24 AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 



out for ourselves. Do not tie their hands. Let them have fall liberty to make such experi- 

 ments as the interests of scientific agriculture demand. They ought to know, and I am sure 

 Dr. Miles does know, what we need. Do not cripple them tor want of means. 



" We all hold Michigan in high honor for what she has done for agricultural science. The 

 experiments on tbe college farm are becoming more and more interesting the longer they 

 are continued, and it will be a great mistake to adopt any new and doubtful methods. 



" I have alluded above to the experiments on pigs. The experiments on sheep, though 

 not so extensive, are also of great interest and value. I saw some of these experimental 

 sheep. They convinced me that we could easily raise good mutton and fine combing wool ; 

 and since then 1 have adopted on my farm the very same cross which the experiments 

 sliowed to be so useful. We were told then, as we are told now, that the farmers of the 

 United States "could not raise combing wool. The experiments at the college showed that 

 this was a great mistake. I cannot go into this matter, but I feel that the college has never 

 received half the credit it is entitled to for the position then taken and for the facts which 

 sustained it. These experiments alone might well be worth to the farmers of Michigan 

 more than the entire cost of the college. I should be much pleased to see these sheep ex- 

 periments continued on the plan Dr. Miles suggested in his report for 1868. It is precisely 

 what we want, and I do not doubt that the results would be as interesting and instructive 

 as tbe remarkable results from Dr. Miles' experiments on pigs. 



" The field experiments, though evidently conducted with great care and labor, have not 

 given us so much positive information as the experiments on animals. But negative results 

 are not without value. It may save the farmers of Michigan more money to know that 

 phosphates are not an economical manure for wheat, than to know that phosphates are 

 valuable for turnips. A failure will sometimes teach a man more than a success. What 

 we want is a well-planned experiment and an honest record ot the result. We want truth, 

 aod this tbe Michigan Agricultural College gives us. 

 Yours respectfully, 



JOSEPH HARRIS. 



FIELD AND FEEDING EXPERIMENTS MADE AT THE MICHIGAN AGRI- 

 CULTURAL COLLEGE. 



Keports. 



1863 pages 63-71. By Dr. Kedzie. Muck upon grass, hoed crops, and potatoes. 



1864 pages 117-119. By Dr. Kedzie. On grass; plaster, ashes, etc. 



1865 pages 235-239. By Dr. Miles. Top dressing of grass lands. 



1866 pages 51-54. By Dr. Kedzie. Agricultural chemistry ; muck and night soil. 

 1 1866 pages 55-59. By Dr. Miles. Top dressing on grass ; manures to corn. 



1866 pages 59-62. By Dr. Miles. Pig-feeding. 



1867 pages 39-52. By Dr. Miles. Sheep-feeding. 



1867 pages 53-54. By Prof. Prentiss. Fertilizers; corn. 



1868 pages 47-72. By Dr. Miles. Sheep-feeding. 



1868 pages 73-97. By Dr. Miles. Pig-feeding. 



1868 pages 99-128. By Dr. Miles. Fertilizers. 



1868 paaes 129-149. Bv Dr. Kedzie. Agricultural cbemistrv.- 

 ; 1868 pages 150-152. By Prof. Preutiss. Fertilizers, 

 i 1869 pages 53-71. By Dr. Miles. Pig-feeding. 



1869 pages 73-104. By Dr. Miles. Fertilizers. 



1869 pages 190-194. By W. K. Kedzie. Steeping seeds in brine. 



1870 pages 75-92. By Dr. Miles. Pig-feeding. 



1870 pages 93-117. By Dr. Miles. Manures. 



1870 folded sheet between pages 118-119. By Prof. Prentisa. Tomatoes. 



1873 pages 108-1 32. By Dr. Miles. Pig-feeding. 



1873 pages 123-139. By Dr. Miles. Fertilizers. 



The report for 1871 contains (pages 291-389) the proceedings of a convention for the discus^ 

 sion of college experiments. Great pains was taken to correct all errors in the newspaper 

 reports by correspondence with the various persons who took part in, the discussions. 



