xiv Report of the President. 



different varieties of corn, and a large number of co-operative 

 experiments, ninety-one in all, dealing with various classes of 

 plants. The largest number of experiments were on alfalfa 

 raising, and on this subject several hundred letters were written 

 to farmers throughout the State. 



II. Department of Farm Practice. 



(a) In this department a number of actual farm operations 

 are carried on as listed in the report of the head of the depart- 

 ment, and these actual activities give opportunity for practical 

 work to students who need it. Students are, however, advised 

 whenever possible to get their practical experience away from 

 the College, and University credit is not given for the courses 

 in farm practice. For this reason, of course, the resignation in 

 the regular courses of this department is comparatively small. 

 But in the Winter Course in general Agriculture there was a 

 registration of 150 students. 



(b) Investigation is carried on in connection with the regular 

 farm operations. Some of the more important now under way 

 are a study of the relative cost of ditching with the buckeye 

 traction ditcher under different conditions ; a comparison of the 

 cost of producing dry matter in root and silage crops; a com- 

 parison of the durability of woven wire fencing made of wire 

 of different caliber. 



(c) A total of 159 co-operative experiments have been carried 

 out, and 10 visits have been made to farmers in different parts 

 of the State where " special problems " have been under investi- 

 gation. 



III. Department of Experimental Plant Breeding. 



(a) Fourteen graduate students have taken part in the ex- 

 perimental work of this department. In response to the demand 

 for instruction in plant breeding for undergraduate students 

 courses, were given this year, and although unannounced they 

 were taken by 67 students. 



(b) Research and investigation is, of course, the primary aim 

 of this department. Among the more important problems of 

 research taken up during the year special mention should be 

 made of the very extensive investigations being carried on to 

 determine the best-yielding varieties of timothy and those which 



