Jen- ning's White, 34 bushels; Mediterranean 24.88 bushels ; Treadwell, 23.8 bush- els; Deihl, 23.3 bushels; Arnold's Gold Medal, 23 bushels; Arnold's Hy- brid (red), 30.1 bushels; Muskingum, 25.5 bushels; Clawson, 24.88 bushels. The remaining varieties varied in yield from 9.85 bushels to 20 bushels; most of them below ten bushels. The yield of the last three should not be compared with tlie others on account of late sowing. The others were sown at tiie same time. C. L. INGEKSOLL. I have sown most of these varieties again in experimental plats, in a much better place, but the comparative yield will be of little value, as a defective hand-drill did not deposit the seed in even quantity on each plat. Tlie interest manifested in this question of wheats has brought me quite a large correspond- ence. I have received letters from Nova Scotia to Missouri, and as far as Texas in the South and West, with regard to these varieties I have sown, the reports in our State papers having been copied far and wide. Prof. Tracy, of the Ag- ricultural Department of the Missouri State Universitv, Columbia, JNIo., writes that he lias experimented with several of these varieties and report of their yields with him is relatively nearly like ours. Mr. C. E. Thorn, farm manager and experimenter under Dr. Townshend, of the Ohio Agricultural College, reached results nearly like our own. I have this year added several new varieties, through exchanges with other colleges and by individuals. uo STATE BOAED OF AGKICULTUKE. I have sent some varieties to Prof. Tracy, of Missouri, some to Illinois State University, to Prof, Morrow, and some to Ohio Agricultural College, with smaller samples to various individuals in our own State. I have also received from Pennsylvania Agricultural College two bushels of Shumaker wheat, to try in quantity, as that seemed to promise so well this year. The following is a list sown in plats this year : "WHITE VAKIETIES. Olawson, Deihl, Kentucky. Louisiana, Tread well, Gold Medal, Kogers' AYhite, Herts' Wliitc, Mich, Wick. Golden Straw, Post, Trump, Tappahannock, Silver Chaff, Victoria, Rough Chaff, Jennings' AVliite, Armstrong, Australian, Asiatic, Powers, Lincoln, White liose. Shaffer, Lancaster, Velvet Chaff, Grecian White, Buckeye. AMBEll VARIETIES. JVIich, Amber, Shumaker, Muskingum, Russian, llED V ARIETIES. Tultz, Nursery, Red May, Russian Red, Mediterranean, Dott, Arnold's Hybrid, Lammas, I have also received from Mr, Armstrong, of Schoolcraft, several hybrids ; also some that Prof. Beal has hybridized. These are as follows : Armstrong with Lancaster. Deihl with Egyptian Red. '•' Tread well. Armstrong and Deihl with Treadwell, Dedil witli Amber, " " Lancaster, Arn] strong with White Amber, Clawson with Deihl. This is a double hybrid. Asiatic with Gold Medal. At the request and suggestion of Prof. Beal we have sown the grains in each of two fine heads of wheat, in the same relative order in Avhicli they grew in the head. This is done in order to note the growth of the grain from different por- tions of the head, and compare their growth and the result reached. The ar- rangement for this and the supervision of it has occupied largely my time. Besides the above, I have sown Clawson wheat in small plats, side by side, so as to note the work of the Hessian lly on that sown at different times ; soil and other conditions were equal, as nearly as possible. These plats were sown respectively on September G, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, and October 2 and ■5, On October 5 Prof, Cook and myself made a careful and thorough examin- ation of these i)lat8, and fou.nd Hessian fly larva"^ in each of the plats sown be- fore September 25th, there being fewer as the sowing was later. Those larvae in the first two plats were in the flax-seed or pupa state, Li that plat sown on ■September 13 I found 9 larvaa? in a single stool of wheat, and 4 in a single stool •of that sown on September IG ; less in those plats sown on September 18 and :21. Our field wheat was sown on September 10, 17 and 18, and they were found in that sown on each day, but most in that sown on the first day, or Sep- tember IG, 'J'iiese plats will be carefully watched another year, and any changes noted. Also the varieties will be watched with reference to the work of the Hessian fly x>ii each. DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 161 SUPEllPIIOSPIIATE ON WHEAT. Messrs. Jarves & Hooper, of the Michigan Carbon Works, having given me an opportunity to test their fertilizer on wheat, 1 embraced it and sowed plats as follows : South. East. •i 3 2 1 West North. On No. 1 I drilled in 2G0 lbs. of superphosphate per acre, using a Champion drill manufactured at Oswego, N. Y., and designed to sew fertilizers with various grains. On No, 2 260 lbs. of superphosphate were sown broadcast by means of a broadcast attachment to drill ; the fertilizer thus fell behind the drill, and was a top dressing for the surface. Each plat contains an acre, as registered by the drill. On Nos. 3 and 4 no fertilizer was sown. Tlie plats will each be accurately chained when harvested. The plats were separated by a space of two feet on which no crop is grown, except that the whole field has been seeded to Timothy, and will receive an addition of clover in spring of 1879. The plats on which the fertilizer was sown, on October 23, appeared greener and more luxuriant. An examination as to whether the superphosphate would have any influence in keeping away Hessian fly, showed that it had no influence whatever, as as many larvaa? were found in the fertilized as in the unfertilized ones, or in the field in other parts sown on the same day, September 3 0. A report of results will appear in next year's report. FERTILIZER ON POTATOES. I received some fertilizer from the above mentioned firm in Detroit, manu- factured expressly for use on potatoes. I therefore selected a place in field No. 8 and planted 8 plats, each plat being 14 feet wide and 2 rods in length, and containing 64 hills. Tiie rows were 3,V feet apart, and the hills about 2 feet apart in the rows. The variety planted was Brownell's Beauty. Each tuber was cut into 3 to 5 pieces according to its size, and 2 pieces dropped in hill. No manure of any kind had been put upon the land for 4 years. The land was in corn stubble, was plowed, harrowed, marked and furrowed for planting, nearly 2 oz. of the fertilizer (126 oz. on each plat,) were dropped in the furrow, covered slightly with earth, and on this bed the seed was dropped and then covered ordinarily. They were planted on May 23, and plats Nos. 1, 3, 5 and 7 received application of fertilizer at the rate of 742.} lbs. per acre, while Nos. 2, 4, 6 and 8 received none. The plats were cultivated three times during the season and hoed twice, and received precisely the same treatment, as far as was possible. The whole potato crop suffered much from a severe drouth, and these as well as the field crop. This shortened the crop much. I think, from the uniform showing in this experiment, that on poorer soil and an ordinary sea- son, the result might have been far better. 162 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. The plat and results are as follows Xorth, p. = Phosphate. Pot, = Potatoes, East. 1 r. 8. U'B. oz. Ibe. o/. Tops 32 12 Tops 28 rt Pot 52 14.V Pot 51 15X 85 lOX 80 IX 2 7 P. \he. OZ. lbs. oz. Tops 31 15 Tops 39 i rot 42 9 Pot 59 2 74 8 98 9 3 P G Ihe. oz. Ibe. oz. Tops 4: 13 Tops 3G 13 Pot 55 *» Pot 54 13 'JO 15 91 10 4 5 P. lliS. oz. lbs. oz. Tops 20 5 Tops 30 Pot 37 13 Pot 40 10 (i4 o 70 10 South. AVest. The plats 4 and 5 show a lower yield, on account of being crossed by an old bed furrow, and sliould be compared together, and not with 3 and G on the east. This shows an increase of tops of 10 5-G %; of potatoes, 7;^ %; increase of both, taken together, 13^%. The potatoes were dug and weighed September 17. PLASTER ON CORX. This was a continuation of the experiment begun in 1877. The same amount of land was selected, ninc-tcntlis of an acre, or 144 squtire rods, and divided into 30 equal plats. The land was selected in the central part of field No. 5; slope gradual, uni- form and toward the south ; soil uniform in appearance, except that a strip running across the south two tiers of plats appeared a little darker colored and DEPAKTMENT KEPOllTS. 165 richer, but as this affected au equal number of the fertilized and unfertilized plats, it was disregarded. The ground was plowed April 23d, at a nearly uniform depth of 7 inches. May 13, liarrowed east and west; May 14, harrowed northeast and southwest, and in place ; May 15, harrowed east and west twice in place, with spring- tooth harrow; May 17, rolled the ground; May 18, marked and planted. The plats were two rods square, containing 4 S(piare rods, and were separated by margins 5 feet in width. The corn was planted four feet apart each way, and there were G-i hills on each plat. Seven kernels of corn were planted in each hill. Plats Nos. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, were dressed with plaster, one-half ounce being put in each hill and covered with the corn. The remaining plata received no dressing. The results are given in the following table of the plats : NORTH. 6. 5. P. P. 4. 3. P.P. 2. 1. p. P. ; C... S... ... 92X _ 68i,f C... s. . — 78.3,; . 68 2^' C... S. ... 76K 601./ C. S. .... iiVi 56 C... s. .. 84 - 67^ 151>i C... s. ... 82?4' 65 ?i • 161 U7X ]36>; 1401^ U8>,r f 7. P. P. 8. 9. P. P. 10. 11. P. P. 12. f C. 87 "i" C... s... ... riyi ... 61 C... s... — 78><^ ... 64X c. s.. .... 84,1^ 68,?.^ c... s.... .. 841^ .. 67>, C... s... ... 75 ... 58 s... ... 65>^ 153 133>i' 143 1533^ 152 133 16. 17. P. P. 16. 15. P.P. 14. 13. P.P. C... s... ... 69"^ C... s... ... 79,V .., 67>4 C... s... ... 84,»,i' ... 69X C. s.. ... 86>4' ... 641^ C. -. s.... .. 88 .. -1-1% C... s... ... 83 J4' ... 66 163, \' 146.'4 154>4 150,3^; 160X 149X 19. P. 20. 21. P. 22. 23. P. 24. s... .- 95 ,V .. 81 c... s. ... 66,V 56 V C... s .. 79,>4: .. 64 C. s... ... 82X ... 70 0. .. 88 V .. 721^' C... S... — 82i^ C... s... .. 9S\' .- 79 If 178 C... s.... .. 91^' .. 76>i 168,1^ C... S... ...loo;^ ... 83,1-4: 183^'j; C... s.... .. 92 - 76,>.4 168X C... s... — 89X ... 79K 168,1,' 31. P. 32. 33. P. 34. 35. P. 36. 1 C... — 72,\' 129.U' C... S... .. 80>; .. 62 l-i2,\r C... S... .. 76^ .- 59,V 136 C... S... ... 85'^' ... 69 i54,'4: • C... S...- .. 97 . 82X 179>.i C... s... .. 88?,i ... <6^ 1,203 1,200 1,200 1,202 1.212 1,198 1,224 1,224 1.222 1,221 1.224 1,224 1,22G 1.222 1.224 1.219 1,219 1.422 1,410 1,413 1,422 1,413 1,428 1,428 1,429 1,443 1,431 1,438 1,435 1,42G 1,420 1,414 1,41G 1,420 1,373 " 21 1,355 " 22 1,363 " 23 1,368 " 24 " 25 1.373 " 2G 1,401 " 27 " 28 1,378 1,400 " 29 1.388 " 30 1,342 " 31 1,391 Feb.l 1,378 " 2 1,366 " 3 1,360 " 4 1,374 " 5 1,372 1,1131^ 1,215K 1,424 1,374 ' The average of all the daily weights is given in the table, as the truest re- sult that could be obtained of the result of the feeding on account of the fluc- tuations in weight ; for ordinary work the last weight only would be considered. Appended is table of feed and gain from the average weights. TABLE OF FEED CONSUMED. Dry feed— lbs. consumed less waste Turn i ps, lbs Qts. Bran Qts. Oat and Corn Meal Gain, lbs. from average Gain from last weight Devons. CHnker. 135 1,020 22 K 44?;^ 19 5-G 45 Clifford. 122 1,020 22^a W% 18 5-6 22}a" SnORT-UORNS. Hocus. 147 1,020 221^^ 4423' Hodge. 128 1,020 ^^% 14.^ The result does not give what might be done under better circumstances, when more grain would be fed. The Short Horns did not have enougli feed to give tliem a chance to make best results, while the Devons had about all the feed they would consume. The only change that could be made in their favor in the feed Avould have been to jrive more concentrated food. DEPARTMENT KEPORTS. 