36 DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 



experiment stations in New York and Ohio, and took the opportunity to 

 visit the sand barrens near Syracuse which, by skillful and scientific man- 

 agement, have been changed to fruitful farms. 



COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS. 



The inspection and analysis of the commercial fertilizers offered for sale 

 in this State, as required by law, have been duly made and reported in Bul- 

 letin No. 37. So far as information has been received, only one firm has 

 failed to comply with the law, and the facts in the case have been duly 

 reported to a member of the Board of Agriculture for action. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 



The complete meteorological observations so long carried out at the col- 

 lege have been continued during the year, and the results published for 

 information of the public. In addition to these tri-daily observations, a set 

 of soil thermometers to measare the temperature at three, six, nine and 

 twelve inches below the surface of the soil, has been bought and placed in 

 position, and records kept of the temperature at these several depths. 



I have also taken the temperature of the water iu the Cedar river from 

 time to time. Except in periods of flood this river is largely fed by springs, 

 and the temperature of the water in the river thus becomes, to some extent, 

 a measure of the soil temperature, and thus denotes the march of the sea- 

 son. I find the temperature of the river water to-day (37°) is twelve degrees 

 colder than it was oue year ago to-day, and forty-seven degrees colder than 

 it was in our heated term (July 18). Observations on the temperature of 

 water in rivers and lakes, if carefully and systematically carried out, might 

 develop facts of interest both to science and common life. 



Kespectfully submitted, 



K. C. KEDZIE, 



Prof. Chemistry. ' 



Agricultural College, Nov. 1, 1887. 



REPORT OF THE PROFESSOR OF BOTANY AND FORESTRY. 



To Hon. Edwin Willits, President of the State Agricultural College : 



Please accept the following brief report of the department which is under 

 my charge. The time included is nine months, viz: from September 30, 

 188C, to June 30, 1887. During the autumn term seventy-five eophomores 

 were instructed in systematic botany, and twenty-one students in the mechan- 

 ical course were instructed in the use of the compound microscope and the 

 study of timber. 



In the spring term, sixty-one sophomores studied physiological botany, 

 aided by compound microscopes. In the summer term, at the time of 

 writing this report, seventy-two freshmen are studying structural botany, 

 and twenty-two seniors, with a few others, are studying forestry. 



