112 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the liij?h price of gasoline, maimfactiircrs of every type of engine are 

 endeavoring to find means for nsing kerosene or even less refined oil. 

 For that reason it is desirable to have a good type of crude oil engine 

 in the laboratory. 



IV. In power plant work we find that the steam turbine has come 

 to the front with enormous strides. Steam turbines are now being built 

 up to 35,000 kilowatts (50,000 H. I'.) in one unit. The turbine that we in- 

 stalled a short time ago is an excellent piece of apparatus to bring out 

 the behavior of a steam turbine. In order that this may be better 

 brought out it is desirable to install a superheater so that steam may 

 be supplied with predetermined amounts of superheat in order that the 

 efficiency may be determined under the various conditions. The modern 

 steam turbine as now installed in power plants could not approach its 

 present performance without the use of superheat. 



V. One of the discouraging things to teachers of mechanical en- 

 gineering is the fact that there is practically no opportunity for them 

 to carry on advanced experimental or research work. We have nothing 

 that compares with the research work carried on by the agricultural 

 experiment stations. The benefits to the community would be just as 

 great. There are many lines of investigation possible. I will mention 

 only one that presents itself very strongly at this time, namely, the 

 fuel problem. 



There are two distinct phases of this problem, both just now being 

 influenced by the high cost of coal. From the standpoint of the power 

 plant operator it will be necessarj^ to improve the combustion end of 

 his apparatus before any marked gain can be made in economy. From 

 the standpoint of domestic heating it will be necessary to increase the 

 efficiency of our heating units in order to lessen the cost of heating. 

 Increased efficiency in the above lines will save money for the people of 

 the state and conserve our fuel supply. 



Experimental work should be undertaken at once to increase the use 

 of Michigan coal. If means were available for burning Michigan coal, 

 it would mean a great deal to the people of the state. 



Work of this kind would be of a very stimulating nature for the 

 teachers in the department. 



SHOPS. 



The position that should be taken by the college shop is considered rather 

 a mooted one by some authorities. It is a fact that many college shops 

 do not give instruction and work comparable to a good manual training 

 or trade school. The manual training schools and trade schools have 

 attacked the problem from a little difi'erent view point than the colleges. 

 A large number of their students do not expect to go to college, but 

 they learn as much of a trade as they can and then enter the shop or 

 factory to put it into practice, and the better schools come very close to 

 meeting this requirement. Inasmuch as the colleges and universities 

 do not expect their graduates to become mechanics, but engineers, you 

 can see how shop work has been neglected. A certain amount of shop 

 work is essential so that students in engineering may understand the 

 processes that are used in various manufactures. 



The important thing today, to ray mind, seems to be the teaching 

 of management and methods of reducing cost of production in addition 



