Report of the President. 23 



XV. Department of Drawing. 



(a) The department gave instruction during the first term to 60 stu- 

 dents, and during the second term to 35 students. The falhng off in 

 enrolhnent is due to the fact that freehand drawing, hitherto required, 

 was this year made elective. The department continues to prepare 

 illustrations for the College bulletins and leaflets. 



XVI. Department of Rural Economy. 



(a) The courses in this department are intended to deal with the 

 general economic and social problems connected with agriculture. A 

 new introductory course has been offered this year for first-year stu- 

 dents, giving a general survey of the whole field ; and it is proposed to 

 oft'er next year a course in Conservation. 



(b) A study of crop production in the United States has been begun. 



(c) Letters have been written in answer to inquiries, many of these 

 having to do with cooperative enterprises in agriculture. 



XVII. Department of Home Economics. 



(a) New courses on the home, foods, and house planning were offered 

 to students specializing in the work of the department, and a general 

 course on home economics for those women desiring only a survey of 

 the field. Three courses were also offered to students in the winter 

 courses. 



(b) Experiments were made on the cooking qualities, waste, and flavor 

 of various grades of quinces; on the effect of temperature on bread; 

 on the comparative efficiency, economy, and value of some of the new 

 labor-saving devices (such as ironing machines and vacuum cleaners) 

 as compared with hand labor; and on the cost of home products (such as 

 canned goods, bread, and the like) as compared with market products, 



(c) Through the bulletins in the Reading Course for Farmers' Wives 

 the department has come into touch during the year with over 15.000 

 women. These bulletins are used as the basis of study in 42 clubs, organ- 

 ized by the department, with a membership of between 12 and 150 each. 

 Members of the department have given 120 addresses during the year, 

 some before such organizations, others at grange meetings and farmers' 

 institutes. The Housekeepers' Conference, organized in connection with 

 Farmers' Week at the College, is proving an excellent means of affiliation 

 between the College interests and the women of the State. 



