ANNOUNCEMENTS. 



ESTABUSHMENT Ot" THE STATION. 



The Maine Fertilizer Control and Agricultural Experiment 

 Station, established by Act of the Legislature approved March 

 3, 1885, began its work in April of that year in quarters fu"- 

 nished by the College. After the Station had existed for two 

 years, Congress passed what is known as the Hatch Act, estab- 

 lishing agricultural experiment stations in every state. This 

 grant was accepted by the Maine Legislature by an Act ap- 

 proved March 16, 1887, which established the Maine Agricul- 

 tural Experiment Station as a department of the University. 

 The reorganization was effected in June, 1887, but work was 

 not begun until February 16, 1888. In 1906 Congress passe! 

 the Adams Act for the further endowment of the stations es- 

 tablished under the Hatch Act. 



The purpose of the experiment stations is defined in the Act 

 of Congress establishing them as follows: 



"It shall be the object and duty of said experiment stations 

 to conduct original researches or verify experiments on the 

 physiology of plants and animals ; the diseases to which they 

 are severally subject, with the remedies for the same; the 

 chemical composition of useful plants at their different stage r^ 

 of growth; the comparative advantage of rotative cropping y^ 

 pursued under a varying series of crops; the capacity of new 

 plants or trees for acclimation ; the analysis of soils and wate; : 

 the chemical composition of manure, natural and artificial, with 

 experiments designed to test their comparative effects on crops 

 of different kinds ; the adaptation and value of grasses and for- 

 age plants ; the composition and digestibility of the different 

 kinds of food for domestic animals ; the scientific and economic 

 questions involved in the production of butter . and cheese ; and 

 such other researches or experiments bearing directly on the 

 agricultural industry of the United States as may in each case 

 be deemed advisable, having due regard to the varying condi- 

 tions and needs of the respective states or territories." 



