476 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



ble to the State. Tliat the officers of the college are now eiuleavoring conscien- 

 tiously and systematically to do this, we think no one can question. As now 

 arranged, students are required to labor three hours each day, receiving a credit 

 therefor of eifjht cents per hour. Unnecessary work is now sometimes done to fur- 

 nish labor sufficient to consume so much time. We would therefore suggest, that the 

 hours of labor be regulated by the amount of labor to be performed; or, reduce each 

 day's labor from three hours to two hours. The students work well, much better 

 than could be expected under the circumstances and their surroundings; they are 

 fine, manly looking young men, and go to work at their various tasks with a deter- 

 mination which, if carried out through life, will place them at the top of the ladder. 

 As one evidence of their skill and good workmanship, we were shown a drain then 

 under construction (one hundred rods already completed), which was as well done as 

 the most experienced ditcher could do. The growing crops were all looking well (a 

 marked improvement over last year). The first field of wheat was the best we had 

 noticed anywhere; the second field was winter-killed. All the fields showed that 

 much labor had been well and systematically done thereon. We do not deem it 

 necessary to mention all the fields in detail, and the crops growing thereon. Many 

 experiments are being made each year, a detailed statement of which, with the 

 results therefrom, will be published at the close of each year. 



Quite a full and able report was made last year by the Committee on the Farm 

 Department, as to the stock owned by the college, and some suggestions were made 

 therein which we heartily endorse, and here again recommend. Since said report 

 the college has purchased some very fine and valuable Shorthorns, viz.: From the 

 Jones & Hill herd, one bull— a very fine animal — and three cows, at a total cost of 

 $975; and from Avery & Murphy one cow named "Peri Duchess," then with calf by 

 " Oxford of Viuewood." 



The calf was dropped soon after the purchase; and is not, in our opinion, as fine 

 n animal as we expected to see from stock so finely bred. A second calf was dropped, 

 by "Peri" in May, 1881; this calf was sick while we were at the college, and, as 

 we are informed, has since died. In the opinion of your committee, the cow named 

 " Crystal Queen 9th," from the Jones & Hill herd, is the finest cow owned by the 

 college. 



The college now owns stock as follows, viz.: 



Shorthorns 31 head. 



Ayrshires 13 " 



Jerseys 3 " 



Galloways 2 " 



Hereford 1 " 



Holstein 1 " 



Total 51 



All are thoroughbred animals, and many of them are good representatives of the 

 respective breeds. 



SHEEP. 



Meri nos, registered Vermont bred 15 



'' college bred 57 



Southdowns 32 



Cots wolds 4 



Total 108 



SWINE. 



Essex sows 7 



" boar 1 



Berksh ire sows 2 



Poland China 1 



Total 11 



No attention is paid to the breeding of horses. 



We append herewith a milk record for the months of May and June, 1881, from 

 some of the Shorthorn and Ayrshire cows, which, we think, will be studied with 

 considerable interest: 



