404 ANNUAL ftePOR* OF THE Off. Do<!. 



The CHAIRMAN: We Itave reached the end of our program and 

 the hour is growing late. A motion to adjourn will be in order. 



On motion, the meeting was adjourned until 9 a. m. Wednesday 

 morning. 



Harrisburg, Pa., Wednesday Morning, 9 o'clock, 



January 23, 1907. 



The meeting came to order with Vice-President P. S. Fenster- 

 maker in the chair. 



The CHAIilMAISi : The first number on the program is the report 

 of Dr. William Frear, State Chemist; is he here? 



It appeared that Dr. Frear was not present at the time. 



The CHAIRMAN: The report of the Mineralogist has been post- 

 poned, so we will take the next one. Is Prof. Surface ready to 

 make his report? 



Prof. Surface was reported as not being in the room at that time. 



The CHAIRMAN: We will proceed to the Report of the Commit- 

 tee on Fertilizer, if Mr. McGowan, the Chairman, is here. 



Mr. McGowan then read his report, which is as follows: 

 REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FERTILIZER. 



BY Hon. Howard G. McGowan, cKairman. 



The term is broad in its meaning, which would commonly include 

 all substances that tend to increase the fertility of our land. No 

 subject is of greater importance to our agricultural people than is 

 that of Fertilizer. The fertility of a man's farm is the mainspring 

 to his business. It is his bank account. It is his reserve fund, from 

 which he can draw upon, to supply that wliich enables the farmer to 

 conduct his business remuneratively. Therefore, every farmer should 

 look more carefully after the fertility of his land. 



Many homes would be happier, farms richer, and the spirit of 

 contentment v/ould pervade, where very frequently we find from the 

 want of proper fertilization, the farm becomes poor, unyielding in 

 crops, much to the discouragement of the farmer, and discontent of 

 his family. Even the boys and girls will not so soon become rest- 

 less when the farm is rich and abundant in crop production. 



The proper care of the farm manure, which is our main fertilizer, 

 is first to be considered by every farmer. This caution has been 

 so frequently referred to, and impressed upon the minds of our 

 farmers by the agricultural papers and Farmers' Institute lectur- 

 ers, that it needs only a word of continued vigilance from our com- 

 mittee. AVe know of very many instances, however, where farm 

 manure as a fertilizer is very much disregarded. In some parts 

 of our country it is even dumped into ravines. In Missouri, not 



