DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 51 



The person ceiidiiig the soil will please write me at the same time, stating the local- 

 ity from wliicli the soil is sent, the kind of timher growing on such soil, and the route 

 by whicli the package is sent. Send as freiyht in all cases. 



In counties where tliere is an agricidtural society, I would suggest that the secre- 

 tary take this matter in charge, aiul scmhI on tlie soil at an early date: it must be sent 

 earl}'' to insure its analysis, because tins is a slow process. 



Persons wishing further infornuition in regard to the maimer of collecting and 

 forwarding specimens may secure such information by writing to me. 



If the land-owners of this State will take liold of tins matter at once, I think some- 

 thing can be done to attract public attention to the great value of our unimjiroved 

 lands for agricultural ]Hn-i)oses. and secure a share of tlie immigration which now 

 passes by on the other side. R. C. Kedzie. 



State Agricxdtural College, April 20., 1S7S. 



After this circular was issued I received quite a large number of specimens 

 of soil from various parts of the State, and I received notification of man}" 

 otlier specimens sent, which for some reason never reached me. Thirty-two 

 specimens of soil have been analyzed and mounted for exhibition at the State 

 Fair. A few specimens that were received have not been analyzed, — two 

 because they were received too late to be analyzed in time for this exhibition, 

 and the rest because there was no mark by which to identify the locality from 

 Avhich they came. 



For purpose of comparison, a few soils have been introduced into this list, 

 such as the noted "bottom lands of River Raisin," and the famous "burr-oak 

 wheat lands."' By comparing the chemical composition of these lands with 

 that of the new lands of our State, some estimate may be made of their agri- 

 cultural capabilities so far as the cliemical composition is concerned; the 

 opportunity is afforded at the same time of comparing their physical properties. 



Perhaps I cannot place before you in a clearer light the estimate placed 

 lapon this effort, on the part of observing men of our State, than by extracts 

 from letters 1 have received on this subject. The first is from a letter written 

 by a member of the last Legislature: "You have struck the keynote, both 

 for the vast unimproved portions of this part of our State, and for the Agri- 

 cultural College. I do not have any faith in soil analysis to determine just 

 ■what elonents must be added to produce a certain crop; but I have great con- 

 fidence that soil analysis will place in tiieir true light tiie soils of a section as 

 to whether the immigrant can afford to take them or not. This is all we want 

 here, i. e., to be truly known. 



"Now is the time to set tlie ball rolling for the Agricultural College. We 

 want the public to understand that the Agricultural College has an interest in 

 every section, and is working to build them up ; so that at another Legislature 

 we shall not have to beg an appropriation." 



The next is from the cautious and discrinnnating Governor of our State : "I 

 rejoice that you have taken hold of this subject, as I believe that the produc- 

 tive properties of the soil in the newer parts of the State are not generally 

 appreciated or understood. Other interests, such as lumbering and mining, 

 have occupied attention almost exclusively there, and the value of the soil has 

 been in a great measure overlooked. I am confident that your work if thor- 

 oughly carried out will result in demonstrating that these jiortions of the State 

 are admirably adapted to the pursuit of agriculture, and that it will tend to 

 rapidly promote their settlement and growth." 



In order to disseminate the information to be derived from this investigation 

 and exhibition of soils, I ask to be allowed to print 2,000 slips containing the 

 analysis, and other information respecting these soils, for distribution to the 

 public press, and to visitors at the State Fair. 



