482 AGRICULTUKAL REPORT. 



ments that it would be desirable to conduct similarly, by the differeut 

 institutions of agriculture, and also the best methods of conducting them. 

 These questions and their ramifications were discussed at great length 

 and with minuteness by some of the leading agricultural educators and 

 experimenters of the country. In view of the great value and import- 

 ance of experimentation with reference to raising the standard of the 

 products of the farm and the breeds of domestic animals, it was deemed 

 .especially advisable that agricultural colleges conduct the same experi- 

 ments ou a uniform ])lau. It was thought by one speaker that experi- 

 ments that would lead to valuable results are just beginning properly to 

 be made in this country — there should be an attempt at the explication 

 of established agricultural laws — knowledge of which, positive or proxi- 

 mate, can only be reached by experiments long continued and scieutific- 

 aliy conducted. It was thought to be a matter of regret that farmers 

 so rarely' co-operate in these efforts, and display so much impatience for 

 immediate results, in many cases distrusting those already attained. 



Field experiments should be made on plats of definite size. The ob- 

 ject of the experiment should be the discovery of laws in. agriculture, 

 not the mere gratification of curiosity. Touching this point, Dr. Gregory 

 related his observations at Munich, Bavaria, at one of the expei"imeutal 

 stations : 



I saw some plats, less than those recommendetl here, iu which not only the seeds, 

 even when they were grass-seeds, were measured, but they were carefully weighed and 

 counted, and at tbe head of every x:)Iat was placed tho number of seeds. ***** 

 Every result obtained from that growth was weighed, root, branch, and fruit. * * » 

 Science in agriculture can make progress no better than iu any other branch, unless it 

 comes down to measure, and weight, and count, and applies mathematics to get pre- 

 cise results, and measures and weighs, as far as possible, all the forces that enter 

 into it. 



Experiment is useless unless carried on from year to year, closely ob- 

 serving the conditions promoting success or causing failure. 



In relation to feeding animals with regard to testing the relative value 

 of different kinds as to healthful properties or fitness lor fattening, Dr. 

 Miles recommended that each animal should be placed in a separate pen, 

 and that all should be not onlj- of the same age, but, as near as possible, 

 of the same size, and of the same degree of fatness. He would then con- 

 fine them to a single article of food. It would be important to test the 

 value of corn-meal, and corn prepared iu different ways. He suggests 

 that for feed-experiments he would simply, for animals, try to ascer- 

 tain the value of Indian corn in its various tbrms; afterward test 

 other grains, and subsequently the grasses. He thought it desira- 

 ble to experiment concerning the effects of alternation on the growing 

 crops, and refers to a system which has been tried; wheat having been 

 grovt'n for quite a number of j'cars in succession, and a yield of from 30 

 to 40 bushels obtained, without any manure. 



The system is as follows : 



The field is divided into strips of three feet iu width. The wheat is sown on tho 

 alternate strips. The vacant strips are kept thoroughly pulverized during the season, 

 and the next year the wheat is put on the strips left bare tho year before. 



The reports of county agricultural societies show substantial pros- 

 perity, aiul, on tbe part of these coadjutors of agricultural education, an 

 increasing interest. 



The annual report of the Michigan Pomological Society for the year 

 1871 contains the proceedings of various meetings of the society, the 

 list of premiums offered and aw^ards made at its second annual fair, 

 held at Grand liapids in September, 1871, an elaborate address by the 



