1900.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 



EEPOET OF THE AGRICULTURIST. 



WM. P. BROOKS; ASSISTANT, H. M. THOMSON. 



The work of the agricultural department of the station has 

 been more extensive during the past year than ever before 

 during its history. Besides the investigations selected for 

 full discussion later in this report, we have carried on a large 

 number of other out-door experiments, among which may 

 be mentioned those having the following objects in view : 

 with potatoes, to determine the best distance for planting; 

 with oats, to determine relative value of equal money's 

 worth of five different phosphates ; with corn, to determine 

 relative value of ten leading phosphates when used in quan- 

 tities furnishing equal amounts of phosphoric acid ; with 

 orchard trees, to test the effects of five different systems of 

 manuring ; to test the value of employing nitragin for several 

 of the crops of the clover family ; to determine the adapta- 

 tion and value of different grasses, forage and food crops. 



We have put up a glass house for use in connection with 

 pot experiments, and have installed a very complete equip- 

 ment of iron tracks, trucks, pots, etc., for use in such ex- 

 periments. The house is 23 by 60 feet, and contains six 

 tracks. The track yard adjoining, which is enclosed by fine 

 wire netting, is 28 by 80 feet. It contains seven tracks, 

 on which the trucks carrying the pots stand during good 

 weather, being quickly run into the house in case of rain or 

 storm. It has transfer track, turn-table and an iron water 

 tank. We have partitioned off a room (12 by 30 feet) in 

 the old barn, cemented the floor, and connected the same 

 with the glass house by iron track about 100 feet in length. 



