No. 98.] 9 
The work of the first year has necessarily been largely devoted to 
organization and preparation. Nominal possession was taken of the | 
premises on March 1, but real work only began in April, and it was 
some time before we were ready to begin upon experimental work. 
The buildings and land were in disorder, and we were reminded at 
times of the Augean stables, which required the labors of a Hercules 
to cleanse ; but we enjoyed this satisfaction, that we found little that 
could be classed as filth. 
The Station land surveys 125 acres, and is mostly of a level charac- 
ter, or in slightly rolling fields. Diagonally through the farm, in a 
narrow valley, flows Castle brook, dividing the farm into two sections. 
The soil is of a clayey character, lighter on the north and east, and 
passing into heavy clay. on the south and west. Upon the north-west 
side the orchards and gardens, comprising 643 apple, 97 peach, 77 
pear and 37 cherry trees. In the poultry yard there are 28 plum trees, 
and in the garden a few quinces, currants and raspberries. 
The 80i], originally of fine quality, was found in places to be in a 
reduced state of fertility and foul with weeds, the land under-drained, 
but the drains apparently laid shallow and many of the lines appar- 
ently choked at some points. 
The dwelling-house is substantially built of brick. The main 
building, 46x42, three stories and a basement, the L 17x34, two stories 
anda basement. A piazza 7 feet 4 inches wide, supported on iron 
columns, railed in with iron, and metal-roofed, surrounds the whole 
edifice. The business rooms in the basement comprise a furnace-room 
and laboratory 11x26 feet, a work-room 14x29 feet, and a closet for 
use of the janitor. On the first story, the east room, 17x40, is fitted 
as a laboratory. ‘The west room, 15x29 feet 8 inches, is furnished as 
a public office, museum and reception-room; in the rear of the public 
office, a fine wash-room ; in the L, a working office 15x12, and in the 
extreme south end, the director’s office, 15x20 feet. The kitchen, in 
the basement, is in use by the director’s family, and two basement 
rooms furnish lodgings to one of the officers. The second story 
serves as a dwelling for the director, and in the third story three 
rooms are occupied by officers of the Station. 
Spring-water, brought from a distance of nearly two miles, fur- 
nishes a good supply for the laboratory and one faucet on the first 
floor, and for two faucets in the basement. ‘This same water supply 
suffices for two fountains on the lawn, and for the purposes of the 
barns and stables. A tank in the upper story, collecting the rain-water 
from the roof, furnishes water supply for domestic purposes. A con- 
nection between the spring-water and tank system of pipes enables the 
cistern to be kept filled independently of the rain fall. 
To the south of the dwelling, separated by a road-way are a line of 
buildings comprising a small octagonal ice-house, seven feet on the 
side; a brick coal-house, 11x26; a stone building, 28x32, the ground 
floor of which has been fitted as an experimental cattle farm, while 
the basement is utilized for the storage of roots and vegetables, the 
attic-for the keeping of labels ; a poultry- house, also of stone, 28x31; 
and a frame stable, 40x60, the lower floor being used for the horses, 
[Assem. Doc. No. 98.] 2 
