26 EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



were kept. The disease did not affect chickens brooded under 

 hens, although kept on the same kind of soil. 



Meteorological Department. — The report of the head of this 

 department calls attention to a number of important improve- 

 ments which have been made in the equipment of the depart- 

 ment during the past year. One of the most important of 

 these is the setting up of apparatus over one of the manholes 

 of our heat distribution system for melting snow as it falls. 

 By means of this apparatus it will be possible to secure a more 

 accurate record of the total precipitation, while by means of 

 connections with recording apparatus in the office of the de- 

 partment the time of beginning and ending of storms can be 

 determined with much exactness. 



WM. P. BROOKS, 



Director. 



