UNIVERSITY FARM. 
REPORT OF PROF. W. W. DANIELLS, 
TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN. 
Experiments upon the University Experimental Farm for the 
year ending October 31, 1872, together with the Meteorological 
Observations taken at the University. 
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SEASON. 
The success of operations in the various departments of agri¬ 
culture, and especially the success attending the completion of a 
system of farm experiments, are so directly dependent upon the 
climatic conditions of the season, that I have thought best to pre¬ 
face this report with some of the characteristics of the past year. 
The fall of 1871 was unusually dry, there being but twelve days 
from September 1st to November 30th, upon which either rain or 
snow fell. This want of rain rendered the usual amount of fall 
plowing impossible. On this account, farmers were not as well 
prepared as usual for early sowing their spring crops. The winter 
months were steadily cold and dry, the average temperature for 
the three months being 16° 6', and the entire amount of rain (with 
melted snow,) was but 2.75 inches. Sleighing continued with¬ 
out intermission, from November 28th to March 1st. In the open 
field, March 1st, the ground was frozen to a depth of only eighteen 
inches. The protection furnished to winter wheat by the snow, 
was very favorable to that crop, and doubtless accounted largely 
for the excellent yield throughout the state, the past harvest. The 
spring was late and cold. Upon a naturally dry soil on the Uni¬ 
versity Farm, it was impossible to sow grain before April 30th. 
Throughout the state, spring wheat, barley and oats were sown 
