158 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Extension work, ah always, has occupied a considerable portion of de- 

 partment time and thought. The demands come mainly in two ways, — 

 as requests for addresses, lectures or talks, particularly illustrated talks, 

 and in 'the form of quesitions as to the names, habits and value of a great 

 variety of animals, especially for such as are known to be pests or 

 thought likely to become so. Requests for lectures can be complied with 

 only in a few cases, parth^ because of the expense but more often through 

 our inability to take an instructor from his regular class work in order to 

 make the necessary trip. However, I*rofessor A. C. Conger and the head 

 of the department have made a mimber of such trips during the past year, 

 besides giving short talks before local clubs and schools which could be 

 reached with little loss of time. Almost every talk of this kind, however, 

 results in several requests from other sources, most of which unfortu- 

 nately must be refused. A constant stream of inquiries by mail is met 

 by the use of circular letters so far as possible, but hundreds of questions 

 need special replies a*id this correspondence grows inore and more bur- 

 densome eveiy year. Bits of mica, pyrite, calcite, quartz and other com- 

 mon minerals with shining particles are sent for "analysis" with the idea 

 that they miay contain gold, silver or gems, or have some high economic 

 value in other ways. Many of these are referred to the State Geologist, 

 Department of Conservation, Lansing, where they should have been sent 

 originally, together with questions albout oil, coal, gas, peat, iron ore, 

 brick-clays, building stone, etc. In other cases, where there can be no ques- 

 tion, a direct answer is made, with the advice to send similar requests 

 in the future to the above address. 



The matter of fur-fanning is a prolific source of cori^espondence, the 

 interest in Michigan growing isteadily if not always healthily. This in- 

 dustry promises good returns to those only who can spend both time and 

 money freely, and it is well-nigh certain that a large proportion of those 

 who go into it hurriedly will get rich only in experience. Much of the 

 information asked from us does not as yet exist, and many of the prob- 

 lems are of such a nature that only one who has had some scientific 

 training is capable of using to advantage the suggestions made. Perhaps 

 the best general advice which we can offer is to make the first ventures 

 on a small scale, only increasing the business later if experience warrants 

 it. 



The General Museum, used constantly in connection with classwork, 

 but open daily to the public, has changed little during the past season. 

 Numerous gifts of single specimens have been received from students and 

 alumni, and some local material has been collected and put on exhibition 

 by the department members. Perhaps the most noteworthy gift is a col- 

 lection of ores, principally of copper and silver, from the famous Upper 

 Peninsula copper mines, presented by Charles M. Turner of Lansing. The 

 needs of the College Museum have been so often mentioned in these reports 

 that little more need be said now, but we cannot refrain from expressing 

 once more the hope that its valuable collections may be speedily housed 

 in some suitable place which is at least moderately fire-proof. 



Eespectfully submitted, 



WALTER B. BARROWS, 

 Professor of Zoology and IMiysiology and Curator 

 of the General Museum. 

 East Lansing, Michigan, June 30, 1922. 