107 The Aveigliing of feed and the weigliing of the cattle were done almost ■wholly by Mr. McDowell ; when lie could not attend to it, I attended to it in person. I wish to express my thanks here for the careful and cautious work that both Mr. White, farm foreman, and Mr. McDowell, assistant foreman, have done in connection with the experiments. It has contributed very much toward the car- rying them to correct and successful result. C. L. INGERSOLL, Ageicultukal College, Dec. 11, 1878. Prof. Agriculture. FARMERS' INSTITUTES At the November meeting of the State Board of Agriculture the secretary reported the following applications for Institutes, as having been received and placed on file, viz. : Bay City, Charlotte, Hint, Battle Creek, Dowagiac, Howell, Centerville, East Saginaw, Kochcster. These applications were referred to the committee on Institutes, who re- ported as follows : Your committee on Farmers' Institutes present the following report on the Institutes for ISTO. In the opinion of your committee it is very desirable that Institutes should be held in tliose counties where they have not been held pre- viously, i\ntil the different sections of the State have been visited. It is also desirable that the secretary when notifying those parties whose ap- plication for an Institute has not been granted, that he state the reason why their request lias not been complied with, and also suggest that the application be renewed at some future time. We recommend that an Institute be held at eacli of the following places at the times stated, to be attended by the respective members of the college fac- ulty, and to be conducted in the same manner and upon the same conditions as the Institutes of former years, viz., tlie citizens to bear ail the local ex- penses and to furnish one-half of the lectures and papers: Bay City, Bay county, attended by Professors R. C. Carpenter, li. C. Kedzie and President T. C. Abbot, February 4th and 5th. Flint, Genesee county, attended by Professors Ceo. T. Fairchild, W. J. Beal and K. C. Carpenter, January IG and 17. Charlotte, Eaton county, attended by Professors W. J. Beal, Geo. T. Fair- child and R. F. Kedzie, January 13 and 14. Howell, Livingston county, attended by Professors C. L. Ingersoll, A. J. Cook and li. G. Baird, Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, January 20 and 21. Centreville, St. Joseph county, attended by Professors A. J. Cook, C. L. In- gersoll, Pres. T. C. Abbott and Mr. Cassidy, the College Gardener. Dowagiac, Cass county, attended by Prof. K. C. Kedzie, Secretary Baird and F. A. Gulley, foreman of the Horticultural Department. The preference lias been given lo the above places, as no Institute has pre- viously been held in these counties. FAllMEKS' INSTITUTES. 169 The first named member of each delegation will be the committee on behalf of the Faculty, to co-operate with the local committee in working up the details connected with the Institute, making out a programme, etc., except in the case of Dowagiac, where lion. Milton J. Gard will act as such committee. If for any reason it should be necessary to change places on any of the above assignments, such exchange may be made, provided it is done before the lists are published. We recommend that the secretary attend all the above Institutes if he can do so. We recommend that the Legislature be asked for an appropriation of three hundred dollars for each of the years 1879 and 1880, to defray the expenses connected with the Farmer's Institutes, for cuts or other illustrations of the subjects presented, etc. All of which is respectfully submitted. J. WEBSTER CHILDS, ) MILTON J. GARD, V Committee. A. S. DYCKMAN, ) On motion of Mr. Wells, seconded by Mr. Philips, the above report was ac- cepted and adopted. The Institutes were held as directed in the above report. Very few changes Avere made in the delegations actually attending. Prof. Carpenter -was prevent- ed from attending the Institute at Flint on account of sickness in his family. In addition to the appointed delegation for Flint, however. Secretary Baird was on the programme for a lecture. The delegation to Charlotte included, besides the appointed members. Prof. C. L. Ingersoll. With these exceptions the delegations were precisely as above provided for. The Institutes here reported constitute the fourth series that have been held under the general direction of the State Board of Agriculture. They do not differ in any marked degree from those previously reported, only as we become more accustomed to holding them, the necessities of particular localities and the "wants of the farming community generally are better understood, from which cause, probably, full as much as any other, there is a perceptible growth in etliciency and interest. That these meetings are duly appreciated by the farmers is manifest from the large numbers of the very best class of farmers that attend them. Sometimes they are attended by farmers from adjoining counties, who feel that they would not lose the benefit to be derived from an Institute fur much more than what it costs them, in time and money, to attend it. The Institute at Uowagiac was attended by a delegation from Van Buren county in the vicinity of Paw Paw, comprising some of the best farmers in our State, and whatever may have been the benefit these gentlemen received, they certainly added much to the interest and profit of the meeting. AVe say to them, come again, and to others, do likewise. Our Institute work was not as fully reported in the State papers this year as last. The Detroit papers to some extent relied on their local correspondents, although Mr. J. P. Thompson attended several of these meetings as reporter for the Detroit Post & Tribune, and R. F. Johnstone, of the Michigan Farmer, attended several; the Bay City Tribune and the Saginaw Courier published very full proceedings of tlie Institute at Bay City. 33 170 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTUKE. CHARLOTTE INSTITUTE. This Institute -was held January 9th and 10th, in Sampson's Hall. This commodious hall was well filled at the hour appointed for opening tlic meet- ing, with an audience composed mostly of farmers and their wives. Hon. Robert Nixon, of Oneida, who was President of the meeting, made the following opening address : Ladies and Gentlemen : — We have meet this evening to talk over the dif- ferent topics mentioned in the programme. And by interchange of thought, we may reasonably expect to be benefited. Last fall when we met to talk over the propriety of having a Farmers' Institute in Charlotte the coming winter, the only hindrance ajipeared to be to get those wise men from the East to come over and assist us. Gentlemen of the Agricultural College, we welcome you to Eaton county to assist us in our Institute. Ladies and gentlemen of Eaton County, who have come from your homes through the frost and cold, we welcome you to our In- stitute, to elevate and magnify your high calling. We welcome you, citizens and friends of other counties, to this meeting, believing that yon will feel at home with ns and help us in our deliberations, giving us from your experience that which will be beneficial to us all. The day is past and gone, we hope forever, in which it was thought that the man who tills the soil must of necessity know nothing but to plow, sow and reaj:), and be a hewer of wood and drawer of water. There is no reason why the son and daughter of the farmer of Michigan may not stand on the high plane of intellect with any other class of citizens. Michigan, our Michigan, in the early days of her legislation, made provisions for the education of her people. We have the Normal School, where young men and women are fitted to go and teach all over the State. AVe have the State University, an institu- tion that we all feel proud of. Last but not least, the pioneer Agricultural College of all this broad land, where we send our young men to be taught the arts and sciences and receive a good liberal education, that will fit them for farming or any other avocation. If we take into consideration the facilities the farmer has to-day as com- pared with what he had fifty years ago, we see that considerable advancement has been made, though perhaps not as much as in some other directions. Let us take a glance back for fifty years, when tlie sickle and the cradle cut our grain. When the horse, the ox and the flail were the instruments em- ployed in threshing out the grain. Contrast them with the different machines of the present day for cutting, binding, and leaving good bundles all ready to stand in the shock. Compare the flail, the ox, or the horse with the threshing- machine of to-day, — behold the contrast. See, also, how we are favored in get- ting our produce to market, as compared with the time when many of us had to go 35 or 40 miles to dispose of our grain. Let us be encouraged, and let our motto be, whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well. Fellow-citizens of Eaton county, from this meeting we expect good results ; it cannot be otherwise. The addresses and essays that are to come before us at this meeting must result in good. For in the interchange of thought, man with man, our ideas are awakened. What one docs not know another perhaps FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 171 does. So by ineotiui; together on this occasion, we shall get some new ideas that niav bo beneficial to us in aidinef ns in our work. Tlie great danger is in starving the land. Tiiere is but one safeguard; that is, add as much to as you take from it ; though our soil is rich and productive, by over taxing the land you will impoverish it, growing wheat year after year, or oats without manuring, — no farmer, however careful he may be, can make manure enough to go! over many acres. But if we seed our wheat ground and oats to clover every spring, we get remunerated the next fall in pasture ; and whether the roots of the clover or the top does the most good, I am not prepared to say ; but one thing I do know, seeding to clover enriches the soil. There is nothing more befitting than that the farmers should meet together to deliberate on the best mode of conducting their interests. The doctors, the lawyers, the railroad managers, millers and others, meet in associations from time to time to execute plans for their best interests. In conclusion I would say, that we as citizens of this peninsular State, have everything that we can desire to make us a prosperous people. We have a good soil for all kinds of crops suited to this latitude. We have the pine forests to supply us with lumber, the mines of tlie Upper Peninsula with iron and cop- per, and water navigation on the west, north and east. With all those ad- vantages, if we do right with our fellow men and our God, we shall be a happy people. Prof. Geo. T. Fairchild gave a lecture on "Art and the Sciences in Educa- tion." See lectures and addresses given at more than one Institute. Mr. Esek Pray read the following essay on " Apple Orchards — the Best Var- ieties — their Cultivation and Pruning." THE APPLE ORCHARD. I think that the apple orchard should be considered as one of the most im- portant departments of husbandry. There is no branch that adds more to the health and happiness of our families, and, I am inclined to think, the profits of farming, than a first class orchard. Location. The most favorable location for an apple orchard, I think, is on what we call our best elevated wheat soil. Too much pains can not be taken in the thorough preparation of the soil, underdraining it, if necessary. Having selected your trees, plant them not nearer than thirty feet apart. I consider a thorough cultivation of the soil for at least ten years after planting a necessity, for the complete success of a young orchard ; and I would not entertain the idea of planting, without mulching thoroughly after setting, not allowing any- thing to be crowded against the stock of the tree. I have no doubt but a tree map be crowded in its growth, as we may crowd a calf or a colt, but what we ■want is a healthy growth, as in other departments of farming ; and we may as reasonably expect a premium calf from one turned at an early age to shift for itself, as to expect a thrifty, healthy growth from trees set and cared for as many of our orchards are. Like any other department in husbandry, it needs constant attention. There seems to be a disposition with some of us to plant large orchards. If a person can and will give it the necessary