54 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Bin, Morrow of Illinois, Townsend of Oliio, Porter of Minnesota, Shelton of 

 Ktins-iis, Tracy of Missouri, and Georgeson of Texas. This meeting (the first 

 since the organization at Oliatnpaign, 111., the year before, where wo met by 

 invitation of Prof. Morrow) was pleasant and profitable. The objects of this 

 association are to bring workers in the same field together, not so much to 

 read carefully prepared essays as to become acquainted and to discuss, in aa 

 informal way, the practical subjects connected with our work as teachers of 

 agriculture, and especially to note the practical management of the fatms and 

 departments at the different institutions with which we are connected. This 

 year I attended the meeting which was held at the Iowa Agricultural College. 

 This College seems to be doing an admirable work in all of its departments. 

 Under the practical management of Prof. Knapp, the agricultural depart- 

 ment is being developed and managed in such a way as to secui'e the hearty 

 cooperation and support of the best farmers of this great agricultural State. 

 The Iowa meeting was a success. We meet next year at Columbus, Ohio. 



PERMA.NENT IMPROVEMENTS ON FARM. 



The need of a grain barn and tool house were so apparent, that when esti- 

 mates were presented to the Board two years ago, when deciding what appro- 

 priations to ask for new buildings, these were included, and thanks to the 

 Legislature of 1S81, the farm department was su|)plied, not only with a sum 

 supposed to be sufficient to erect these, but also to make special experiments 

 with ensihige and its feeding value. A grain barn 45x80 feet, with 'Zi feet 

 posts, with basement story on a good stone wall, and so arranged that in 

 threshing the straw may all be secured in the barn, has been erected. A silo 

 14x15 feet was placed in the basement, which is described at length in the 

 ensilage reports. 



Tlie tool-house located west of the sheep house is 40x90 feet — two stories — 

 giving us am[)le accommodations for all of our farm implements. Good ma- 

 terials have been used in the construction of these buildings, they have been 

 finished with two coats of paint, and while no effort has been made in the 

 vray of ornament, we trust both will prove to be substantial and suited to the 

 pniposes for wi)ich they were designed. 



On account of the lateness of the season when I was apprised that I was to 

 supervise the construction of these buildings, and the great advance in prices 

 of materials and labor between the time of placing the estimates and the erec- 

 tion of the buildings, I was unable to complete the tool-iiouse within the 

 appropriation. The building account will show the deficit, which has been 

 met from current expense. 



The rail fences from the barns to the river, on both sides of the lane, have 

 been replaced by one of posts and boards. Maple and elm trees have been 

 plantea on each side of the lane as far south as fii-ld No. 12. The trees have 

 made a good start during the summer, and future collegians will enjoy the 

 shaded avenue and a[)preciate the work of the Sophomores of '62, who attend- 

 ed to the planting. We are under obligations to i.-'rof. Beal, who furnished 

 the trees from the College arboretum. 



Field No. 7 has been almost cleared of stumps, and a good deal of labor 

 has been expended in N<.s. 12 and 13 in clearing and burning, as well as in 

 !No. 10. The unsightly piles of stones in the fence corners of most of the 

 fields, have been removed and used in making a foundation for the extension 



