DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 59 



Of these men Avliom we have specially trained there are perhaps over 

 twenty-tive now distributed through the various beet sugar producing 

 states and even down in the cane sugar belt and in I'orto Rico. I make 

 detailed statements of this in order that it may go on record at this 

 time. 



Early in April, after some correspondence with Hon. ^lilton tVhitney, 

 Chief of the liureau of Soils, we were favored with the assistance of 

 Mr. F. R. Reid. who is an ex})ert demonstrator of the wire pot culture 

 method for the ex]>eriuiental determination of tlie manurial require- 

 ments of soils. Mr. Reid spent the months of ^lay and June in this 

 laboratory teaching us the details of the work and tested some soils 

 from our state by this method. A full report of jNIr. Reid's work will 

 probabh be printed in Director Smith's report in this volume. 



During the year the investigation of the chemical composition of some 

 of the various condimental stock foods has engaged my attention. I 

 was called as an exjtert witness before the United States district court 

 at Detroit and also in the Eaton county circuit to testify regarding the 

 general character and com}»osition of these materials. 



On invitation from Dr. F. W. Shumway, Secretary of the State De- 

 ])artment of Healtli. I a])i)eared before the annual conference of the 

 health officers of ^lichigan, held at Grand Rapids, May :Ust, and pre- 

 sented the topic of "Disinfectants from a Chemist's Stand Point.'' 



The work of preparing a complete and accurate card index containing 

 the names and addresses of all former students -and graduates of the 

 college has been entered u])on and has been carried forward by this 

 department. 



During the year just passed I have had the following persons on my 

 staff of instruction : .Messrs: H. S. Reed, C. H. Swanger. F. I. Rit- 

 tenour. E. L. Larison and E. A. IJoyer. 



All of these gentlemen have rendered most efficient service and have 

 in every way helped to build up the work of the department. 



1 wish to thank you personally for your kind assistance and to 

 acknowledge the hearty co-o])eration of all the other members of the 

 faculty in making the year IDO')-!) a successful year of college work. 



Verv respectfullv. 



FRANK S. KEDZIE, 

 Professor of Chemistry. 



Agricultural College, .hiiie :{n. ]!M)(). 