time and atten- tion, right; if not, a small oi'chard is much better in every way. I have often had it suggested to me that I must have a large orchard ; when 172 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. in fact I have about four acres, and have gathered over three hundred bushels from a little less tlian one half acre. I think that for orchards of large growth, that manuring and pasturing with hogs and sheep may be substituted for cul- tivation to quite an extent, successfully. Pnming. I can see no reason why a person with his mind established as to what he wishes in regard to style in an orchard may not succeed. In regard to heading, I prefer a medium height. If started too low they in- terfere with cultivation and the general appearance is not pleasing. If too high, they are more liable to lean to the east or northeast, and by thus exposing, the stem or stock soon become affected ; borers intrude, and the result is a failure for the tree, and also adding to the labor of pruning and gathering the fruit. There is a liability to leave too many main branches in starting a head. "We are impressed with the idea that there is plenty of room, but afterward find it necessary to remove large limbs, which should be avoided, if possible. It seems quite essential that pruning should be attended to each year, removing surplus, twigs and by such attention avoiding the necessity of removing large limbs and cutting away too much at any one time. I have usually pruned from March to June, and in addition, attention should be given every few days to pinching off shoots, clipping back straggling branches, with a vigilant eye for insects. Varieties. I suppose that the most of us have in view, first, the health and comfort of our families, and therefore, in the selection of varieties, we should take into consideration those best adapted for the family. I will name a few that I consider good : Yellow Harvest, Kcd Astracan, Sweet and Tart Bough, Lowell, Maiden Blush, Twenty Ounce, Fameuse or Snow, Greening, Tallman- Sweet, and for late keeping, Baldwin, Northern Spy, Roxbury Russet, Golden Russet, Red Canada. For market profit we need but few varieties, and they should be of the very best in regard to hardiness, growth, bearing and keeping qualities. I think we should take more interest in preparing suitable fruit cellars for the purpose of keeping apples through winter. In Eaton county our common cellars under our dwellings, arranged for the protection of vegetables, are rarely what they should be. My main profit from tiie sale of apples has been from my best keep- ing varieties. Two years ago the coming March, I sold apples in Chicago at fil.GO per barrel by the car load ; in April I sold for 81. 'JO by the car load. In May I sold for $4.75, realizing S4.7o, less the commission for selling, with less waste from the last shipment in taking from the cellar than the first. I find that it costs me no more to raise and handle a bushel of apples of a variety that will average me in market one year, with another $1.00 per bushel, than one of the standard varieties equally as desirable excej)t in the keeping quality, that will average forty cents. If there is a net profit of fifteen cents on a bushel of apples at forty cents, we can readily see there is five times the profit, at least, on a bushel at §1.00, and there would usually be quite a per cent, to add in handling. In one variety you would receive SI. 00 for 2^ bushels, in the other case, one for a bushel. We can not reasonably expect to succeed in keeping fruit, unless we exercise great care in gathering and handling. It will not do to neglect the gathering; very many leave them too long on the tree. My experience is that with some varieties, if left on the tree ten days in autumn after they should be FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 173 gathered, especially if the weather bo mild, will shorten the season thirty days, or they will come to maturity that much sooner than they would if gathered earlier. I never handle after storing until the season for marketing. My best keepers, gathered the last of September and first of October, I don't expect to see again until next May. They are stored in bins. The varieties that bring me the best returns are the Red Canada and Roxbury Russet. DISCUSSION. J. P. Thompson, of Detroit. What do you consider the best method of cul- tivating a young orchard? Mr. Pray. By hoed crops ; principally, the corn crop. Mr. Thompson. How do you keep your apples in cold weather? Mr. Pray. A little frost will not injure apples in the bin. I do not ventilate my cellar during the warm days that immediately follow a severely cold spell. I ventilate on a frosty day. A cellar for keeping apples shotild be dry and cool. Secretary Baird. You say that apples will keep much better if harvested at the proper time. What do you regard as the proper time, and how is it distin- guished? Mr. Pray. I harvest my apples when I notice the twigs become tender. This is indicated by the dropping of the fruit. Prof. Ingersoll. In storing apples, do you place them near the bottom^ortop of the cellar? Mr. Pray. I keep them in bins or shelves, extending from about six inches above the bottom of the cellar to as near the top as is convenient for storing. Some discussion followed in regard to pruning, participated in by Prof. Beal and others, in which the practice of cutting off large branches was condemned, and all seemed to be agreed that if only small ones were cut off it did not matter at what season of the year the pruning was done. FORENOON SESSION. Friday, 9 o' doch A. M. Mr. Robert P. Kedzie, Assistant in Chemistry at the Agricultural College, read the following paper on "analysis of milk from different breeds of cows." For thousands of years the milk of the cow has been an important part of human food. Even in tlie earliest writings flocks and herds are mentioned, and we may safely infer that cows' milk in some form, either as milk, cream, butter or cheese, has always constituted an important part of the food of mankind. And milk is entitled to a high rank as food. It is one of the very few sub- stances that contains all the elements, and in the right proportion to support life. A person cannot live and be iu good health upon lean meat alone, or po- tatoes alone for any length of time, because in the first there is not enough car- bon, and in the second not enough nitrogen. But in milk we find all these elements present in just the right proportion for human food, and so it is called the perfect food, the type of them all. We are apt to think that milk is not a very valuable food because it contains 174 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. SO mucli water; but in spite of the water it ranks well with other foods in nu- tritive value. A pound of milk is equal in food value to a pound of oatmeal or rice, or whitefish ; while a pound of milk is worth four times as much as a pound of potatoes or green vegetables, and a little more than bakers' bread. One writer states as a result of his analysis of cows' milk, that when meat free from bone is worth 25 cents per pound, fresh milk is worth 14 cents per pound. Milk is a white, sometimes a bluish or yellowish white liquid, a little heavier than water. It may be defined as a solution of sugar and casein in water, in which little globules of fat are floating. Milk also contains mineral matters, such as a small amount of phosphate of lime, common salt and chloride of po- tassium. These mineral matters are of some importance, as they go to make up bone, the framework of the human body. But the most important sub- stances in milk are casein and fat, the first forming the basis of cheese and the second of butter. The greater the amount of these present the more valuable will it be both for food and for dairy purposes. The following is the average composition of cows' milk : Sugar 4.54 per cent. Casein and albumen 4.37 " Fat - -. 3.80 '* Salts G4 " Water 86.65 " 100.00 That is, in every hundred pounds of milk there are about S6f pounds of water, 4| pounds of sugar, 4^ pounds of albumen and casein, 3 4-5 pounds of fat, etc. Xow for the sake of comparison, let us see what milk from which the cream has been removed, " skim milk," is made up of : Water 89.53 per cent. Butter (fat) 78 " Casein 2.95 '« Milk sugar 5.89 Ash -. - 85 " 100.00 By comparing skim-milk with new milk it appears that most of the fat is re- moved as cream, but not all. A little remains in the milk, and this, so far as making butter is concerned, is an entire loss. It will be noticed that skim-milk contains a little less casein than new milk. That is because some casein is removed with the fat. It is supposed that each globule of fat is surrounded by a thin shell of casein. Cream varies a good deal in composition, but it is generally made up of about two-tliirds water, one- quarter fat, together witli some sugar, etc. The usual rule I believe is that a quart of cream will make from 14 to 15 ounces of butter, but very rich cream will make even more than this. Allow me to digress here to say, that in order to get the most cream from milk, it is very important that it be kept at the right temperature. To test tliis question, I took ubout twelve quarts of milk, and after saving out a little for analysis, put the rest into three ordinary sized milk pans, filhng the pans to exactly the same depth of two inches in each case. I then kept one pan at the temperature of 32" F., another from 55° F. to 60° F., and the last from 75° F. to 80° F., allowed them to stand for exactly twenty-four hours, and FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 175 then carefully removed the cream from each pan. I then determined the amount of fat in the new milk and in the skimmed milks. The following table shows the result : CONDITION OF MILK. Kept 24 Hours at Temperature of Fat,— Per Cent. New milk . - 3.2G Skim-milk of same 32° 55° to G0° 75° to 80° 1.25 Skim-milk of same - .5& Skim-milk of same .79 More cream fails to come to the surface in milk kept at 32° than at higher temperatures. This seems strange, but I tested this matter repeatedly, always with like result. As I consider cream that remains in milk as so much loss, it seems to me that persons engaged in butter-making cannot take too great pains to keep milk at the temperature most favorable for cream to rise. The loss from a few quarts of milk would not be very great, but when a person is engaged in dairying upon a large scale, he might find himself at the close of the season, decidedly out of pocket in consequence of such neglect. Another point closely connected with temperature, is the depth at which) milk set for cream should stand. I tried some experiments by placing milk; in graduated tubes. In the first tube I placed milk two inches deep ; in the sec- ond, four inches; in the third, six inches; and in the fourth, eight inches. After allowing them to stand twenty-four hours, I read the amount of cream in each tube, and found the percentage to be about the same in each. After re- moving the cream from each specimen, I determined the amount of fat (cream) remaining in the milks, and found that they all contained about the same amount. I infer then, that within certain limits the depth of milks set for cream is not important. Coyiditions that Modify the Character of Milh. The length of time elapsed after calving has a decided influence upon milk. The first milk is very rich in cheesy matter; but after a few days this excess disappears. The general rule is that the greater the length of time after calv- ing, the less is the amount of, milk given, but the amount of water iii the milk of a cow that has been in milk for some time is very much less than that of a new milch cow; so that for practical purposes it may be just as valuable even if the amount given is less. The age of cows is said to have a very decided influence upon the quantity and quality of milk, and a cow is not considered to be in her prime until she has been milked several years. Milk of young cows is considered poorer in quality, and smaller in amount tlian that of older cows. The character of the season is said