SsOMevor THE RESULTS OF WORK DONE 
Byte CHEMICAL DEPARTMENT. 
SUMMARIZED BY 
POV VAN, SLYKE, 
INTRODUCTION. 
The chemical work of the Station began July 1, 1882, when S. 
M. Babcock, Ph.D., entered upon his duties as the first chemist of 
the Station. Accepting a ‘call to Wisconsin, Dr. Babcock left 
Geneva December 1, 1887, when E. F. Ladd, B.S., who had been 
his assistant about three years, was made chemist. Mr. Ladd was 
succeeded July 12, 1890, by L. L. Van Slyke, Ph.D., who has since 
continued as Station chemist. The personnel of assistants has 
inevitably undergone more or less constant change, about thirty-five 
different assistant chemists having been connected with the labora- 
tory. Beginning with one assistant chemist in 1884, the number 
has gradually increased as the volume of work demanded, until 
there are at present seven. 
The original laboratory consisted of one room about 30 by 15 
feet, located on the east side, first floor, in what is now the admin- 
istration building. In 1890, when official fertilizer analysis was 
made a duty of the Station, outside quarters were temporarily hired 
to accommodate this added work. In 1891, the present commodious 
laboratory building was completed, in which has since been carried 
on all the chemical work. 
During the first year, after the chemical laboratory was fully 
organized, the work consisted mainly of miscellaneous analyses, 
such as pig weed, cow peas, string beans, tomatoes, soja beans, 
samples of milk, sugar in corn stalks, etc. 
The first formal report! of the Station chemist includes chemical 
determinations in foods, milk, sugar in corn stalks and in sorghum 
juice, fertilizers, soils, water and plant ash. Detailed methods are 
given for fodder analysis, milk analysis, and estimation of sugar. 
*Rpt. 2:149-174 (1883). 
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