ANNOUNCEMENTS. 



Establishment of 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 fur- 

 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 passed 

 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 phy- 

 siology 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 stages of growth; 

 the comparative advantage of rotative cropping as pursued un- 

 der a varying series of crops ; the capacity of new plants or trees 

 for acclimation; the analysis of soils and water; 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 forage 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 conditions and needs 

 of the respective states or territories." 