to influence greatly the quality of milk. Cows give a greater quantity of milk during wet seasons when grass is succu- lent. But the milk in said to contain much more water than in dryer seasons, so that the milk for a wet season does not furnish any more butter or cheese^ even if the milk is greater in amount. The question of what influence the hmd of food has upon milk, is one of great practical interest to the farmer. For instance, after a cow has been fed for some time upon dry hay, is it not possible by tlie addition of oil-cake or ground feed or other rich materials to the food, to make the milk richer iu 176 STATE BOARD OF AGKICULTURE. butter or cheesy matter? This subject has been thoroughly investigated in Germany, and German chemists have come to the conchision that they can in- crease the quantity of milk by high feeding, but cannot improve the quality. Let us not misunderstand this point. A cow fed with nutritious food gives, we will say, milk containing a certain amount of fat and casein. Now if atc give this cow very much richer food, we shall probably get a much greater quan- tity of milk, but it will not be richer than before ; a quart of it will contain about the same quantity of fat and of casein. We cannot make a hutler cow or a cheese coio at pleasure by simple variation of food. These are peculiarities of individuals and of breeds. The result of investigations made in Germany in regard to the influence of variations in the kind of food on the quality of the milk, are well shown in the following table : cows WHEN FED ON Hay. Hay and Albumin- oids. Hay and Starch. Ilay and Oil. Hay. Gave pounds of milk 16.15 15.90 14.68 15.47 13.02 Containing per cent, of solids 13.25 13.18 13.33 12.88 13.24 Fat in 100 lbs. of milk (containing 12 per cent total solids), 4.18 3.95 3.88 3.85 3.09 Albuminoids in 100 lbs. milk 2.74 2.92 2.88 2.80 2.86 Prof. lugersoll and myself tried one experiment to determine the influence of food upon milk. We took two cows, "Fanny 2" (grade Ayrshire), and "Irene 2" (grade Alderney). The cows were fed 5 pounds of cut corn stalks, 2 pounds of cut oat straw, and 2 quarts of a mixture of two parts Indian corn meal and one part shorts, twice a day. This was poor feed. After they had eaten it for five days, I took samples of milk from each cow and analyzed them. The cows were then put upon high feed, viz. : the same amount of cut feed as before, and 40 pounds of sliced turnips, with G quarts of tlie mixed feed. After five days' feeding I took samples of the milk, which I analyzed. The results appear in the following table : cow. I "Fanny 2d" Poor Feed -J / " Irene 2d'- ( "Fanny 2d'" Kich Feed \ { " Irene 2d" Cream, Per Cent. Milk. Pounds. Casein, Per Cent. Sugar, Per Cent. Fat, Per Cent. Ash, Per Cent. 16 7 5.12 4.05 4.27 .73 13K 15 5.21 4.20 4.59 .80 14 12^^ 5.68 3.83 3.72 .61 IG 16 4.96 4.20 4.25 .70 Water, Per Cent. 85.83 85.20 86.16 85.89 It must not be inferred from these experiments that the quality of food has no influence upon the amount of milk given or its richness, because it is not FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 177 true. I am not attempting to defend the practice of persons ulio allow their COAVS to weather the storms of winter and draw their rations from the straw- stack. A half-starved cow will give half-starved milk, — milk in which cream is conspicuous from its absence, and. water for its abundance. Dairymen know very well that to get good milk in the pail they must put an abundance of good food into the mouth. But these experiments do show that we can by feeding increase the richness of niilk up to a certain point and no further. If a large amount of rich food is given, a part of it goes to increase the number of quarts of milk, and the rest to the increase of fat in the animal. So that it is doubtful whether it will pay to feed milch cows very freely of extra rich food, such as corn meal, bean meal, oil-cake, etc., in addition to plenty of nutritious food. The last cause affecting the quality of milk to which I invite your attention, is the Jcind of breed. Let us look at the composition of milk of different breeds of cattle. About a year ago, a series of experiments was undertaken at the College, to determine the relative value of the various breeds of cattle for dairy purposes. I analyzed the milks of cows on the College farm, and •' Natives" of farmers living near. By "Natives" are meant those iu which no distinct breed is ap- parent. Samples of milk were taken two weeks from time of saving first milk, as nearly as vyas possible. The following are the average results : NAME oy BREED. Shorthorn Ayrshire . Jersey ... Galloway Native... Cream, Milk, Sugar, Vuv Cent. Pounds. Per Cent. 123^ 17=1 4.03 13. =^3' 19 3.75 isj^ 16 4.20 10 6^ 3.80 SH 133^ 3.G9 Casein, Per Cent. 4.81 5.74 4.96 5.36 5.57 Ash, Per Cent. .70 .70 .70 .67 .64 Fat, Per Cent. 2.67 3.70 4.25 2.74 3.10 Water, Per Cent. S7.79 86,11 85.88 87.43 86.99 This table is of especial value because the cows were kept upon much the same kind of food, and the milk Avas analyzed after they had been in milk the same length of time. But the number of analysis was somewhat limited, and the milk of some breeds I could not get. I have compiled, f I'om every source at my command, analyses of milk, and taken the average of each breed. The cows were not all under the same conditions, such as food and climate, and therefore their milk cannot be compared with as much certainty as if tliey had been under the same conditions. But if the milk of any breed is inclined to be especially rich, it should be apparent in spite of these variations. The following gives the result of analyses of the milk of various breeds of cows : NAME OF BREED. Short-Horn Ayrsliire... Jersey Holstein ... Galloway . Devon Grade Native Sugar, , Casein, Fat, W^ater, Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent 3.76 4.41 5.10 86.04 3.90 5.08 3.75 86.57 3.76 4.37 6.87 84.28 4.35 4.21 6.84 83.97 3.80 5.3G 3.40 87.43 4.23 5.29 3.96 85.71 4.29 4.99 4.01 85.92 4.08 5.21 3.36 86.64 Ash, Per Cent. .68 .70 .71 .61 .67 .81 .79 .71 178 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. According to the amount of fat in the milk of these breeds, the Ilolstein, Jersey and Shorthorn would rank among the first for butter making, and the Ayrshire, Native, Galloway and Devon for cheese making ; provided we may be allowed to call "Natives" a breed. But it certainly would be very unjust to say that one breed of cattle is a better butter breed or cheese breed than another until all the facts entering into the problem are taken into account. How does the milk of Native cows compare with that of of pure blooded cows? From my analysis I infer that the milk of natives is equally as rich and large in amount as that of some of the breeds, such as Shorthorn, Devon and Galloway, but not so rich as the Jersey or Ilolstein. Prof. Voelker, of Eng- land, made some experiments to determine how the milk of pure Short-Horns would compare with that of common cows in richness and amount, both kinds being kept upon the same kind of food. He found upon the average that pure bloods gave 49 pints, and the common cows 52 pints daily, a difference of three pints in favor of common cows. He then analyzed the milk of each, with re- sults as follows : Common Cows. Pure Bloods. Water 86.65% 87.29% Butter - 3.99 " 3.86 " Casein - 3.47 '' 3.28 '' Milk Sugar 5.11 " 4.89 " Mineral Matter .78 " .77 " 100.00 100.00 In this case there was little difference, the slight variation being rather in favor of common cows. But if this experiment had been tried with other breeds more celebrated for richness of milk the result might have been far different. The truth probably is that some natives are as good milkers as pure bloods, but there is not that uniformity that exists among pure blooded cattle. Can not our common native cows be greatly improved in their butter produc- ing qualities. The reason why the Jerseys stand first in the rank of butter cows is that in the Island of Jersey butter is a very important article of com- merce, and the cows that give the richest milk have been selected for breeding purposes, and in this way the breed, as a whole, has been brought up to a high standard of excellence. In the same way, by carefully selecting the "good milkers,'"' and breeding from them, the milking (jualities of even our common stock can be greatly improved. This is certainly a promising field, and espec- ially valuable because no great outlay of money is required. The question is often asked, which is the best breed for butter? The practi- cal man must answer that question, — the chemist cannot. All that he can do is to tell whether one kind of milk is richer than another; but tlie practical dairyman, by knowing the quantity of milk and butter, and how much a pound of butter costs in food and labor, can decide this question beyond dispute. I can find but very few statistics bearing upon this point. Mr. L. S. Har- din has collected some facts on the subject, from dairymen who keep the dif- ferent breeds. From his interesting article in Kural New Yorker, of Dec. 7, 1878, I take the following table, showing the average number of pounds of milk ]ier annum, and the average number of pounds of butter from each breed : FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 179 XAME OF BREED. No. of cowgiii herd. Av. No. lbs. of milk per animal. Av. lbs, milk to 1 lb. butter. Av. No. ll>g. butter per cow per annum. Shorthorn 28 11 14 12 17 252^ 273 Ayrshire 5.469 5.625 8,767 25 20 25 Jersey 281 Holstein . . 350 Native 302 According to this statement, the following is the order of these breeds for butter-making: Holstein, Native, Jersey, Ayrshire, Sliorthorn. But we can not say that Holstein is a more valuable breed for butter than any of the oth- ers. We must know how much it costs to make a pound of butter from the different breeds, — how much the food and labor costs, — before we can draw any conclusions. These elements are lacking in all published reports, so far as I know, and the absence of these makes all statements as to the amount of butter produced by a breed, comparatively worthless. It seems a little strange that the ordinary "natives" should prove to be as valuable for dairy purposes as some of the most famous breeds. The despised natives have some points in their favor after all. Their first cost is compara- tively small, they are hardy, do not require high feeding to keep them in good condition, and they will give as much and as rich milk for the food consumed as many of the fancy breeds. In fact, many persons who pursue dairying for profit and not for pleasure only, think a well selected herd of native cows is the most profitable after all. Most persons, in selecting a breed, would choose one in which the cows are large and will give the greatest amount of milk, without any reference to what the product costs. Other things being equal, a large cow is better for the dairy than a small one, just as a large engine has greater capacity for performing work than a small one. But the test in the dairy must be, which breed will give the greatest amount of butter or cheese for the same amount of food con- sumed? Prof. Arnold, in a recent number of the N. Y. Tribune, puts this matter in a very clear light. He compares two cows, one weighing 1200 pounds and the other weighing 800 pounds, both giving the same amount of milk, of equal richness. He says : " Itis a common rule and pretty near the truth, in estimating the cost of keeping animals, to reckon one pound of hay a day for each fifty pounds of live weight, as the amount necessary to sustain the animal in a uniform condition, without gaining or losing. If we adopt this rule, with- out taking into account the better use of food by larger animals or the extra food required for producing milk, which will be the same for both cows, it will cost for the simple support of the large cow, 24 pounds of hay a day ; for the smaller one, 16 pounds; difference, 8 pounds a day. For a year this will be 2,920 pounds, and for ten years — the average period of usefulness of dairy cows — it will be 29,200 pounds, or 14.6 tons, which is