DEPARTMENT REPORTS 29 



For the first time the long vacation has been moved from the winter 

 to the summer, and I have to report the effect of the change on the work 

 of this Department. By reason of this change this report will cover the 

 work of four terms, namely, the closing term of the College year ending 

 in August, 1896, as well as the three terms of the present College year. 



In the term ending in August. 1896, Mr. Crozier completed the lectures 

 on farm crops with the class of 1897, and on soils to the same class. Lec- 

 ture work without accompanying laboratory work on these two subjects 

 is not satisfactory. No student can get more than the history of the 

 crops and a knowledge of the underlying principles which govern their 

 production from a set of lectures. The matters relating to their cultiva- 

 tion and harvesting must be taught in the fields. For this reason, and 

 because a study of the mechanical composition and properties of soil re- 

 quire no previous scientific training, the freshman class took up the 

 subject in the laboratory in the first term of their course. The students 

 were given a sample of soil, of which they made a mechanical analysis 

 according to the methods recommended by Prof. Milton Whitney, of the 

 Department of Agriculture at Washington, to whom this Department 

 is indebted for many valuable suggestions in planning this phase of the 

 work. An examination of a variety of soils followed until an acquaint- 

 ance was made with the physical characteristics of our most common 

 kinds. This in turn was followed by a study of the adaptability of these 

 different sorts of soils to the crops usually grown on Michigan farms 

 and the methods of culture that should be recommended. 



The interest of the students was aroused at the beginning and continued 

 unabated to the end of the term. The importance of the subject was 

 recognized, and the practical value of the knowledge gained has been 

 apparent in the later field work of the course. 



In the fall of 1896 the agricultural students in the class of 1898 brought 

 to successful conclusion many experiments with field crops. This work 

 was in addition to the detailed study of the various methods of planting, 

 cultivating and harvesting the cereals and forage crops grown on the 

 College farm. At least one afternoon of each week was spent in observing 

 and considering the noteworthy events that had transpired w^ithin the 

 preceding two days. Iklimeograph notes were furnished, directing atten- 

 tion in a general way to the localities to be visited, and awakening inter- 

 est, but leaving to the powers of observation of the student the detection 

 of the specific points to be noted. A simple performance of the work 

 connected with growing a crop, without a frequent intelligent survey of 

 the relation of that work to the success of the crop as a whole on the one 

 side, and to the general farm work on the other, is but empiricism. To 

 farther cultivate the executive ability and to give a clear insight into the 

 management of the fann as a commercial venture, as well as to give 

 experience in the thoughtful consideration of passing events and planning 

 for future work, each student was sent out alone over the farm and re- 

 quired to name in order the work he would have performed were he in 

 charge. On his return his report was read and criticised by the instructor 

 and class. 



I am glad to report that the work in live stock is increasing in efficiency. 

 The subject never fails to be interesting to the student, and the growth 

 in power of observation and in maturity of judgment is so rapid that 



