96 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTUKE. 



PRESENT COXDITION OF THE DEPARTMENT. 



In the past year the department has made a very decided advance by its 

 removal into its present admirable apartments, which occupy the entire upper 

 Btory of the new library and museum building. All of that part of this Hoor 

 east of the main hall is devoted to the general museum. This room is well 

 lighted, not only from side windows, but also from above. The collections 

 have been put into new cases, which are made upon the most recent and 

 approved plans. The cases are almost air tight. Not only are the side walls 

 mostly of glass, but the top of the cases are of the same material. The 

 museum is lighted on three sides, yet cross partitions in the cases prevent any 

 bad effects from interference of rays of light that come from opposite direc- 

 tions. This added room for purposes of exhibition enables us to fully display 

 the large additions to our collections, received through the liberality of the 

 Smithsonian Institution. 



On the south end of the west side of the building is the lecture room. This 

 is large, well proportioned, exceedingly well lighted, and is furnished with 

 arm-rest seats, which rise successively as they recede from the front of the 

 room. The blackboards and arrangements for displaying charts and diagrams 

 are ample and commodious. All in all, this room leaves little to be desired. 



Opposite the lecture room, on the north end, ai'c two ample laboratories. 

 These are exceedingly well lighted, and, as they face the north, afford excel- 

 lent means for microscopic work. Eighteen students can work at one time 

 with the microscope. Water pipes to and from these rooms and an elevator 

 add materially to tlie convenience. Connecting tlie north laboratory and ele- 

 vator with tiie exhibition room is a small but conveniently arranged work or 

 unpacking room. Connecting the west laboratory with the lecture room is the 

 professors' study. Every room opens into the hall. Convenient to the work 

 room and laboratories is a pair of back stairs which lead out on the back side 

 of the building. The elevator runs to the basement, where, at the extreme 

 east end, shut off from the rest of the basement, is a room for cats and other 

 animals kept for anatomical purposes. 



At present the department is well equipped for laboratory work ; the collec- 

 tions in the museum afford much aid in illustration and demonstration, the 

 charts and diagrams, made specially for the purpose, are admirably adapted to 

 make the subjects taught clear to the students, and the apiary, grain fields, 

 meadows, orchards, gardens, .md greenhouses furnish most ample means to 

 illustrate economic entomolog}', and for experimentation in the same field. 



NEEDS OF THE DEPARTMENT. 



Perhaps the greatest need is a greater teaching force. Not that the number 

 of hours wiiich I teach are too much, but for a person to keep fully abreast 

 ■with the latest discoveries and researches in such progressive sciences as those 

 which I teach, and to undertake to teach anatomy, physiology, general zoology, 

 entomology, and geology, especially with the large amount of other work 

 which the department demands, is quite out of the question. It may not be 

 practicable at present, but if the work could be divided between two persons, 

 and more time given to experiments and to work among the farmers of the 

 State, in which case there would be time to investigate any scientific matter 

 that touched the interests of the agriculturists, it might be better for the State, 

 the College, and the Department. I am often besought to give such practical 

 matters personal attention, but in most cases can only say '-no.'' The past 