the cost of maintaining for ten years 400 pounds of live weight, not required for producing milk, and which is worth no more at the end of the term than at the beginning. If we count the hay at $7 a ton, the cost of sustaining 400 pounus of extra weight ten years will be 8102.20, or §10.22 a year. It will not take long, at this rate, for extra weight to eat up its value and bring itself into debt, simply to keep itself alive." Prof. Arnold compares the herd of Mr. Boies, whose cows average 1,200 pounds in weight, with Mr. Blodgett's herd of Jerseys, which average 780 180 [STATE BOAED OF AGRICULTURE. pounds. Mr. Boies, with his large animals, gets an average of 31-i^ pounds of butter, while Mr. Blodgett, with his small animals, obtains an average of 234^ pounds of butter. "Judged by tlie usual standard of product per cow, this dairy would by most dairymen be at once set down as the least desirable and the least profitable. But in fact the reverse is true. ]\Ir. Blodgett' s dairy is the most profitable, for he gets the most butter in proportion to the food con- sumed." — Prof. Arnold. One additional reason why Mr. Blodgett's herd of Jerseys is the most profit- able, seems to have been overlooked. The Jerseys give a milk mucli richer in butter than most other breeds, but not so large in amount; and the cost of labor required to handle the extra amount of milk to make the same amount of butter, is saved. If one cow will make a pound of butter by giving 25 pounds of milk, and another a pound by giving 20 pounds of milk, the second cow may be more profitable, even if she gives a few pounds of butter less in a year, because the labor of milking and handling the extra milk is saved. The average size of cows is of importance as Prof. Arnold shows, and the size of the milk pail required for a given result is also important. I have thus briefly called your attention to the character of the milk of dif- ferent breeds of cattle. Which is the best breed for butter or cheese, is a question I have not attempted to answer. I have only indicated the way in which it seems to me this question must be decided, if at all. At present, it is all but impossible to get at the relative value of the different dairy breeds. When dairymen desire to indulge in a little advertising of their favorite breeds, they do not publish statements showing the average number of pounds of but- ter made from each cow during the season. They select some favorite cow, celebrated for giving a large amount of rich milk, and rush into print with statement of milk and butter produced, and exultingly ask "who can beat it?" and unless some one can "go one better," the game of bluff carries the day. One cannot estimate the worth of any breed for general or for special dairy pur- poses from the startling results obtained from exceptional animals. As well try to determine the average diet of men from the enormous amount some glutton may swallow. In determining the value of any breed for milk, we watit the average and not the iinusual. If the yield of a cow is very unusual it is worthless for this jiurpose. Again, when yields of herds are given we get only half the facts in the case. If one dairyman gets on the average 250 pounds of butter from his cows, and another 300 pounds, the first is apt to say, "I am not going to own up that I am beaten," so the whole truth is never known, and wonderful yields are all the public ever hear of. On this subject of the value of breeds for milk, the ordinary is more valuable than the extraordinary. We want sober facts and not suri)rises. When dairymen will be content to give us the plain prosaic facts wliich have nothing wonderful about tho4n except their truth, we may arrive at some estimate of the comparative value of the different breeds for the production of butter or of cheese. DISCUSSION. Mr. Strange. — I would like to know whether, in any of Mr. Kedzie's experi- ments, the milk was allowed to stand lonsfcr tlian twentv-four liours. It seems to me tliat at a low temperature a longer time would be required for the cream to rise perfectly. Mr. Kedzie. — I had some duplicate specimens that stood from two to three days, but the quantity of cream was not ap])reciably increased. FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 181 Mr. Dansfortli. — AVhat do you regard as the proper temperature for the rising of cream? Mr. Kedzie. — Fifty degrees. ' Mrs. James Murray read a short essay on " Farm Life," which was an earnest plea for the young to be kept upon the farm. She said our youth needed that kind of education whicli would make them love farm life, and that much could be done in this direction by making home attractive. Following the reading of this paper, Mr. Tliompson said this question of keeping boys upon the farm was one of great importance. The cities ai"e crowd- ed and many are unable to find employment. At the newspaper offices com- munications are constantly coming in from young people in the country, asking what they can get to do in the city. He thought parents were often to blame for this state of things. Not unfrequently they were in too great a hurry to sell their farm and move into the village or city. Keep the farm — keep a home for the children in the country, and make it such that they can love it. Prof. Fairchild thought that the youth of the country would not be so desir- ous to leave the farm if the operations upon it were so conducted as to make them more of an education and give more scope for thought. Prof. IngersoU said the farmer's home was frequently too void of proper means of entertainment for the young. The desire to make money, to provide for the future, made many a home unattractive. The following essay was read by Mr. E. F. Preston, of Sunfield, on DAIRYING FOR PROFIT. The late Mr. (Jreeley published a book some years ago, entitled " What I know About Farming." Without presuming to rival Mr. Greeley in farm literature, and confessing my inability to please you with a scientific disquisition upon the bovine race and their products, I shall endeavor to confine myself to "what I know about dairying," for profit, in Eaton county. That Eaton county is well adapted to dairy purposes is proven by the fact that in order to grow good crops of cereals, the farmer is forced into an unceas- ing war against the encroachments of June grass and white clover. I believe that the time is soon coming when these grasses will be cultivated, instead of expending the whole physical force of the county in a vain endeavor to exter- minate them. Nature, and the experience of men upon heavy clay sub-soils in other portions of the country, will sooner or later teach us something here in Eaton county. Farmers of course have the right to groan over the heavy taxes imposed to pay railroad bonds, and the generally low prices of farm products ! For instance : Our Eaton county butter has been sold the past season at prices ranging from 6 to 14 cents per pound, and averaging less than 10 cents. Now there is a little matter connected with the low price we have received for our dairy products that is not very pleasing. By carefully studying the re- ports of the great butter markets of the country, we learn that other farmers, in other localities, who make dairying a business, received the past season an average price for their butter that nearly or quite doubled ours. The question presented is one of comparative loss and gain ; and the fact that we are on the losing side in this comparison makes it somewhat distasteful. No one will doubt for a moment that if, on the favored side of this comparison, they have received double the price tliat we have received for our products, they have obtained not less than $15 per cow more than we have realized. Now I 182 STATE BOARD OF AGRICI'LTURE. have questioned meinl)ers of our board of supervisors, and they inform me that tiiere are at least 'J,OUU cows in our county that, by the comparison made, and •which is essentially true, have been milked at a loss of full S15 per cow, giving a total of $135,000 that Eaton county has lost the past season, by putting alow grade of dairy products upon the market. Still, in the face of this spend-thrift, ruinous policy, — a policy that, for the year 1878, cost us not less tlian 6135,000, we groan about taxes, hard times and bad management upon the part of our public officers I This careless, spendthrift policy means something; ^135,000, which was ■within our reach and which we did not secure, and which amount has been lost year after year in the past, means something ! Bankruptcy and a change of the ownership of the soil is the end foreshadowed, and if we are anxious to avoid the catastrophe, wc will look earnestly, not only as individuals but as a people, for a reliable remedy, and then apply it with vigor. I have heard it remarked by butter buyers in different places, not only in but out of our county, that Michigan farm ladies do not know how to make good butter (hence only .1.0 cents for Michigan butter), while the ladies of other lo- calities bring into the family bank from 30 to 25 cents per pound. Now, I pro- pose to defend our ladies against the imputation that they are the cause of the loss, to the farmers of Eaton county alone, of not less than $135,000 per an- num. I will state, however, in advance, that I shall present an array of facts that will hit my fellow lords of the soil, and in their efforts to cover up their guilt, it may be possible that some will undertake to tell their too confiding ladies that it was all owing to a combination of rascally merchants who are arrayed against the poor farmers, in an effort to ruin them by taking from Eaton county dairy products alone, $135,000 per annum. To commence my defense then, I shall attack the farmers of Eaton county first, by telling them that not more than one-half of the cows milked in Eaton county are physically fit for dairy purposes. AVe all know that it is an easy matter to raise a cow from a calf. It is just as easy to purchase cows if wc have the money ; and since no one ever heard of a dishonest farmer, — or a farmer that had a poor cow to sell, it follows of course, that it is no very difficult matter to purchase good cows. But this is a wrong conclusion. It is a difficult matter to select calves that will grow into good cows; and it is generally equally difficult to select good milkers when purchas- ing cows, unless we have taken some pains to instruct ourselves in the art of de- tecting readily, the good and bad qualities of the animals we purchase or raise. I will state in as few words as possible, what I know of the marks that indi- cate good milkers. I learned them from Prof. Arnold, T. D. Curtis and others of known celebrity as writers upon dairy topics, and I repeat them, because I have learned by observation that they are worth something to every farmer in Michigan who is not already ac(|uainted with them. In the first place, a general feminine appearance is necessary, which is as easily discovered in a cow, or calf, as coarse muscular power in the ox. Per- sons who are unable to draw a correct line between the coarse masculine, and the well developed feminine appearance of a cow, had better hire their neigh- bor to make their selections for them. No one will dispute the fact that a large flow of milk requires an animal capable of consuming a large amount of food; it follows that in order to di- gest a large amount of food, a cow must possess large healthy digestive organs. FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 183 Now, the outward marks of large digestive organs are, depth and breadth of abdomen, and broad, square hips, giving a wedge-like appearance to the cow from hip to shoulder. Broad hips are also an indication of a good develop- meut of blood vessels in the milk-i)roducing region, and sufficient udder in which to store milk from one milkmg to another. A little observation will teach almost any farmer, that a straight slim-bodied cow, with narrow com- pressed hips, is almost sure to disappoint the milk pail. The escutcheon, or milk-mirror, though of modern date, is one of the most valuable marks (when taken in conjunction with the marks