8 MAINE STATE COLLEGE 



It is provided that an analysis fee of fifteen dollars shall be paid 

 by the manufacturers, importers or dealers for each distinct brand 

 of fertilizer of which more than thirty tons are sold in Maine, the 

 income thus derived to be used to pay the expenses of the fertilizer 

 inspection and publishing the results. It is even now very evident 

 that this fee is too small. In fact, the experience of ten or twelve 

 years had previously shown that a fee of at least 820 would be 

 needed. It is hoped that the legislature of 1895 will remedy this 

 error by increasing the fee. 



THE NEW FORCING HOUSE. 



The most notable addition to the Station equipment is the new 

 forcing house, now nearing completion, which is to be used in the 

 study of problems in plant nutrition. The work is to be under the 

 immediate charge of Professor Balentine, who reports on subse- 

 quent pages the results of experiments made in the forcing house 

 erected several years since. It is believed that in giving more at- 

 tention to a scientific study of certain phases of plant nutrition the 

 Station will occupy a field very largely neglected by American 

 experiment stations, this line of study having so far held a place 

 much subordinate to animal nutrition. The new house is 65x18 

 feet, and is to be equipped in a manner best adapted to its intended 

 purpose. 



INCREASE OF MAILING LIST. 



At a meeting of the Station Council in the autumn of 1892. it 

 was urged that the list of farmers receiving the publications of the 

 Station should be increased. This matter was left with me for 

 action. After considering several plans, I decided to send to each 

 postmaster in the State a card-board poster showing a cut of the 

 College buildings, and stating thereon that the station publications 

 would be sent free to any Maine farmer requesting them. Through 

 such advertising and by other means that have been adopted, the 

 mailing list of residents of this State has been increased over two 

 thousand names, so that now it numbers between seven and eight 

 thousand. It is doubtful if a larger proportion of the farmers of 

 any state are receiving the bulletins of their experiment station 

 than is the case in Maine. During the year the mailing list has 

 also been revised by sending to each postmaster for correction a 

 list of names previously addressed to his office. In this way a large 

 number of errors were corrected. 



