PROGRESS OF INDUSTRIAL EDUCxiTION. 661 



MASSACH-USETTS. 



MassachusetU Agricultural Collcfje, at Amherst; Williti.m S. ClarJc, Flu 

 D., LL. D.ypresidcnt. — In cuiisequeuce of iiu invitation from the govern- 

 ment of Jajan, President Clark obtained a leave of abseneo and sailed 

 for that country on the 1st of June, 1876, for the purpose of establishing 

 there an agricultural collego like that of Massachusetts. Tliree grad- 

 uates of the college vvent with him, expecting to remain as professors. 

 The professor of veterinary science and practice has been dismissed, in 

 consequence of inadequacy of means to pay his salary, and the super- 

 intendent of the farm has been superseded by a graduate of the college. 

 The farm contains 383 acres, and is valued at $37,000. Great improve- 

 mentt have been made on it during the year by nuderdraiuiug, 

 grading, and filling depressions 5 and a change has also been made ia 

 its general objects and maiaagement. Experiments have been con- 

 ducted in growing crops with chemical fertilizers, and in -feeding fruit- 

 bearing plants with different substances to ascertain their effect on the 

 quality and quantity of the fruit produced. Professor Stockbridge 

 saj^s that " this is the eighth year that crops have been grown on the 

 same land with chemicals, and, as a result, it may be said that it is 

 conclusively proved that chemicals may be substituted for barn-yard 

 manure, if they are properly compounded and used. In fact, in some 

 circumstances these are altogether preferable. In asswer to the inquiry 

 whether these fertilizers <lo not leave the land in an exhausted con- 

 dition, he says that his experiments thus far shov*'^ that it is left in a 

 better condition than before the crops were taken from it; and as 

 to the cost of fertilizers, it is not so great that the crop does not 

 pay a large profit over the cost of production. By this method of 

 culture he has raised 104 bushels of shelled corn i)er acre. Both the 

 prepared fertilizers and the materials for compounding them can be 

 obtained in Boston. In the laboratory, analyses of plants, milk, an^ 

 fertilizers have been made on a large senile, and also of animal excre- 

 tions, to ascertain how they are affected, as to their quality for fertilizers, 

 by the food the animal consumes. 



The annual interest derived from the part (two-thirds) of the con- 

 gressional land-grant received by this college amounts to $8,022. The 

 national endowment fund has, at different times, received large additions 

 by the State, so that the permanent interest-bearing fund of the college 

 is $360,007. A post-graduate course has been provided, by which grad- 

 uates of colleges and scientific schools may pursue their studies under 

 the direction of President Clark in botany, Professor Goessmann in 

 chemistry, or other members of the faculty in their respective depart- 

 ments. A model dairy-house has been built, with all the modern appli- 

 ances; also a steam boiler and engine have been placed in the barn to 

 cut and steam fodder and roots, and for all purposes for which power 

 is needed. The barns, sheds, and farm-house have been painted and 

 otherwise improved. 



Professors, 5 ; assistants, 3 ; students, 111. 



Massachusetts Institute of Technology, at Boston; John D. EunJcle, Ph. 

 .D., LL}D., president. — Anew department, called "Practical mechanism," 

 has been opened, designed especially for the benefit of those v/ho wish to 

 become master-mechanics, rather than engineers, and for affording a 

 course of thorough preparation for all the higher courses in the institute. 

 There is no other school for metal working, so far as is known, conducted 

 on the same plan, except in Ilussia. For admission the applicant must 

 be fifteen years of age, and pass a satisfactory examination in arithmetic, 

 22a 



