DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 41 



COWS I have placed 32 registered sires, that is, the owners of cattle 

 have agreed to purchase the sires. They have not in all cases pur- 

 chased them as yet, but are negotiating- with parties for their purchase. 

 T have organized nine Alfalfa Clubs, viz.: Melvin, Carsonville, Leslie. 

 Wolverine, Harbor Springs. Atlanta, Hillman, Manton and Weidman 

 Have looked over about 90,000 acres of cutover hardwood land in Che- 

 boygan county with Mr. A. B. Segur, of Indianapolis, Ind., for the 

 purpose of opening them for agriculture. 



I have attended the annual convention of the Federation of Operative 

 Millers' of America, at Detroit with the Station exhibits of wheat, 

 flour and bread. During the year, I have visited several of the Breeders' 

 Associations that I have organized and with the exception of two (Jones 

 and Traverse City) all are in a prosperous condition and doing good 

 work. The two mentioned are still using the Association methods of 

 Avork, but have surrendered their corporate charter. This was the result 

 of disagreements among the members of the Association. Four weeks 

 were spent with the short course students, June 19 to July 1st, 1911." 



Respectfullv submitted, 

 R. S. SHAW, 

 Dean of Agriculture. 



East Lansing, June 30th, 1911. 



REPORT OF SOILS DEPARTMENT. 



President J. L. Snvder, College:. 



Dear Sir: During' the year just closed this department has given 

 instruction to something like 375 students of all grades. This number 

 would be increased by at least 150 if it were not for the changing of 

 the schedule, which has thrown several of our classes farther ahead 

 in our course. 



It is a pleasure to report that along- all lines, we have been enabled, 

 as predicted in our report of a year ago, to enlarge and make more 

 practical the different courses which we are offering the students. This 

 is due to the better facilities offered by the new building for such work 

 and also to its influence upon the spirit of the student body. 



Mr. Spunv'ay has done excellent service as instructor and is responsi- 

 ble in no small measure for the enlargement of the work. 



A new departure this year was a trip of inspection to six typical 

 farms of Michigan. The results were so gratifying that it is planned 

 to make this feature a permanent part of the work for the future. The 

 inspection of these farms gave to the students a better conception of 

 the possibilities of the farm, as well as of the importance of correct 

 management. 



As usual there has been a large demand for extension work, so large 

 indeed that we were unable to respond to all the calls made for help in 

 this direction. These calls came from the State Teachers' Association; 



