454 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



IMPROVEMENTS. 



The unsightly gravel-pit near the road has been filled at 

 large expense, and other important improvements have been 

 made as indicated in the farm and horticultural reports. 



Mr. Danforth K. Bangs has given to the college three- 

 fourths of an acre of land at the intersection of the two roads 

 that cross the college grounds from the south. This piece 

 of land, rough, neglected and unsightly, was a great injury 

 to the appearance of the college property. By this generous 

 gift of Mr. Bangs, we have been able to transform this piece 

 of land to a small ornamental park, so that the entrance to 

 our grounds is now marked by the appearance of ornamenta- 

 tion and culture, instead of roughness and neglect. 



The plan henceforth will be to concentrate the farm-work 

 near the roads and farm buildings, and spend less money 

 upon the pastures and swamps, till we have more to expend. 

 Much of such labor gives very slow returns, and much of 

 this kind of labor is still to be done on this farm. With so 

 much land to be cared for by the work of students and by 

 hired help, it is a very difficult problem to gain profit while 

 trying to use the farm as a means of education. Much labor 

 upon it has thus far been like labor in the laboratory, without 

 any direct pecuniary profit. Now that the experiment station 

 is to take the burden of experimenting, the farm-work should 

 be narrowed to that limit that it can be done with profit. 

 The position of the college, away from markets, renders the 

 work more difficult for both the farm and garden than it 

 would be were the institution near some large city aflfording 

 a ready market for the most profitable crops. 



Notwithstanding the improvements made, involving large 

 expense, and the loss on nearly all crops in consequence of 

 the unprecedented drought, the expenses of the college as a 

 whole have been kept within its income. If we add to the 

 reported balance $1,309,12, paid on debts of 1881, and 

 $2,045.19, income delayed on account of change in securi- 

 ties, we should show a balance of $4,098.07, as the real con- 

 dition of the college, January, 1883, as compared with Jan- 

 uary, 1882. It is estimated that the bills due the college 

 will pay its present outstanding debts. 



