248 Seventeenth Annual Report of the 



The report of farmers' institutes constitutes a separate volume 

 of this report. Important changes in methods have been made to 

 meet changing conditions in agriculture. The institutes have been 

 well attended and unquestionably they have contributed greatly 

 toward improvement in our agriculture. The regular speakers at 

 institutes are men and women who are thoroughly familiar with 

 the practical side and most recent developments in their specialties. 

 They have been ably assisted by scientists connected with the State 

 Experiment Station and the State College of Agriculture. 



STATE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND STATE 

 EXPERIMENT STATION 



The reports of these institutions constitute separate volumes of 

 this report. A review of their work shows increasing growth in 

 value to the agricultural interests of the state. JSTew information 

 resulting from carefully conducted experiments and observations, 

 the instruction of students, and work throughout the state by 

 means of correspondence, demonstrations and lectures are bring- 

 ing results to our farmers comparable with those produced by 

 similar institutions in other states and without which some import- 

 ant lines of agriculture would be impossible and others would be 

 seriously handicapped. 



REPORT OF NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE 



AT ALFRED UNIVERSITY 



introduction 



!N t ew York State School of Agriculture 

 at Alfred University. 



December 1, 1909. 

 Hon. R. A. Pearson, State Commissioner of Agriculture, 

 Albany, N. Y.: 

 Dear Sir. — Permit me to hand you herewith the first annual 

 report of the New York State School of Agriculture at Alfred 

 University, which consists of the report of the director to the presi- 

 dent for the year beginning October 1, 1908, and ending Septem- 

 ber 30, 1909. This report has been approved by the board of 

 managers, and is thereby adopted as the first annual report of the 

 school to the State Commissioner of Agriculture. 



