DEPAETMENT REPORTS. 53 



REPORT OF THE PROFESSOR OF AGRICULTURE AND 

 SUPERINTENDENT OF THE FARM. 



To the President : 



I herewith submit my report of the work aud condition of the Agricultural 

 Department for the two years ending Sept. 30, 1882. 



INSTEUCTIOX. 



I have taught the Freshman classes practical agriculture during the spring 

 terms. Such topics as drainage, history of breeds of horses, cattle, sheep, 

 and swine, their characteristics and adaptation to particular purposes, have 

 received attention. The classes have had practical illustrations, having spent 

 some time each term in comparing animals in the barn-yard and judging them 

 by a scale of points. The instruction has been mostly given in the form of 

 familiar lectures or talks. The students have been interested and attentive to 

 the discussion of these topics, and with few exceptions have passed good 

 examitiations at the close of the terms. 



I have also lectured to the Senior classes, the last term of the Senior year, 

 on the following topics: History of agriculture, farm economy, principles 

 of stock breeding, mixed husbandry, rotation of crops, management and 

 application of manures, care of farm premises, farm implements, farm 

 accounts, selling of farm products, agricultural law and literature. On ac- 

 count of severe illness I was unable to meet the class the last week of the 

 term ending Aug. 15, 1882, and the members were passed in agriculture with- 

 out examination, by vote of the faculty. I am pleased to express my appre- 

 ciation of the excellent order and gentlemanly deportment of the students 

 whom I have had in charge in the class-room and at their labor on the farm. 

 I have taken my regular turn in the lectures to students in the chapel on 

 Wednesday afternoons, and have discussed the following subjects: Ideals 

 and their Realization, The Relation of the Educated Farmer to the Commun- 

 ity and the State, The Labor System of the Michigan Agricultural College. 

 I have also attended the farmers' institutes held in the State during the win- 

 ters of 1881 and 1882, to which I was assigned by the Board of Agriculture, 

 lecturing on Mixed Husbandry and Wheat Growing, Farm Economy, Silos 

 and Ensilage. I have attended the annual meetings of the various State 

 acrricukural associations, and bv invitation the annual institutes of the Kala- 

 mazoo county farmers' club, one of the strongest and most lively farmers' 

 organizations in the State. 



TEACHERS OF AGRICULTURE. 



The annual meeting of the organization known as "The Teachers of Agri- 

 culture," was lield at this College in June, 1881. The following gentlemen, 

 teachers of agriculture in the colleges of the States named, were present: 

 Profs. Knapp and Budd, Iowa; Thompson of Nebraska, Henry of Wiscon- 