already given) by which we may make good selections of dairy stock. To those not alreaay acquainted with this mark, let me say : Stand behind the cow, and look at the hair on the hind quarters of the udder. If the hair grows downwards, straight and smooth there is no development of escutcheon. But if the hair turns outward and upward, extending out on to the thigh, there is a good de- velopment of escutcheon, on the hind quarters of the udder. The front quar- ters are furnished with separate escutcheons, Avhich blend together in the mid- dle. These, with large milk veins, are good indications of a large How of milk. Without any explanation of this peculiar growth of hair, always found upon the udder of first-class milkers, the first impression is that it is a first-class whim. But science has come to the relief of the observing farmer, and dem- onstrated by numerous dissections, that this peculiar growth of hair is abso- lutely an outward measurement of the size and quantity of blood-vessels, that supply the material from which milk is manufactured by the lacteal veins of the udder. Calves destined to make good milkers, have this escutcheon or mirror plainly developed when viewed from behind, and when accompanied by broad hips and depth and breadth of abdomen, my advice is, do not sell such calves for anything less than two prices ; for the chances are, they will make good milk- ers, no matter how "native" or "blooded" the stock may be. Thick heavy lips, indicating a good constitution, large open nostrils, indi- cating good lung-power, are marks that should not be overlooked. It often occurs that cows will have broad hips and powerful digestive organs, with no development of escutcheon. Such animals are poor milkers, but good beef producers, of which the "Short-horns" that we generally see at our State fairs, are perhaps the best types. It often occurs too, that a well developed escutcheon is found on cows with narrow hips and weak digestive organs. Such animals are free milkers for a while, but soon lose flesh and, to use a farm expression, "dry up." This is accounted for from the fact that the digestive organs are called upon to per- form labor which they are physically incapable of performing. In other words the cow, in order to sustain animal life, is forced to quit the business of manu- facturing milk. The quality as well as quantity of water furnished cows, has full as much in- fluence upon the quality of butter or cheese manufactured as the quality of food. Cows that are forced to drink swamp water or the filth from stagnant pools or cat-holes, will invariably give milk that is poisoned in just the proj^or- tion that the water furnished them is impure. No man who neglects the qual- ity of food and water furnished his cows, has any right to expect a good quality or a paying quantity of butter or cheese. 184 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. Taints in Mill-. Since the establishment of butter and cheese factories in this country the susceptibility of milk to taints drawn from rank food and stagnant, miasmatic water consumed by dairy stock, has been receiving increased attention. We often hear this taint or animal odor confounded with animal heat. Now we know that animal heat is necessary to animal existence. A little reflection will teach almost any one that an offensive odor in milk is not necessary to its secre- tion nor to the existence of animal life. Hence animal heat and animal odor are not at all synonymous. Again, this odor, or taint is increased by bad food, ^vater, air and general mismanagement, and often becomes unendurable to per- sons of sensitive olfactory nerves. On the other hand, taint is decreased in just the proportion that cows are furnished good food, pure water and pure air. But at all times of the year there is an offensive odor exhaled from fresh drawn milk, which when carried along into the jiroduct manufactured damages its taste and keeping qualities, and, necessarily, its value. We will suppose a ease in which milk fresh drawn exhales an offensive odor. Tiie usual process is to strain it into pans and set for cream. The milk cools gradually and the cream rises and forms an air-tight covering for the milk and its tainting odors. Until the milk, cooling from 98°, or blood-heat, to 70°, reaches the latter point, the whole tendency of the taint is evaporative, and rising, impregnates the cream with its unwholesome taste and smell. Finally the cream is taken off, taint and all, and churned. The lady of the house, after all her care and labor, is repaid with a batch of butter that is unfit to eat. Now I venture the asser- tion that the great bulk of butter manufactured in Eaton county is made from milk more or less tainted, and handled in the manner described. And this is the reason, the primary cause of our butter bringing but a shilling when the best butter makers in other localities are receiving from 22 to 28 cents. This animal odor, this taint — what does it consist of, or what is it? Prof. Arnold and others who have given a great deal of time to the W'ork of giving a practical answer to this question, inform ns that it consists of an oil that is very volatile in its nature. In other words, there is a volatile oil in milk that takes on all the offensive odors of the food, water or air furnished the cow. But what can we do to neutralize tlie effects of this tainting, volatile oil? Prof. Arnold says that in order to obtain even fair results, the milk should be thoroughly aired and cooled as soon as possible after it is drawn from the cow. T. i). Curtis, of New York, a practical dairyman and writer upon dairy topics, says that air is the only purifier of milk, and that airing is of full as much im- portance as cooling — and that this is the great question presented to the butter and cheese makers of the United States. It is true that cooling milk to 70° or less as soon as possible after it is drawn neutralizes the tainting element to a great degree, and is an improvement upon the practice of setting for cream while warm from the cow and depending upon the atmosphere for a cooling power. Very many dairymen strain their milk into tin vessels surrounded with cold well water, anil di)) and jiour it until it is cooled to the right temperature, before setting for cream. These men obtain the liighest prices for their products, and have no trouble in securing ready sales. There is another process recommended by Prof. Arnold, whicli is beyond the reach of the ordinary butter-makers of Michigan. He says that this oil, or taint is somewhat volatile at 65° of heat, and that by heating the milk to 150° as soon as possible after it is drawn, causes this volatile oil to go off with a rush. FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 185 In butter making the milk bus to be cooled again to 70° or less, stirring con- stantly through the whole process, in order to assist evaporation and secure a uniform heating ami cooling of the Avhole mass. When cooled to the desired temperature, it is set for cream. It is by tiiis process that the best creamery butter, that commands the highest price, is made. In cheese making by this i)rocess of heating, the milk is cooled down to 100°, the rennett applied, and the curd worked in the usual manner. To test this heating process, two years ago, I asked my patrons, whose cows were eating leeks in the spring of the year, to send tlieir milk to the factory for one day. They did so, and I lirst heated it up to 1G0°. Then I cooled it to 84°, and applied the rennett. After cutting the curd, I heated it again to 100", and let it cool at that point. I was disappointed in the result. Contrary to my ex- pectations, I produced a very good cheese from milk badly tainted with leeks. In conclusion, I repeat that good cows, well fed, watered and cared for, are the first essentials to profitable dairying. Thoroughly airing and cooling milk as soon as possible after it is drawn is a necessity that cannot be overlooked. A cool milk room, away from the odors of the kitchen or cellar, in butter mak- ing is anotlier necessity. Perfect cleanliness in the milking vard or stables is still another necessity. Of course the ladies are always neat. It is in this man- ner, which I have imperfectly described, that dairying can be made a paying branch of our diversified modes of extracting money from the soil of our farms, and the $100,000 now lost by putting an inferior article of butter and cheese on the market, saved to the farmers of Eaton county alone. Discussioisr. Prof. Beal. — How many of your neighbors believe it is injurious to the milk to have the cows drink stagnant water? Mr. Preston. — Very few of tliem ; yet much of the tainted milk that comes to the factory, is caused by bad water and improper food. Sometimes, how- ever, it is caused by a 1-ack of necessary care and thoroughness in cleansing the vessels containing the milk. .Sometimes, also, by leaving it too long exposed to the odors of the barn. Prof. Ingersoll. — What do you- consider to bo the value of permanent pasture for stock? Mr. Preston. — I regard June grass and white clover as the very best of pas- ture, and it yields the largest quantity per acre. I regard it as a mistaken idea, that an old pasture must be plowed : better put a harrow upon it and give it a top dressing of plaster. Asa Mitchell. — I have a piece of land that has been cleared thirty years ; after one crop it was self-seeded ; since that time it has been pasture. There are six aeres of it, and it yields more and bstter pasture than any other ten acres on the farm. Some one asked Mr. Preston whether he would feed turnips to milch cows, to which he replied that he would not feed them any kind of turnips that he had ever seen yet, as they would invariably taint the milk. He tiiought noth- ing so well supplied the place of grass as green corn and wheat bran. Mr. L. Shepherd, of Olivet, read the following paper, entitled IS AGRICULTUKE A SCIENCE? Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen : — I am aware that this is no new subject, nor one that has not been discussed in all its bearings in relation 24 18G STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. to agriculture, with such force and ability by men of experience, it would seem that nothing more could be said upon the subject. The agricultural papers have long discussed tliis question of science in its relation to agriculture, or agriculture as a science. Books have been multiplied upon all the questions that conic iiudcr this important theme, and we might safely infer that the success of the farmer lies only in following those plans that are in harmony witli fixed laws. It is not my purpose to dwell at length upon tliis question ; time will not permit : but only to direct your attention to a few facts and suggestions, to illustrate wiiat I present for your consideration. AVhon the pioneers began to clear the forest, it was only necessary to lightly stir the vegetable mould, that the grain could get a hold, and a remunerative crop was sure to follow. But as this virgin soil became exhausted by contin- ued cropping, something more became necessary in order to realize a fair com- pensation for the labor. In these times of rapid progress in all the arts and sciences, giving us such a variety of farm machinery adapted to increase the amount of work performed for the time expended, there is no reason why the farm should not be in a bet- ter state of cultivation, and the returns be more remunerative than formerly. Our farms are our homes, — it is iierc we spend our days, — it is here we gain our living, and while one-half of the world is thus providing for its temporal necessities, the otlier half is anxiously looking to see whether we have bread and to spare ; for upon the success of the farmer depends the prosperity of the country. Our aim should be to so increase our farm productions that we may have the means to improve our farms, and adorn our homes. Every one is aware that a piece of clay or loamy soil plowed while wet is very hard and impervious to water or the roots of plants when it becomes dry, and as plants will not grow in soil in that condition, the