REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

In presenting the following report it has been my purpose to make such a statement as would clearly outline the work of this department for the biennial period closing November 9, 1881.

INSTRUCTION IN AGRICULTURE.

The present college course in agriculture seems to meet the wants of such pupils as desire to become proficient in husbandry and have chosen this great department of industry for a vocation. The several studies pursued have been selected with a view to solve, in a practical way, the problems of the farm, from the standpoint of the owner or manager; and with the design of aiding him, as far as practicable, to become a wise observer and successful operator upon the farm. While it is not claimed that perfection has been reached, in a question so difficult of solution, it is thought that this course more comprehensively and successfully outlines the work of the agricultural student and traces the proper mean between simple skill and general theory than any that has hitherto been formulated. The pupil is regarded as the intelligent owner or manager of a farm, and the several problems that arise in farm improvement, drainage, stock-breeding and the dairy, in the soil and application of manures, in the production of the cereals and grasses and their economic uses in husbandry, are carefully discussed from this entirely practical standpoint.

Sufficient manual labor is given under a competent foreman to familiarize the pupil with the methods necessary to the successful application of principles involved and to give him a reasonable amount of skill.

It is not, however, presumed that the student in agriculture, after a course that has taxed his full energies, will be as skillful in ordinary farm industries, as the one who has spent an equal amount of time upon the farm; but the superior knowledge and mental discipline acquired are considered more than a compensation for any temporary lack in skill, and fully vindicate the wisdom of a thorough education for the farmer.

The following classes have been taught this year:

There are valid reasons for farm experimentation in connection with agricultural colleges.

1st. The practical demonstration of the superiority of a machine, a method of cultivation, a variety of fertilizer or product, of thoroughbred stock, etc., is a lesson of inestimable value to the student.

2d. Such experiments, if carefully conducted, are also of value to the entire agricultural portion of the State, and, under a proper plan of publication, would aid in systematizing agriculture in Iowa, and placing it upon well-defined principles.

To place the farm experiments upon a more definite basis, by direction of the Board, it was made a separate department under the Professor of Agriculture.

Forty acres of land were selected for field experiments, and six hundred dollars allowed for expenses, for fiscal year closing November 10, 1880, and eight hundred dollars allowed for year closing November 10, 1881.

All of this has been expended in preparing the soil and making some of the simpler experiments with corn, wheat, oats, potatoes, and green manuring.

For extended report of these I refer to annual report upon experiimentation.

FURTHER AID TO EXPERIMENTATION.

I am well aware, the college can not afford, in justice to all, to place any large amount at the disposal of this department; perhaps one thousand dollars is the limit.

The field of investigation is so large, and the methods so expensive, that it will require considerable means to accomplish much. Experiments in drainage and fertilizers in corn, wheat, oats, and the grasses, with the methods of cultivation, in sorghum sugars, in ensilage, in the fodder plants, in the cutting, curing and storing of the grasses, in dairy products, and in improved stock of all kinds, should receive the careful and constant attention of at least one skillful foreman the entire year and of one farm hand-with team and implements-during the summer season.

Then there must be some expenditures for special apparatus and machinery; as for sorghum, ensilage, pulping beets for stock, cutting stalks or straw, creamery etc.: also for storage; as in ensilage pits, tight barns for preserving green clover etc. The law does not permit the use of interest fund for the construction of any building, therefore experimentation must receive some State aid. The least sum, in my judgement, that will meet the annual expenses of an agricultural experimental department, which does careful work, is $2,000. A proportion of this amount, say one thousand dollars, should be provided by the State appropriation,

1st. Because, the whole amount could not be spared from college funds without detriment to other interests.

2d. Because many things must be done in the course of a year, the expense of which can not be met legally from interest fund.

3d. Such portion of the experimental work as is for the State at large, more especially than for the school, should be met by appropriations.

4th. To complete the work of experimentation in new varieties and ascertain their general value, it is necessary, after testing on the farm, to place them in the hands of practical farmers in different parts of the State and under different conditions in order that the final trial may be conclusive for the whole State. To such farmers as co-operate the samples should be sent free.

FARM.

Upon the assumption of my position as Professor of Agriculture, one of my first duties was to carefully inspect the farm, and ascertain the amount, variety and condition of the lands, and to determine their capacity for and adaptation to the purposes designed. The following condensed statement presents the result:-

The remaining lands are used for lawns and horticulture.

The small amount of meadow-land is explained by the fact that most of the hay for farm uses has hitherto been cut upon the lawns. With the rapid growth of the trees and the increased number of

buildings, the farm must mainly depend, in future, upon its own resources; hence the immediate establishment of permanent meadows is of pressing importance.

This will tax every available acre of upland to its utmost. I desire, therefore, to emphasize the importance of not allowing any more encroachments upon the farm for buildings or other purposes.

WOODLAND.

So much of the valuable timber has been removed from woodlands, that if they were charged with their just proportion of expenses there would be no balance to their credit; I therefore recommend that the woodland account be incorporated with the general farm account.

To add to the available pasture, about ninety acres of woodland have been thinned and underbrushed, and the work should be continued as rapidly as practicable.

PASTURE.

One hundred and forty acres of the pasture and quite a proportion of the woodlands are subject to deep overflow, which renders them unavailable for stock in wet seasons.

The overflow was, in a measure, due to the tortuous channel of Squaw Creek, which flows through the grounds.

An appropriation was made to straighten this by excavating three canals upon the north and east of the farm. The canals were two rods wide, with a total length of 126 rods. The work was successfully accomplished to the marked advantage of the pasture.

The work of protecting the bottoms should be continued. It has been impossible to use the funds appropriated for this year, on account of high water. I therefore request that the sum of $300 be appropriated for the ensuing year.

FENCES.

About two hundred and forty acres of the farm had never been entirely inclosed by fence; it was thought advisable to construct this at once, and to place all the fences upon the farm in good repair. Upon examination most of them were so decayed that it was found more economical to replace them with wire fences. In the execution of this plan, over seven miles of barbed wire fence have been constructed, and one mile of board fence thoroughly repaired. The

barn-yard fences-in all about 100 rods—have been replaced in a very substantial manner and painted.

About 100 rods of open ditch have been dug, and the whole farm placed in a general state of repair.

BUILDINGS.

In accordance with the appropriations of the last General Assembly, a convenient cattle-barn, swine-house, corn-cribs and poultry-house have been erected, adding greatly to the necessary conveniences in those departments. Other buildings are much needed to practically carry out the purposes of the farm.

MACHINERY.

At the commencement of my work the total machinery upon the farm scarcely amounted to $150. Your liberality has enabled the department to purchase a complete assortment for practical work.

FARM STOCK-HORSES.

Among the first measures taken in this department was to dispose of the old horses and replace them with young half Clyde mares of substance and action, and secondly to secure a suitable stallion to commence a systematic course of breeding horses. The result has been highly satisfactory. The following horses are now upon the farm.

1 Clydesdale stallion.

1 imported Clydesdale filly.

S brood mares (mainly Clyde or Norman).

3 fillys.

3 geldings.

5 colts.

CATTLE.

It was considered of the first importance to establish a well-defined policy in regard to the kind and quality of cattle to be bred.

The Short-Horns had already been selected to represent the beefproducing animals, and the Holsteins and Jerseys to represent dairy stock. This department has aimed to increase the number of thorough-breds and decrease the grades by selection, until no animal but the thorough-bred should be kept.