1 84 AUTOBIOGRAPHY 



On the ist of April, 1874, I took an inventory 

 of all the property belonging to the farm, a copy 

 of which I filed with the University Treasurer 

 the first ever taken by any department of the Uni- 

 versity. The next year orders went out to every 

 department to file such lists of property with values 

 affixed. I also introduced a system of farm ac- 

 counts so that not only the loss and gain of the 

 whole undertaking but of each subdivision of it 

 might be ascertained an idea which I had 

 brought from the Iowa College. This farm ac- 

 counting was so carefully worked out even then 

 that it is still followed with scarcely a change 

 except in minor details. 



It revealed many things unseen before. It ap- 

 peared that the dairy might be made to more than 

 pay expenses; and the work stock also, for they 

 found employment in other departments when not 

 needed on the farm; and this, in spite of the fact 

 that all the animals were in wretched condition. 

 There were ten milch cows that had among them 

 only twenty-two milkable teats and the Veterin- 

 arian did not have to be called in to know that 

 the herd was infected with tuberculosis. One of 

 the work oxen was sound and strong but it took 

 most of his strength to hold up his mate. There 



