DEPAKTMENT EEPOKTS. 133 



The permanent improvement of the field inchides taking out the last stump 

 and picking up some stone at a cost of $4.34. The cost of wheat on the ground 

 and the seeding to timothy is cliarged forward to the field for the next year. 



Field No. 4. Of this, one acre was already sovai to winter rye for hinding 

 corn stalks in husking. The remainder was plowed and planted to corn for 

 soiling purposes in drills 30 inches apart. The field was divided into four plats, 

 planted about 10 days apart. The green fodder was cut and fed during the 

 drouth in August and September, and charged in the stock account at cost of 

 production, — $44.94. No other expenditures were made upon this field. Small 

 fenced plats were used as pasture for hogs and sheep. 



Field No. 5. This field was in meadow. Plaster (donated by the Ohio Plaster 



Company, of Grand Rapids, Mich), at the rate of 50 pounds per acre, was sown, 



and the field rolled April 25th, as some clover plants were heaved by the frost. We 



began cutting grass on June 29th, and finished on July 10th. The yield was 43| 



tons, or 2 37-G8 tons per acre. All was secured in good order, except 25,895 lbs., 



credited at |(3.00 per ton, and one load of 2,070 lbs., credited at $2.00 per ton, which 



amounts were injured by the heavy rains occurring between the 1st and the Gth 



of July. The field is now in pasture. The main drain for Field No. 3 runs 



through this field, and the outlet is near the southeast corner. Laying tile was 



begun on August 8th. 



The account is as follows : 



Dr. Cb. 



To labor on field in spring $6 80 



plaster (freight) 93 



labor in hay 77 54 



By 58,535 lbs hay @ 18 00 per ton. $234 14 



25,895 lbs. hay @$6 00 per ton 77 G9 



2,070 lbs. hay @ $2 00 2 07 



To balance 228 63 



$313 90 $313 90 



TlK3re was 20 cts. repairs of fence, which Avas charged to permanent improve- 

 ment. 



Field No. G. — This field, according to the regular rotation, was planted to 

 corn. The clover and timothy sward was turned over and seven loads of com- 

 post were spread on a gravel ridge near the center of the field sloping west. 

 We began plowing on April 24 and finished on May 15. Rain hindered much in 

 the preparation of this field. It was harrowed east and west thoroughly with iron 

 harrows, lapped half. Five or six acres on the south side, on account of early 

 plowing and frequent rains, had become so hard and grassy between furrows 

 that it was cultivated east and west. The field Avas then harrowed southeast and 

 northwest, and again northeast and soutliAvest. The field was then marked for the 

 corn, the rows north and south being 3^ feet apart, and the rows east and west 

 4 feet apart. The field was planted to the variety of corn known as Yellow 

 Blaze, or ''Smut Nose," commencing on May 2C. The seed, except that 

 of the last two acres, Avas soaked in pure Avater for 48 hours previous to plant- 

 ing. That on the last two acres Avas soaked only 8 hours. Finished planting 

 on May 29. 



It Avas proposed to try an experiment Avith two kinds of superphosphate on a 

 portion of this field. The College had previously been donated tAvo tons of 



