DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 39 



of one hnndred and thirty-six volumes, and a miiseiuu of 1,350 specimens, 

 exclusive of cases of insects. 



Much original work is done by the members of the society, and each one 

 takes to the meetings his newly made observations, iiis queries, and the dis- 

 cussions are free, animated, and instructive. The more formal papers for the 

 last year were as follows : "The Amazon," by Professor J. B. Steere of the 

 University. "The place of Definition in Science," by President Abbot. "The 

 Signal Service Barometer," by Dr. Kedzie. "Exactness of Expression in 

 Science," by Professor Fairchild. " The Grape-vine Phylloxera," " The Mound 

 of Newark, Ohio," and "Persistence of Life in the Embryonic Chicken," by 

 Professor Cook. "Autumn Leaves," "A Shower of Angle-worms," and 

 "Method of Study in Natural IIistory,"by Professor Beal. " Method of Least 

 Squares," by Professor Carpenter. "The Telephone," by Professor William 

 K. Kedzie. "The Carrion Mushroom," and "Adulterations in Food," by Mr. 

 Kobert F. Kedzie. "Development of the Chick in the Egg," by Mr. W. C. 

 Latta. "Grain experiments," by Mr. C. E. Breck. "The Fall of Leaves, and 

 the Growth of Koots," by Mr. A. A. Crosier. "The Cuttle Fish," by Mr. E. 

 Davenport. "How much does a Fly weigh?" "The Manufacture of Quinine," 

 "Analyses of Water from wells at the College," by Mr. C. T. Gage. "Our 

 Winter Birds," by C. W. Gammon. "Bumble-bees," "Report of Mound Ex- 

 plorations at Pine Lake," by N. P. Graham. "Wing Scales of the Papil- 

 lionidae," "European Grain Moth (Tinea granella),'^ "Evidences of Glacial 

 actions in Michigan," by F. W. Hastings. "Building Power of Leaves," by 

 AV. E. Hubbert. "Bees on Irregular Corollas," by A. Jones. "Iron as a 

 Coloring Agent in Flowers," by E. 0. Ladd. "Germination of Seeds," by 

 H. E. Owen. "Chemistry of Photography," by A. B. Peebles. "Nature's 

 manner of Sowing her Wild Oats," by R. D. Sessions. "Angle Worms," 

 "Plant Lice," by F. E. Skeels. "Outcrops of Rocks in Michigan," by C. J. 

 Strang. "The Dearth of Terrestrial Animal Life during the age of Coal Plants," 

 by 0. F. Davis. "Some A\^ater Plants," by Byron D. Halstead. 



The other societies of the College have the past year taken up systematic 

 study in history, literature, science and philosophy, and have materially shaped 

 the reading of the students. 



THE GIIADUATES. 



A class of thirty is to be graduated in November. Not counting tiiese, the 

 College has grtiduated one hundred and fifty-six. Four of these are not living, 

 and the occupation of eleven is not known to me at tliis time. Of the remain- 

 der, fifty-five are farming, seven are in fruit culture, three in bee-keeping, and 

 eleven giving instruction in science and agriculture in colleges, making fifty- 

 four per cent, of the graduates. In an address which I gave before the Legis- 

 lature, and which is to be found in the report of the Board for 1874, pages 64 

 to 85, I showed that other kind of colleges sent less than two per cent, of their 

 graduates to farming. 



Our graduates show that a love of knowledge has been infused into them, by 

 frequently returning to study or by resorting to other institutions of learning to 

 continue their studies. They have gone from i\s to the University, to Cornell, 

 Yale, Harvard, England, France, and Germany to continue their studies. Be- 

 side the five graduates retained as workers in this College, several others have 

 found places in colleges. Tlie Professors of Agriculture in Kansas Agricultu- 

 ral College and in the Missouri University, the Professors of Botany and Horti- 



