AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 11 



weights and records, when several experiments are being carried on 

 at the same time. These duties now devolve upon Mr. Shaw, 

 foreman on the farm, who has rendered the Station efficient service 

 in this direction. 



The work of the Station, as outlined above, covers a wide field 

 of inquiry, and it should not be expected that all the problems 

 important in Maine agriculture will receive attention at once, or 

 that these problems will be quickly solved. Many points in farm 

 practice must be studied experimentally for several years, before 

 safe conclusions can be reached, although some questions can be 

 answered more promptly. An effort will be made to adapt the work 

 of the Station to the special needs of the State, and to secure results 

 whose direct practical value shall be unquestioned. 



STATION BUILDINGS AND APPLIANCES 



Since the first organization of an experiment station at the 

 college in 1885, it has occupied building space that has been 

 needed by the departments of instruction. Moreover, now that 

 national aid has so greatly enlarged the scope of the work to be 

 done, the demand for more and better room for laboratory and 

 other purposes has become imperative. This fact was recognized 

 by the trustees at the February meeting of 1887, and consequently 

 they made arrangements for the erection of a building to contain 

 the chemical laboratory, station office and director's room. This 

 building, constructed of brick with granite trimmings, is now 

 nearly ready for occupancy, and is believed to be well suited to the 

 work for which it is intended. Its general appearance and plan 

 are shown by the accompanying plates. 



The basement contains space for the unpacking and storage of 

 apparatus and chemicals, a Springfield gas machine for the manu- 

 facture of burning gas from naptha, a boiler which supplies steam 

 for heating and laboratory purposes, and room for coal. On the 

 first floor are five rooms devoted entirely to chemical work, 

 including a reading room in which is to be placed a special chemical 

 librai-y. Three of these rooms are furnished with gas, water, 

 tables, hoods, steam baths for evaporation and balance shelves set 

 on brackets built into the wall. The apparatus for these rooms is 

 already purchased. The upper floor has a Station office with an 

 accompanying small room for storage, the director's private room, 

 and a room which will probably be temporarily devoted to 



