60 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



As members of all these classes, with a single exception (geology), are 

 required to do a large amount of laboratory work in addition to the class- 

 room exercises, it will be seen that the time has been pretty well lilled. 



At the close of the fall terra G. C. Davis, M. S., instructor in zoology 

 since March, 1893, resigned his position in the department and removed 

 to California on account of the failing health of his wife. While his 

 withdrawal was deeply regretted, the (College was fortunate in securing 

 as his successor, Mr. liufus H. Pettit, B. S. A., Cornell University, class 

 of 1895, who for a year and a half had been serving as Assistant State 

 Entomologist of Minnesota. Mr. Pettit has fully demonstrated his ability 

 as an instructor and an entomologist, yet I desire to call attention to the 

 fact that it is an utter impossibility for any one person, no matter how 

 well qualified, to serve as instructor in entomology, zoology and anatomy, 

 and as entomologist of the Experiment Station, and do justice to all the 

 work of these positions. In my opinion it will be necessary very soon to 

 separate the zoological work of the Experiment Station entirely from 

 that of the College, the Station employing an entomologist who can give 

 his entire attention to that work. It would seem perfectly' obvious that a 

 college department doing the work of instruction in the three separate 

 sciences, — anatomy, zoology and geology, and making a specialty of ento- 

 mology, cannot do justice to the students while nearly half the time of 

 the professor and the single assistant must be given to Experiment Sta- 

 tion work. 



The equipment of the department has been materially improved during 

 the year by the purchase of two more compound microscopes and a dis- 

 secting microscope, some lesser apparatus and accessories, and several 

 books of reference and laboratory manuals. A good photo-micrographic 

 outfit is very desirable and should be added as soon as the more pressing 

 needs have been supplied. 



The radical change in the College year, with a prospective summer 

 vacation in place of the long winter vacation, has made the present 

 year's work harder both for students and instructors, but it is not too 

 soon to say that the results will be vastly better in the future, both in 

 amount and character of work done, at least so far as this department 

 is concerned. 



Respectfully, 



WALTER B. BARROWS, 



Pi'ofessor of Zoology and Physiology. 

 Agricultural College, Mich., 

 June SO, 1897. 