only economical remedy is under- draining. This plan has not been followed by farmers as generally as it should. The reason, "I cannot afford the expense." One of the best farmers in Seneca county, N. Y., and a pioneer in tile underdraining (Mr. John John- sou), always argued that whenever land needed underdraining, the extra yield of the first crop after often would pay all the expense of the outlay ; and I doubt not, some that are here can corroberate this assertion. To dry a heavy soil by evaporation or by a common method of furrow-draining, the absorbing properties of tlie soil that arc essential to bring nutriment to the fibrous roots of plants are destroyed, and the elements so necessary to plant growth are excluded. And this fact is also true, that if a plant is dwarfed for want of root-sustenance, its enfeebled state so weakens its leaf-absorbing powers to drink in the gases so necessary to its development, that failure and disappointment is the reward of the farmer. On every soil it is necessary that the surplus water should be filtered tlirough, by so doing the soil is left porous, and what- ever foreign substance it may contain is left for plant growth. Air and heat being as necessary for root-growth in cultivated plants as top-growth, a loose, friable soil is the best. No other occu})ation calls into requisition so many of the natural sciences as the farmers'. And yet, few appear to realize that his work has any connection whatever with science. In buying a piece of land, we examine (unconscious it may be) its geological formation. Whether the soil is of such a character that in its connection witli the sub-soil it appears to be composed almost entirely of inorganic matter, as clay, sand, etc., we call it a poor soil. Oil the other hand, if it api)cars to be almost entirely of organic FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 187 substance, us muck, wo discard that for general farming ; the two combined will form what is termed a good soil. Chemistry jierforms an important part in the labors of the farm. The farmer is tlie chemist, the farm the labo- ratory, and his success depends almost entirely upon supplying the soil with those substances that contain the elements for the crop, and by tillage and the action of water, air, and heat upon them, the gases formed by this new coni])i- nation form the food for plant-growth, and for its perfection. Prof. Johnson, in his work on Agricultural Chemistry, in explaining the action of gases, as of ammonia and nitrogen that is in the air, on the growth of plants, cites as an illustration, that if two farmers side by side, the one with better cultivation and more luxuriant growth of crops, would adsorb not only tlie ammonia and other gases in that field, but would draw these very ele- ments from his neighbor's, enriching the better crop at the expense of the poorer. Allowing this to be the case it would bo a great incentive to farmers to strive for the ascendency in having a rich soil and thorough cultivation. In farm management we reason from causes to effects, and so plan our ope- rations. Botany is called into requisition as we study the character and habits of growth of the grain, the grasses, and ])lants which we raise, while we may be ignorant of how to analyze them or classify them in their natural order. Two other important sciences are being rapidly developed, viz. : Entomology and Pomology. As our country grows older, each year seems to bring some new insect enemy to injure and destroy our crops. It is important to learn their habits that we may destroy them or prevent their ravages. Pomology is important in connection with the farmer's profession. No farmer can excuse himself in being without a variety of fruits at all seasons of the year. These delicious luxuries and necessities should be found in abundance on every farm. But they need atten- tion and proper cultivation. None can question the fact that the better these sciences are understood and applied there will be more enjoyment in farm la- bor and more satisfactory results. No one can adopt a system of farming unless his farm is first prepared, either naturally or by artificial means, to carry out a plan of regular rotation, which is the only correct and sure method of keeping up the fertility of the land. It is true that very good crops are raised in succession, for a time, if the soil is rich in the elements for those crops, but ultimately, the failure will be sure to come. Our banks are not in the habit of discounting beyond the deposits. A farmer, by adopting a system whereby he increases the average of his crop, is not likely to fall back to the '"' make do" and " no method" way. Ho will not be satis- fied with a merely perceptible increase in the yield, but he sets his mark to the highest limit, and at that he aims. In breeding and feeding stock, he discards the common coarse-boned cattle that, at three years old, will weigh 800 lbs., when with the improved breeds, at two years old, with less corn, he can have them to weigh 1,000 lbs., and worth one-third more per lb. He is not satisfied to raise such swine as, at one and a-half years old, with no limit to the amount of corn consumed, will weigh 250 lbs., when with the improved breeds, at nine months old, tiiey weigh 300 lbs. He cannot afford to raise sheep that shear 2^ to 4 lbs. of wool, when he can as cheaply raise the improved breeds, that shear from 5 to 10 lbs. of wool, and worth more per lb. This question of a higher standard of farming, and the improvement of stock 188 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. is each year becoming more important. That farmers are more generally being awakened to it is evident from this fact that our agricultural fairs were never so well attended as now, with the horse-racing left out. The exhibition of farm products were never so great, and the standard of excellence was never so high. With these facts before us, we have great reason for encouragement. It shows that the prejudices of ignorance and indifference are fast being overcome. Can w-e stop now and turn our steps backward ? The rapid development of the new West, with its deep rich soil and luxuriant growth of crops, must add a new impetus to our energies to compete with them in the markets of the world, and improvements of the age. We must place ourselves upon that noble and inspiring platform, " Sys- tem, Progress, Imj)rovement.'^ Our labor must be systematic, directed by intelli- gence. The brain and the hands must be co-workers in the elevation of the stand- ard of our calling. In these depressing times, when the products of the farm are sold at extremely low prices, it is the more important that farmers should have these meetings, witli a free intercliange of opinions upon the best methods of farm management. Agricultural societies, granges, farmers' clubs, or whatever name by which tliey may be called, should be organized and supported by the farmers in every township. Stated periods should be fixed for these farmers' meetings, and very much in this way can be done to encourage and awaken a deeper interest in our work. Agricultural papers should be more encouraged and jiatronized. They are the disseminators of the great fundamental truths that lie at the foundation of farming, and no farmer can afford to be deprived of their weekly visitations to his fireside. The systematic farmer does not sat- isfy himself in selfish present gains. He has a pride in his well-tilled fields and tlie merits of his improved stock, beyond their value in dollars and cents, be- sides the noble satisfaction that to his posterity he leaves a farm rich and full or all the elements that bring ample remuneration for the labor bestowed. We sometimes hear the remark that ''Farming don't pay." But who are those that make this complaint? Are tliey those that take a pride in their pro- fession as farmers? Are they those intelligent and persevering men that see far enough beyond self to know that when commercial reverses, panics and bankruptcies sweep over the land, tliat if they are true to their profession as farmers, this sign upon their door-post insures them immunity from these scathing destroyers of men's brightest liopes? Some may say tliis is fancy, and easy to talk about, beautiful in theory. Still there is tlie reality. These are questions that must be met and solved. This is, brother farmers, why we have met liere to-day. This is why tlie farmers of Eaton county have invited the able and experienced professors of our State Agricultural College to meet Avith us at tliis time, that in their theories, combined witli their practical ex- perience on tlie college farm, they may give us the true methods of scientific or systematic farming. A short essay was read by Mr. J. Dean, Jr., on the " Discipline of the Farm." Mr. Dean, though confessedly not a very enthusiastic farmer himself, set fortli in a very pleasant manner some of the things connected with farming wliicii were not only conducive to pliysical culture, but furnished also good moral and intellectual discipline. After the reading of this essay a recess was taken till 1 o'clock P. M. FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 189 AFTERNOON SESSION. Prof. W. J. Boal gave a lecture on the ''Improvement of our Grains, Fruits and Vegetables," (see lectures given at more than one Institute). Mrs. Ellis, of Kalamo, next read a short essay ou HOUSEHOLD ECONOMY. The essayist advocated system as essential to proper housekeeping, while claiming that it was more difficult to be systematic in housekeeping than in al- most anything else, there being so many liabilities to interruption. The importance of a good garden to the farmer's household was set fortlv as being enhanced by remoteness from market. The essayist took a very correct and liberal view of household economy, iu claiming that it was a false idea of economy to be deprived of things that per- tained to tlie growth of character and the culture of the mind, or tliat would bring needed rest for the body, merely for the sake of saving money. Mr. John Griffin, of Olivet, read the following essay on ''the educatiox OF farmers' children." To tlie casual observer it might appear that the education of farmers' chil- dren, in the State of Michigan, at least, is well provided for. To substantiate this assertion it can be asked, and with pride, too, what State has a better edu- cational system than ours? In what State is the district school, the high school, the academy and college found more frequently than in our own? And certainly, as far as the provision of money is concerned in the education of our children, we have no reason to be ashamed. But in the education of the young there are other influences necessary to be thrown around them which can not be purchased with monev. The consideration of those influences will form the topic of this essay. If a true account of the moral, intellectual and social condition of the chil- dren of our country were given to us, we should be surprised to note the defi- ciencies of our children in these respects. It would be found that if they had ever been taught it, they had entirely forgotton the maxim, " Honor thy father and mother." It is a common occurrence to see families in which all filial respect on the part of children is entirely ignored. It is a noted fact that children are to be found in the families of prosperous farmers, whose moral characters are far below what they should be. This should not be the case, as farmers, being more isolated from the world than people of other professions, can exer- cise a greater influence in moulding the characters of their children than any other class of people. It certainly is of the greatest importance that that in- fluence sliould be a right one. Parents are often to blame for the vices their children possess. If you hear a boy use profane language, it can usually be traced back to the parent, and if you find a young scapegrace who visits orchards and melon patches in search of plunder, there is a strong prob- ability that his father did so before him, and has related how cunningly he did tliese things when a bov himself. I will venture