416 STATE BOARD OP AGRICULTURE 



them to do any extended work outside of what their enthusiasm leads 

 them to. 



They have struggled through the straits of financial adversity year 

 after year, barely collecting enough to meet expenses, many times not 

 even that, the officers generoush- paying whatever shortage occurred, 

 trusting and hoping for brighter times, but never despairing. 



Their labors have at last been rewarded by the last legislature passing 

 an act giving them an appropriation of $.300.00 per year to gather dairy 

 statistics and mail the reports. 



The officers and active members of this association have all been en- 

 thusiastic dairymen, whose names will be passed down to future genera- 

 tions as the pioneers of modern dairying in the State. Their writings 

 and sajangs will be compared with those of eminent dairymen of other 

 States. Then, and only then, will their efforts in creating and keeping 

 up this organization be fully appreciated. 



COMMERCIAL FEKTILIZEKS IN MICHIGAN. 



COLON C. LILLIE. M. A. C, '84. 



Commercial fertilizers have been used in some parts of Michigan for 

 the last quarter of a century. Their use has increased slowly, but at 

 present they are surely gaining favor. They are not used at all in some 

 portions of the State, while in other sections they are used quite ex- 

 tensively. This fact would seem to indicate that the}- give better results 

 on some soils than on others, and some people believe that on some soils 

 no benefit can be derived by their use. But their extensive use in some 

 parts of the State, and their slight use in other portions is certainly not 

 all due to this difference in the character of the soil. It is the opinion 

 of the writer that as the State grows older and the subject becomes more 

 thoroughly investigated by the farmers, this idea that certain kinds of 

 soil will not respond to their use will largely if not wholly vanish. 



CAUSE OP SLOW AND SECTIONAL GROWTH. 



Some of the causes which may be stated for the slow extension as well 

 as sectional use of fertilizers in Michigan are the following: 



First, Our State has a great diversity of soil — some very fertile soil 

 and some not so fertile. Some of it is quite moist, holds moisture well, 

 and some is dry or parts with its moisture readily. Our prairies, bot- 

 tom lands and oak openings have proven to be wonderfully lasting. For 

 many years they did not show the need of added fertility in order to 

 produce profitable crops. Indeed, even now, where the land has been 

 carefully handled, splendid crops can be grown without the use of fer- 

 tilizers. 



Second, The farmers of Michigan haA^e to a great extent always i)rac- 

 ticed a diversified agriculture. No one crop has been raised year after 

 year, to the great detriment of soil fertility, but in the main a rotation 

 of crops has been practiced. The clover plant, too, in some localities, 

 thanks to the teaching of Dr. Kedzie, has played no small part in post- 

 poning the day when the Michigan farmer would feel the necessity of 

 purchasing commercial fertilizers. Stock raising and feeding, also, has 



