120 STATE BOAED OF AGRICULTUKE. 



EEPORT OF THE PROFESSOll OF AGRICULTURE. 



To the President of the Michigan State Agricultural College : 



111 presenting this report, I wish to call attention to the fact that it covers a 

 period of only eleven months, and conseqnently will be less complete in some 

 of its particuhu's, than it wonld otherwise be. It was thonght advisable to 

 make this the time for change in regard to inventorv, inasmuch as hereafter the 

 year is expected to close August 30, so that the fiscal and College year begin and 

 end at the same time. Tliis has seemed to necessitate the changes that have 

 been made and which will be duly noticed in their respective places. 



The year opened with the Superintendent of Farm and Ilorticultural 

 departments and myself only to do the work, and the Superintendent largely 

 occupied with the Horticultural department, which was without a regular 

 foreman. On October 5, Mr. G. W. White, farm foreman, was again able to 

 take up his work, and has since that time been unremittingly at his post. On 

 November 20 (a change having taken place whereby the office of Superintendent 

 was abolislied, and more responsibility and labor devolved upon me), Mr. 

 Ransom H. McDowell was engaged as assistant foreman, thus making the 

 working force of the department for supervision the same as in former years, 

 although the work of the department has largely increased. 



During the winter vacation I attended three Farmers' Institutes, to which I 

 Avas assigned, and also the one at Saginaw by the advice of yourself on account 

 of the necessary absence of Secretary R. G. Baird, 



I attended an independent Institute at Manchester, shortly alter, — a very 

 pleasant gathering of farmers and others. 



AVith the opening of the spring term in 1878 we had a working force of 100 

 students to manage and furnish work for; and as it was decided not to clear 

 any more land tliis year, some difficulty was experienced in furnishing and 

 planning work for so large a force during the month of March. 



The Freshman class was under my instruction in agriculture during the 

 spring term. The number was 10? on the class roll, and having no recitation 

 room capable of holding them, seating room was found first in the armory and 

 afterward in the chapel after it had been reseated and repaired. The interest 

 was well kept up and 9G were present at the final examination of the class. 



Some understanding of the course may be gatiiered from the following ques- 

 tions, which were used on examination : 

 I. (1) Describe Roman agriculture. 



(2) "What was the feudal system? 



(3) Its effects and when abolished in France? 



II. (I) AVhat gave rise to the beet sugar industry in France?? 



(2) What countries make most beet sugar? 



(3) Describe the agriculture of Belgium. 



III. (1) Describe a Devon. 



(2) A Holstein. 



(3) Tell where each is originally found, and for what each is valued. 



IV. (1) Name two men who did much to improve Short-horns in England. 



(2) When was tlie first Shorthorn herd Iwok published and who was 



the editor? 



(3) Trace the Duchess family from the cow Duchess to the New York 



Mills sale of 1873, through the hands of the various breeders. 



