Report of the Agriculturist. 



To the Director of the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment 

 Station: 



Sir. — I submit herewith the report of the Agricultural Division 

 of the Cornell University Experiment Station for the year 1896. 

 The larger part of the work has been along the lines of deter- 

 mining the effects of introculture upon the production of farm 

 crops and investigations with reference to the conservation of 

 soil moisture. That there is need for investigation and dissemi- 

 nation of knowledge along these lines is shown by the low aver- 

 age yield of the staple crops throughout the State compared with 

 what might be secured were better methods of tillage more gen- 

 erally practiced. 



Interesting and valuable results have been secured with ref- 

 erence to potato culture and the production of forage crops. A 

 comparative study of some leguminous plants to determine their 

 nitrogen storing capacity has been commenced and will be con- 

 tinued during the coming year. 



The hay crop and the permanent pastures throughout the 

 State have been so affected by droughts during the past few 

 years that it has become a serious question with many farmers as 

 to what they shall provide in their place or to supplement them. 

 To throw light on this subject experiments have been inaugu- 

 rated with the view of determining the best crops for green soil- 

 ing and how silage may best be preserved under different meth- 



