STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 163 



Applied Chemistry" towards scientific agriculture. 

 Professor Johnson took an active part in the organi- 

 zation of the Board, and at its first annual meeting, 

 held in Sheffield Hall, New Haven, he delivered two lec- 

 tures; the one, " Recent Investigations concerning the 

 Source and Supply of Nitrogen to Crops," the other, 

 "The Principles which may Guide the Farmer in the 

 Selection and Use of Fertilizers." On January 13, 

 1869, he again lectured before the Board of Agricul- 

 ture, talking on the "Nutritive Value of Grasses and 

 Green Fodder, as indicated by Chemical Analysis and 

 Feeding Trials." 



His "Report on Commercial Fertilizers," made to 

 the Connecticut Board of Agriculture on April 10, 

 1869, marked the formal resumption, under official 

 sanction of this Board, of work done in connection 

 with the Agricultural Society during 1856 and succeed- 

 ing years. In it were incorporated the results of six- 

 teen analyses of fertilizers, the analytical details of 

 which were performed by Mr. W. O. Atwater, who at 

 that time was studying under Professor Johnson's 

 direction in the Sheffield Scientific School and was also 

 acting as Professor Johnson's private assistant; later 

 he became a prominent worker in similar lines of 

 research. This report attracted attention outside of 

 Connecticut. In November the Commissioner of Agri- 

 culture at Washington said in a letter to Professor 

 Johnson : 



A floating paragraph states that you have been engaged 

 in analysing numerous samples of commercial fertilizers. If 

 such be the case, I would be glad to have you furnish in some 

 detail the result of the investigation for the use of this 

 Department. 



