266 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



ex-president of the Agricultural College, — two series of 

 plats were selected that presented the required conditions of 

 uniformity and surface soil and exposure. 



When the trenches for laying the tiles had been dug, it 

 was likewise found that the subsoil in each series of plats 

 was quite as uniform in its characteristics as the surface soil. 



Through the liberality of Mr. W. W. Hunt of Amherst, 

 who volunteered to furnish the tiles at actual cost, the Station 

 had the benefit in their purchase of strictly wholesale rates. 



The arrangement of the plats and the location of the 

 drains will be readily understood by reference to the plan, 

 in the supplementary paper, marked " Exhibit B." 



The plats are two rods wide and eight rods long, giving 

 an area of one-tenth of an acre each. To prevent any con- 

 fusion as to locality, when referring to a particular plat, the 

 east series of plats are designated by odd numbers, and the 

 west series by even numbers. 



The dotted line on the plan marks the boundary of an area 

 that was cultivated as a vegetable garden for several years. 

 From the heav}'^ applications of manure that had formerly 

 been made to this garden patch, the west series of plats 

 should only be used for rotation experiments, which should 

 be made to ascertain the influence of one crop upon the 

 growth of another, and the influence of the system of crop- 

 ping in conserving the elements of fertility, and upon the 

 loss of fertilizing materials by drainage. 



The east tier of plats (with odd numbers) have been 

 under ordinary field culture, and for several years past in 

 grass, which is badly " run out," the hay having been removed 

 without the return of an equivalent in the form of manure ; 

 so that their present condition, as represented by their past 

 history, is well adapted to the proposed permanent experi- 

 ments with corn. 



Drains. 



A main drain of round tiles laid four feet deep has been 

 made along the east side of each series of plats (four feet 

 from the line of plats), with wells of sewer pipe opposite 

 the middle of each plat, for the purpose of collecting samples 

 of the drainage waters from the lateral drains which open 



