73G REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



four hours; rhetoric-, two hours; historj^ of civilization, two hours; 

 Enjrlish litoraturo. two liours; chemistry, four hours; 5i<,n'iculture, four 

 hours; farm work, five hours; and industries, eight liours. The sub- 

 jects and hours for the junior class are: Entrlish literature, 2; agricul- 

 ture, 4; botan3%3; physics, 3; chemical laboratory, 4; military science, 2; 

 farm and dairy work, 2; and industries, 8. For the senior class the 

 subjects and hours are: English literature, 2; chemistr}^ 4; geology, 3; 

 agriculture, 4; physiology, 2; horticulture, 3; militarj^ science, 1; 

 farm and dairy work, 5; and industries, 8. 



Instruction in agriculture is given by the president of the college, 

 who is also jjrofessor of agriculture, by means of lectures, recitations, 

 and practicums. The nature and extent of the work is indicated in the 

 following description of courses from the catalogue of the institution 

 for 1902-3: 



The soil. — A study of the origin, formation, and classification of the soils with refer- 

 ence to their agricultural value; the conditions of fertility and the circumstances that 

 influence it; indications of fertility, barren, and exhausted soils; improvement of soils, 

 physical properties of soils, inchiding their relations to air, water, and heat; capillarity, 

 diffusion, and solution, as related to soil texture; farm drainage, including methods 

 of construc-tion; irrigation, tillage, plowing, suhsoiling, harrowing, etc. 



Princijiles of manure and manuring. — Constituents of plants, sources and specific 

 action of the various elements of plant food; crops and materials used as fertilizers; 

 methods of farming in relation to the conservation of fertility. 



Farm crops. — Plant breeding; variation, selection, self and cross fertilization; prac- 

 tical methods of increasing the yield of crops; conditions of germination and plant 

 growth, rotation of crops; planting, growing, harvesting, and storing crops. 



Animal husbandry. — This work begins with a careful study of the types of domestic 

 animals. The score card is the basis in judging beef and dairy cattle, draft and light 

 horses, swine, and poultry. After the student has become familiar with the most 

 approved types, lie studies the principles and methods of successful breeding, heredity, 

 atavism, variation, selection, fecundity, etc. 



Agricultural engineering. — Construction of barns, stables, and other shelters, fences, 

 etc. Road building is considered with special reference to country roads. Some 

 attention is given to the mechanics of farm implements and machines. 



tStock feeding. — The laws of animal nutrition; composition of the animal body; 

 fodders, the source of nutrients; digestion, resorption, circulation, respiration, and 

 excretion; formation of muscle, flesh, and fat; composition and digestibility as 

 determining the value of feeding stuffs, their preparation and use; feeding for fat, for 

 milk, for work, and for growth. A i)ortion of the time is devoted to practicums, in 

 which the student is required to compound rations and feed them, carefully record- 

 ing the results. 



Dairying. — Breeding and improvement of the herd; management and equipment 

 of the farm dairy. One half of the student's time is devoted to practical work in the 

 college dairy, which is fully equippecl. 



Experiments in agriculture. — The work consists of lectures on methods of experi- 

 ment-station work and critical studies of bulletins. The student is required to make 

 abstracts of a sufficient number of bulletins bearing on a selected line of work, to 

 become familiar with their scope and aim. He is also required to plan and conduct 

 an original experiment, using the results obtained as the basis for a thesis. 



Entomology. — Classification of insects sufficient to enable the student to distinguish 

 between useful and injurious insects and to apply remedies intelligently. 



