REPORT OF THE PROFESSOR OF AGRICULTURE. 63 



E. W, Blateliford & Co., Chicago, Ills., one bag of stock food. 

 Packages ol' imported seed wheats from Col. Coleman, Commissioner of 

 Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 



Box of Learning seed corn from John F. Drew, Jackson. 



PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS, 



The tiling of No. 13 has been completed and we have crossed the Graifd 

 Trunk II. R. and comnienrel work in No. 15. When it is remembered that 

 tlie drainage water from this field must all be carried to the river, nearly 

 a mile awav, the magnitude of the svsteni of drainase we are eno-a"'ed 

 in becomes apparent. The unsightly hole east of the cattle barn has been 

 ' drained and plowed. No. Ki has in good part been underl)rushed, picked up 

 and burned. About two acres of timber still stands, which I think should be 

 cut the coming winter, so that the clearing of this field may be completed. 



On account of the location of the new mechanical laboratory, the piggery 

 has been moved twenty-five rods east and a little soutli and is now located 

 about ten rods south of the sheep barn, a much better and more convenient 

 site than tlie one it formerly occupied. A joint floor was laid and then planked 

 similar to the old one. A well driven, and supplied with a good force pump 

 and hose, so that the whole interior can bo thoroughly lloo led at any time. 

 Yards contiguous to the pens have been enclosed with substantial post and 

 board fence, so that it is all in much better shape than before. 



The old wagon shed has been taken down, as it was unsightly and implements 

 could be stored elsewhere. 



The last legislature app'opriated $300 for the erection of a new wind mill and 

 the taking down and repairing of the old one and erecting it near the Grand 

 Trunk R. R., in No. 15, to supply the permanent pasture tields with water for 

 stock. 



With this apjiropriation a new Manvel wind mill was purchased and erected 

 on the site of the old mill taken down. This pumps the water into a ninety 

 • barrel supply tank, whence it is conveyed in pipes to the experimental and 

 sheep barns and to a twenty barrel tank east of tlie cattle barn. These tanks 

 have all been enclosed as well as the pum]i in good shape, which makes our 

 water supply at the barns for stock constant and easy of access and I believe it 

 is so thoroughly protected as to give us little if any trouble by freezing in the 

 tanks. 



The old mill has been thoroughly repaired, the derrick lengthened some 

 twenty feet and substantially erected, and pump enclosed in No. 15. A fifty 

 barrel supply tank receives the water and pipes carry it to twenty barrel tanks, 

 in each of fields Nos. 15, IG, 12, 13 and to a smaller tank in No. 14. The 

 pipes are arranged so that the tanks can be emptied during cold weather, as 

 this mill is intended only to furnish summer supply. This arrangement gives 

 us plenty of stock water in each o^' these permanent pasture fields. Its value 

 to our stock cannot be over-estimated and its good results are plainly a|)paront 

 in the thrift and better condition of our cattle over other seasons without any 

 other ghange except jjlenty of })ure water whenever they wanted it I am con- 

 vinced that cattle will do better on short feed and plenty of water than on flush 

 feed and lack the water. 



The contract for the building of the tanks and erection of the mills, furnishing 

 pipe and pumps, &c., was taken by the firm of Jas. Rork & Bro., North Ltmsing. 

 Their work was done in a most satisfactory manner and reflects credit on tho 



