82 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



. KEPOIIT OF THE DIEECTOIl. 



To the President: 



I have the honor to submit herewith vny annual report for the year 

 extending to Nov. 1, 1897.* 



There has been issued to June 30, 1897, the following bulletins: 



The year covered by this report has been marked by three important 

 changes in the working force of the Station. Dr. E. A. A. Grange, the 

 Consulting Veterinarian, under whose wise and energetic administra- 

 tion the Veterinary Department of the College had attained a high 

 degree of excellence, and made for the College a good reputation in that 

 line of work, was called to an influential position in Detroit in August. 

 He was succeeded by Dr. G. A. Waterman, a graduate of the Michigan 

 Agricultural College, who had been for several years the Professor of 

 Veterinary Science at Storrs Agricultural College, Conn. His work with 

 us began in the latter part of September. 



On account of sickness in his family, Mr. Gager C. Davis, the Consult- 

 ing Entomologist of the Station, resigned his position and removed to 

 California. Dr. W. B. Barrows, Professor of Zoology and Physiology in 

 the College, was appointed his successor. Prof. R. H. Pettit was called 

 from the Minnesota Experiment Station to be his assistant. 



At the close of the fiscal year the bees were moved from the home of 

 R. L. Taylor, Lapeer, Mich., to the College. This change was rendered 

 necessary by the demand of the students for instruction in beekeeping. 

 Of the value of Mr. Taylor's work as Apiarist of the Station, I need not 

 speak here. Every beekeeper in the Peninsular State has been benefited 

 by the experiments performed by him and is acquainted with the nature 

 and the quality of the work. Mr. J. M. Eankin of St. Clair, Mich., was 

 placed in charge of the bees at the College. 



In the field work of the Agricultural Department, emphasis has been 

 laid upon two or three prominent features. The variety tests of wheat 

 have been continued, confirming the results of the preceding year and 

 demonstrating the value of both the Dawson's Golden Chaff and the 

 Buda Pesth as additions to the list of wheat varieties that may be profit- 

 ably grown in this State. The cultural experiments with corn were also 



*The report on field crops has been carried to Nov. 1, 1897, so as to include the seasons' 

 ■work. 



