414 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Samples of tohacco refuse, broom-corn refuse, corn- meal 

 (fine), corn-meal with cobs, rye bran, wheat bran, cotton- 

 seed meal (coarse), have been sent on of late and are waiting 

 for analysis. 



Without any intention to anticipate in any particular di- 

 rection the decision of the Board, I take the liberty to 

 enumerate briefly a series of subjects for future experimental 

 investigation. The selection of the various topics li:is been 

 controlled by two considerations : First, to comply as far as 

 practicable at the outset with the special direction of the 

 late legislative enactment regarding the particular work of the 

 experiment station. (See sect. 5 of "An Act to establish 

 an Agricultural Experiment Station, chap. 212, Laws and 

 Resolves, 1882.) Second, to turn the pecuniary and local 

 resources of the experiment station to good account, as far 

 as the solution of the leading agricultural questions of the 

 day is concerned. 



Some of the subjects named below have been already for 

 several years experimentally investigated upon the college 

 grounds, and need but little assistance to be brought to a satis- 

 factory termination ; others cause only an outlay at the be- 

 ginning, and may be carried on with much benefit for years 

 without any particular subsequent expense ; while several, if 

 at all selected, derive additional interest from an early l)egin- 

 ning of the observation. To approximate intelligently the 

 pecuniary wants of the experiment station for the first year 

 renders it in my opinion advisable to base the desired speci- 

 fication of necessary appropriations on some definite plan of 

 operation, if for no other purpose than to assist in a judi- 

 cious distribution of the means on hand. 



The subsequent statement is based on a careful considera- 

 tion of our local resources, and of the character of the work 

 expected. It embodies, also, the views of Prof. Miles and 

 Prof. Maynard regarding their special work and wants. 

 Both gentlemen concur in the opinion that a series of ex- 

 periments like those mentioned, or of a similar character, 

 may be eflSciently provided for at an expense not much 

 varying from the sums specified below. A detailed descrip- 

 tion of the various experiments has been omitted for obvious 

 reasons. 



