THE COLLEGE FARM AND STOCK. 307 



not be forgotten that this was the first season in which the 

 whole force of the farm, especially the teams, could be applied 

 to its development, the appropriations by the legislature of money 

 to erect buildings having been always made at the beginning of 

 the farming season. And your Committee in this connection 

 desire to correct what they regard as a popular error, viz., that 

 the college should possess a model farm, like a Dutch garden, 

 complete and formal in every part. On the contrary, we think 

 it should be a working farm, on which all experiments may be 

 tried, and, if necessary, over and over again, that the students 

 may take part in all kinds of agricultural labor ; but, of course, 

 a main object should be to grow profitable crops, and to plant, 

 cultivate and harvest them in the best manner and condition. 

 It is desirable, also, that more attention should be given to the 

 garden, and the students be early taught the value of so impor- 

 tant a part of the farm, and we trust that out of the first appro- 

 priations of money for the college, a sufficient sum may be 

 applied to the erection of suitable forcing beds for the pro- 

 duction of early vegetables, by which, not only can the pupils 

 be instructed in one of the most profitable branches of agricul- 

 ture, but no inconsiderable revenue could be derived from the 

 sale of the products in the vicinity of the college. 



The farm is now well stocked with cattle, a large proportion 

 of which are thoroughbreds, and though purchased at reason- 

 able rates fairly represent the various breeds. They are stabled 

 and bedded comfortably, and the manure made by their means 

 and the matter composted with it will enable such enriching 

 to be given to the soil, that the farm products must necessarily, 

 under proper cultivation, yield hereafter largely in excess of 

 previous seasons. Li addition, a valuable young stock will soon 

 be growing up, and the cattle of the vicinity, and through it that 

 of the State, will be continually improved by the use of the 

 bulls, whose services are afforded at such reasonable rates as to 

 give no excuse for the least prosperous farmer to degrade his 

 stock by breeding to inferior ones. These pure-bred animals 

 were put in competition with many others of the same class at 

 one of the large exhibitions in the State the past fall, at which 

 one of your Committee was present, and received a due share 

 of admiration and premiums. 



From what we could learn from the students who take their 



