REPORT OF THE PROFESSOR OF AGRICULTURE. 31 



INSTITUTES. 



I was assigned to Three Oj,ks and Fremont Center in the arranging of the 

 State Institutes, and at the request of the local committees I attended tha 

 Howell Institute, the Short Horn Breeders' meeting in Jackson, the annual 

 meetings of the State Associations of Holstein and Short Horn Breeders and 

 the Dairymen's Convention at Flint, and presented papers at all of these 

 meetings. 



I attended the National Fat Stock Show held in Chicago in November, and 

 was delegated to attend the meeting of the Consolidated Cattle Growers' 

 Association held at the same date. 



THE TEACHEKS OF AGKICULTUKE. 



This association met at Champaign, Ills. There was a fair attendance and 

 a pleasant meeting. The next meeting will be held at Columbia, Mo. 



DONATIONS. 



Donations are acknowledged from the following persons and firms: 

 Albion spring-tooth cultivator and broadcast seeder, from the Albion Man- 

 ufacturing Company, Albion, Mich. ; potato furrower and cultivator, from 

 C. L. Davis, Filer City, Mich. ; one barrel extra fine dairy salt, from C. F. 

 Moore, St. Clair, Mich. ; one bag dairy salt, from Genesee Salt Company ; 

 Vol. 2 American Shropshire Record, from Mortimer Levering, Lafavette, 

 Ind. 



• PEEMANENT IMPEOVEMENTS. 



Among the permanent improvements authorized by the Board of Agricult- 

 ure may be mentioned a new double silo, to be located on the north side of 

 the cattle barn, with a capacity of 150 tons. There is to be a six-feet base- 

 ment wall, with opening into the feed room on a level with the stable. 

 On this wall a frame will be placed, using 2x13 joists, 16 feet long, for 

 studding. These will be covered with inch boards — first thickness placed 

 horizontally and the second up and down, with tarred paper between. 



Our ensilage from the experimental silo used last winter and spring was 

 the best we have ever had ; and all we have said of its value as a stock food, 

 in combination with other foods, is confirmed by every additional year of 

 trial. We built our first silo in 1881, and those interested will find in our 

 annual reports our conclusions as to the value of this system of preserving 

 fodder. 



Another permanent and much needed improvement will be the replacing 

 of the old bridge over the Cedar river (which we have considered unsafe for 

 two years past) with a low truss iron bridge. 



EXPEEIMENTS. 



We have continued the experiment of feeding steers of different breeds^ 

 a full report of which will be found in Bulletin No. 24, published in this 

 volume. 