the assertion that more than lialf the bad boys are made so by the example and teachings of their parents. Parents, have you ever seriously thought of the influence your character and and teachings Inive over your children? If in such observation you find any- thing wrong in yourselves, try immediately to correct it, for procrastination may result in irreparable evils. Some one may ask how will you do this? How 190 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. ■\TOuld you make iny children good and lovable? It would be presumptions in me to undertake to tell all that should be done, but I will suggest one thing, at least, that will be an influence in the right direction : that is, teach your chil- dren to love the beautiful. Teach them to look for it in all their surroundings. Many farmers look at a thing of beauty only as a thing out of which more money can be coined. To such people a line animal is beautiful only because it brings its owner more money, and a beautiful tree, flower or shrub, if not possessed of an intrinsic value, fails to attract their admiration. We are too apt to educate our children into mere money-making machines. Encourage your children in the cultivation of flowers. Give them a piece of ground to call their own, and encourage them in its cultivation. I would not have them cultivate flowers exclusively, but let them raise fruits and vegetables, and give them the proceeds of their sale, so that the love of the beautiful and the desire for an independence may go hand in hand, as established principles in their characters. It is surprising how soon they will appreciate such things. It is a fact that as a love of the beautiful increases, a dislike of everything des- picable increases in the same ratio. Some may acknowledge that they are negligent in the moral training of their children, and still think that they are doing all that can be done for their intel- lectual advancement. As far as the provision of schools are concerned, may be we have done our duty; but this only constitutes part of what is necessary for their mental training. Children need the encouragement and sympathy of their parents at every step they take in their studies. How many parents are there who give their children this help? How many parents visit the schools in which their children are being educated? I venture to say that the district schools of Michigan will not average three visits to the term. We should be considered very neglectful of our interests if we employed a shepherd to take charge of our flocks and never went to see how he was dis- charging his duties. But we do employ teachers to take a far more responsible charge, without giving further thought to the subject. It is often the case that incompetent teachers are employed to instruct our children, whereas if the same degree of incompetency was manifested in a farm hand, wc would imme- diately discharge him. In other cases, competent teachers fail of doing the good they might from a lack of cooperation on the part of parents. I would have you teach your children true politeness. There is a prejudice existing in the minds of some against this. They term it *' putting on too much style." Politeness is not always rightly understood, being frequently con- founded with affectation. True politeness is an unselfish regard for the feel- ings and comforts of others. It is so natural for people to be selfish in this world that parents will find it to be one of the most diflicult tasks they have, to restrain this propensity in their children. The mother wlio has been able to restrain selfishness in her children, has accomplished a noble work that will go down to future generations, long after she has passed away. Lastly, though not least, I would advise you to be mindful of the health of your children. Remember tiie adage, *' An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure." If you are not conversant Avitli the laws of health, get some good work on hygiene and make it a study. You will find it a profitable in- vestment, whicli may save you much anxiety and many long doctor bills. Head the reports sent out Ly the State Board of health ; tliey will give you liglit upon things which you have not thought of before. In fact, it should be the great object of life with those who have children, to provide for their moral, intellec- FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 191 tual, spiritual and temporal welfare. I would lay more stress upon the first three qualities than upon the last. Although it is necessary to provide for their temporal welfare to a certain extent, it will hardly be necessary for me to urge it upon you. It is now the controlling iniluence with the majority of farmers. The almighty dollar is the main thing they are striving to acquire, and that, too, ofttimes at the expense of honesty. What is to be done with tliis almighty dollar? Why, it will be kept for a few years, and then wo leave it to our children. How will it be used then? If those children have been properly educated it will still continue to do good in the world ; but if, on the contrary, their education has been neglected, that prop- erty you have grown grey in acquiring will bo squandered as the spendthrift squanders it, or hoarded as tlie miser hoardes it. It would be well if public attention were directed more to this subject. If it could be made practical, I would have a premium offered at our fairs for the best behaved children. I would have another for the best district school; and in place of the premium offered for the handsomest young lady, I would give one to the best behaved one. And so also the family that conducts itself and surroundings according to the best laws of health, should have a little public attention in the way of a premium. Now, in conclusion, brother farmers and others, I will ask of you to give this more than a passing thought. If, according to your judgments, there is a need of improvement in your families, let this, the commencement of the new year, be the accepted time to institute the reform ; so that in the end, it will be said of you, " Well done, good and faithful servants." DISCUSSION. Hon. C. A. Gower, Superintendent of Public Instruction, was called upon. The following is a brief abstract of his remarks : In holding teachers' Institutes, it is important that I should know the wants of the farmer, and I hope tliat there will be such freedom of discussion here that I will learn a good deal in this line. No Farmers' Institutes were held when I was a farmer, and this is the first I ever attended. In farming there is greater division of labor now than formerly, and there needs to be better information. Tliat which once served well enough, would now drive a farmer to the poor-house There is a common impression that I believe to be true, viz.: that we are crowding our children forward too fast. Popular desire is too urgent for press- ing forward. Where one complains that his boy is pressed forward too fast, fifty complain of their children being kept back. Mr. Gower recommended a change of the superintendent system. Townshi}) superintendents are often incompetent. If we have examination well done by a board of county examiners, the visitation might be left to the township su- perintendent. The scheme was suggested at the State Teachers' Association, that township superintendents select a board of examiners, and so take it out of politics and leave it to the people. Prof. Fairchild spoke of the teaching at the Agricultural College. He ex- plained that the course in English composition and also in French were used as a means of mastering English. Mr. N. P. Green gave an unwritten address on the topic, 192 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. "is farming a success! Mr. Green claimed that at the present rates of interest a young man without capital could not purchase a farm and both make his living and pay the inter- est of the purchase money, off the proceeds of the land. In the discussion that followed tliis address it was evident that some of the farmers present took a different view of tlie matter. Mr. T. D. Bryan stated that he came to Michigan a good many years ago, without capital, and bought a farm. lie had now four farms, all paid for, and a good deal of the purchase money lie had hired at ]0 per cent. Mr. Frank P. Davis, of Vermontville, read the following paper on J5 ''highways and bridges. In presenting this paper we shall not attempt to go into the general science of roadmaking ; nor do we expect to present much that is new. The subject of roadmaking has been very thoroughly written up by men who have made it their life work, and all that we can attempt to do in the time allowed is to show how a road that will keep in fair condition during all seasons of the year, can be constructed and kept up with no other materials than tlie clay and loam of which our common roads are made. The questions of alignment, grades, bridging, etc., which will arise, must be settled by a careful study of each particular case, by a competent engineer who should prepare a profile of the surface of the ground and establish grades, both for the surface of the finished road, and of the side drains. If the work is let by the job, he will also see that the contract is fulfilled, and upon his estimate the contractor will draw his pay. If the road is built by highway labor, the foreman or overseer must see that the work is done in strict accordance with the profile. The foundation of all good roads is thorough drainage. This can generally be secured by making the side ditches straight, continuous, and on a true grade, that no hollows may be left to become standing pools after every shower, soak- into and under the road, to the certain ruin of its surface. The side drains must have free outlets into natural water-courses as often as possible ; one principle to be strictly adhered to is to get rid of all water as soon as possible. We have frequently seen small streams turned out of their natural course and carried alongside the road in ditches. 'JMiis ought never t5 be done, as the water will be absorbed by the subtratum of the road, and frost and travel will soon break up the surface and render it unfit for use. All public roads in this State are required by statute to be GG feet in width, which is nearly twice what is necessary; under ordinary circumstances, a width of 20 feet in the center is sulficicnt to accommodate all the travel ; add 5 feet on each side for ditches, and 3 feet on each side outside the ditches, and it gives a total width of 3G feet. For level ground this is ample, and any width beyond is not only a Avaste of land but a positive damage to the road and the adjoining farms, as it soon becomes covered with a crop of vile smelling and unsightly weeds, which keep the ground moist and porous, and })revent the sun and winds from having free access to the road. The road-bed must be highest in the middle and descend gradually each way to the ditches. For such a road I would recommend a slope of 1 foot in 15, which will give a rise in the center of 9 inches, or 21 inches above the bottom of. the ditches. This form is recommended in preference to an arc of a circle FAEMERS' INSTITUTES. 193 or ellipse, as being more easily formed and as giving better drainage to the con- tor of the road. The ditches should be one foot deep and a foot \vidc on the bottom, with side slopes of 2 feet, horizontal, to 1 foot vertical, and ought never to have a fall of less than I foot in 100 feet lengthwise of the road, though less will answer if the ditciics are very evenly graded on the bottom. If the road does not have sulliciont fall the ditches must be made deeper at their lower end. Of course where embankments occur the width and depth of the ditches must be varied to suit tiie ground. Tlirough swamps and marshes the ditches ought to be at least o feet deep, with good outlets. Wherever springs occur, tile drains, laid at least -i feet below the surface should be used and the surface tlioroughly drained be- fore any attempt is made to build the road. All road building ought to be done during the months of July, August or September, a