30 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



practice, in Washington, in December, 1SS2, and again in December, 1883. 

 To the first series of conventions the Hon. F. Wells, and Secretary R. G-. 

 Baird were sent as delegates; to the last series the president of the college 

 was sent. Full stenographic reports of each series have been published by the 

 Department of Agriculture, making an extended account of them in this 

 place unnecessary. 



The conventions called together a large number of gentlemen distinguished 

 in their several branches of agricultural study and practice, and I believe it is 

 the universal opinion of tlie delegates that these conventions have been of 

 essential service in awakening interest in various important desiderata of agri- 

 cultural practice, and directing effort toward their elucidation. 



While I was at Washington action was taken having reference to securing 

 government aid to carry on agricultural experiments at tlie various agricult- 

 ural colleges, and the following circular, prepared by President Knapp of the 

 Iowa Agricultural College, has been circulated. 



A very important measure to aid practical science is now pentlintj before Congress. 



On tlie 10th of December, 1SS3, tlie Hon. A. J. Holmes, of Iowa, introduced a bill 

 " To establisli National Experiment Stations in connection with the Agricultural 

 Colleges of the various States." 



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Bepresentatives of the United States of America 

 in Congress assembled, That in order to enable the Department of Agriculture to ful- 

 fill the design and perform the duties for which it was established, as declared in 

 the organic act creating the said Department, to-wit, " to acquire and diffuse among 

 the people of tlie United States useful information on subjects connected with agri- 

 culture in tlie most general sense of that word, and to procure, propagate, and dis- 

 tribute among the people new and valuable seeds and plants," institutions shall be 

 established in connection with each of the agricultural colleges in the States pro- 

 viding such colleges, with an improved farm in connection therewith, and placed 

 under the conduct of such colleges, to be called and known as "national experiment 

 stations." 



Sec. 2. That it shall be the object and design of the said national experiment 

 stations to conduct original researches or verify reported experiments on the 

 physiology of plants and animals, the diseases to which tliey are severally subject, 

 with the remedies for the same; the chemical composition of useful plants at their 

 difTerent stages of growth; the comparative advantages of rotative cropping as pur- 

 sued under a varying series of crops; the capacity of new plants or trees for acclima- 

 tion within the isotliermal limits represented by the climate of the several stations 

 and their vicinity; the analysis of soils and waters; the chemical composition of 

 manures, natural or artificial, with experiments designed to test their comparative 

 values for raising crops of different kinds; the composition and digestibility of the 

 diflerent kinds of food for cattle; the scientific and economic questions in the pro- 

 duction of butter and cheese; and all other researches of experiments bearing 

 directly on the agricultural industry of the United States. 



Skc. 3. That the said experiment stations shall be placed under the general con- 

 trol of the regents or trustees of said agricultural colleges, who shall have power to 

 emploj' a professor for each agricultural college who shall act as superintendent of 

 the experiment stations established under this act. 



Sec. 4. That the said professors shall make such reports to the Commissioner of 

 Agriculture from time to time as he may direct. The general character of the work 

 and of the experiments to be performed at each station shall be determined by the 

 Commissioner of Agriculture, the president of the college where the station is 

 located, and the professor in charge of said station. 



Sec. 5. That to each agricultural college providing for experiment stations under 

 this act, to pay the salaries of the professors and superintendents of the said experi- 

 ment stations, the wages of the laborers employed in their operations, and the cost 

 of the experiments and researches connected with their conduct as heretofore speci- 

 fied, the sum of fifteen thousand dollars is hereby appropriated out of any money in 

 the treasurj' not otherwise appropriated, or so much thereof as may be necessary to 

 cover expenditures actually made for said purposes; the money to be drawn quar- 

 terly from the treasury of the United States, upon a certified statement of the 

 amounts actually expended at each station, properly indorsed hy the college board 

 of audit, the professor in charge, and the Commissioner of Agriculture. 



