522 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



by the audience, led by the college choir, prayer by the Rev. 

 Samuel Snelling, rector of Grace Church in Amherst, the 

 putting of the corner-stone in place by the presidents of the 

 several classes now in college, and the benediction by the 

 rector. 



THE FARM. 



John W. Clark, Farm Superintendent and Instructor in 

 Agriculture, resigned April 1, to accept a position in a 

 neighboring State. We cherish an esteem for him as a man, 

 and shall remember his eiforts to promote the welftire of the 

 college. Since April 1, the President has been acting super- 

 intendent. Mr. David A. Wrisrht has the farm in his imme- 

 diate charge, and to his faithful work and direction the 

 successful management of the farm is largely due. The work 

 on the farm has been done in good season, and well done. 

 In addition to the usual work for the season, the fitting and 

 seeding of the thirty acres of pasture land has been com- 

 pleted. This land is our best pasturage — 25 acres have 

 been seeded to mowing, and now promise a large yield of 

 grass for another year. Most of the land to be planted next 

 year is ploughed and some of it is manured. 



The approximate list of crops harvested is as follows : 

 70 tons of hay, 740 bushels of shelled corn, 142 bushels of 

 wheat and oats, 35 tons of beets, 500 bushels of carrots, 

 1,500 bushels of turnips, and 300 bushels of potatoes. 



The results of good farming are two ; increase of profitable 

 crops, and improvement of the soil. The land of the col- 

 lege farm should be rendered more productive. Unless the 

 New England farmer tills thoroughly and keeps his land in a 

 highly productive condition, he cannot successfully compete, 

 at present prices for labor, with the new lands of the West. To 

 bring the tillage and mowing of the college farm to a high 

 state of fertility will require large expense if done in one 

 }'ear, but it may be gradually accomplished by rotation of 

 crops, and by saving carefully and applying skilfully fertil- 

 izing material. 



So far as the farm is used for instruction it cannot be 

 expected to yield pecuniary profit. 



