DEPARTMENT REPORTS. PRESIDENT'S REPORT. To the State Board of Agriculture: I respectfully submit the following report of the State Agricultural College, for the college year, 1883; together with the reports of the heads of the various departments. So far as students and classes are concerned, the report closes with the close of the college year, August 31, 1883. REPORT TO BE ANNUAL. In my last report I represented that the State, by its agreement with congress, was under obligation to print an annual report of the college; and Governor Jerome in his retiring message called attention to the duty. The following law, providing for annual reports, was accordingly passed: AN ACT to provide for the publication and distribution of the reports of the secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, and the reports of the State Horticultural Society, and to repeal all existing laws providing for the publication and distribution of said reports. SECTION 1. The People of the State of Michigan enact, That the secretary of the State board of agriculture shall report to the Legislature at every regular session thereof, and to the Governor on the first Wednesday of January of each year when the Legislature is not in session; which report shall embrace all statements, accounts, prize-essays, statistics, and other information relative to agriculture in general, proceedings of the State board of agriculture, of the State agricultural college and farm, of the State agricultural society, and of the county and district agricultural societies, to be approved by the board; that eight thousand copies of this report shall be printed and bound annually, prior to the first day of June, and shall be immediately placed at the disposal of the State board of agriculture; four thousand copies to be distributed by the secretary of said State board of agriculture as the board shall direct; and the remaining four thousand copies to be distributed prior to the first day of September after publication by the secretary of the board, to the secretary of the State agricultural society, to the secretary of the State grange, and to the secretaries of the various district and county socities, as equally as may be, according to the population of said counties, to be, by said secretaries, distributed among the various reviewing committees of county and district fairs, giving one volume of said report to each of said committees as shall be present and discharge the duties of the office on the day of the county and district fairs; and in addition to the foregoing, there shall be published a number of copies of said report equal to the number of reports bound as joint documents, which shall be disposed of in the same manner as the joint documents, also a sufficient number of copies to supply crop correspondents with one copy each, which shall be distributed by the secretary of State. SEC. 2. Has reference to the State horticultural society. SEC. 3. Repeals all other acts or parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions of this act. Approved June 6, 1883. GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE. His Excellency, Governor Begole, in his message to the Legislature, June 3, 1883, gave but few sentences to the Agricultural College, but they were pointed and commendatory. He said: "The Agricultural College is so near the capitol that you will, no doubt, visit it, and learn its needs. I can most heartily endorse the present management." Governor Jerome, in his retiring message, spoke more fully of the college as follows: "This college was established in 1855. The means for its construction and maintenance have been derived from the following sources: "Appropriation by the Legislature of 22 sections of salt spring lands, for which the money was advanced by the State amounting to..... $56,320.00 "In 1861 a further appropriation by the Legislature of swamp lands, which have been sold for............. 42,396.87 "Total realized for State lands sold..... "In 1862 the United States government donated to this, with other State, lands to be used in establishing Agricultural Colleges. 240,000 acres were nominally set apart to this State, but owing to the loss from fractional sections the amout received was really but 235,973.37 acres. 100,203.50 acres of these lands have been sold, and $224,868.15 received thereon. This has been used by the State, and on which interest has been, and will continue to be paid at 7%. The total interest paid, beginning in 1870, up to Sept. 30, '82, on the above, amounts to......- $98,717.87 179,626.82 $278,343.69 "Appropriations in cash have been made from 1857 to 1882, both years included, amounting to.... 558,744.84 "Making a total expenditure of .......... $837,088.53 "This amount divided by 26, the number of years since the College was established, makes an average annual expenditure of... $32,195.71 "The property of the College on Dec. 1st, 1882, exclusive of granted lands for sale, is estimated at.... 338,471.55 "Deduct from the total expenditures it leaves... 498,616.98 "Which if divided by 26, shows the average annual cost of maintaining the College, after allowing for the value of the land and the permanent improvements... $19,177.57 "There remains unsold of the lands granted by the government, 22,411.00 "In excess of the estimated receipts for interest, farm, horticultural department, and from students, amounting to $29,000 annually. "Total estimated expenditures for the two years.----- $59,822.00 58,000.00 117,822.00 "The purposes for which the funds are asked for the coming two years are fully set forth in the report of the managers herewith submitted, to which your attention is called, especially to that feature which relates to the establishment of a mechanical department. This department is urged by the State Board of Agriculture, and some of the agricultural socities. "The report of the President calls attention to the requirements of the Act of Congress making the grant of land for this College, as to annual reports, whereas the Legislature provides for publishing biennial reports only. The conditions of the grant should be complied with, and Act No. 206 of 1881 should be modified in this respect. "The buildings for which appropriations were made in 1881 have all been completed, and are now occupied. A new system of steam heating has also been provided with success as to heating, and it reduces the fire risk of the old plan materially. The secretary reports the liabilities of the College fully discharged, and sufficient funds on hand to defray the expenses of the remainder of the calendar year. "Success has attended the undertaking to educate young men to become farmers. The total number of graduates up to the close of the last year was 272. I quote from a statement of President Abbot the following: Of this number more than one-half are engaged in farming, horticulture, or in agricultural schools as their business. A careful examination shows that less than two per cent. of the graduates of other kinds of colleges take up agriculture as a pursuit.' I respectfully refer you to the above report for more particular statements." LEGISLATION. The legislation in 1883 regarding the college, had reference to the making and printing of reports as already given; to the deposit of military arms and accoutrements at the college; and to the support of the college for the years 1883 and 1884. Estimates for the support of the college were presented to the Legislature by the State Board of Agriculture in the printed report for 1881-2. See pages 13 to 18. The standing committees on the college in Senate and House, acting as a joint committee, cut out the estimates $18,600.00 for the establishment of a Mechanical Department, and the item for insurance, and added an item of $5,000.00 for the erection of a boiler house and chimney, $4,267.00 for steam pump, pipes, hose, etc., for a system of water-works, and $1,000.00 for the purchase of mechanical tools. The bill as made out by this joint committee was approved by the committee on finance, and of ways and means, and became a law, receiving one adverse vote in the Senate, and four in the House. AN ACT making an appropriation for the support of the State Agricultural College, for the erection and repair of buildings, and other improvements at the said College. SECTION 1. The People of the State of Michigan enact, That there shall be and is hereby appropriated out of the State Treasury the sum of eight thousand three hundred and eighty-five dollars, for the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty- three, and the sum of eight thousand three hundred and eighty-five dollars for the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty four, for the use and support of the State Agricultural College. SEC. 2. There shall be and is hereby appropriated out of the Treasury the sum of three thousand dollars, for a house for the professor of horticulture, five thousand dollars for the erection of a boiler house and chimney, four thousand two hundred and sixty-seven dollars for steam pump, pipes, hose, etc., for a system of waterworks, and one thousand dollars for the purchase of mechanical tools. SEC. 3. There shall be and is hereby appropriated out of the State Treasury the sum of six hundred dollars for farmers' institutes, three thousand one hundred and twenty-five dollars for the library, seven hundred dollars for the department of mathematics and engineering, one thousand dollars for the chemical department, one thousand nine hundred and forty-five dollars for the zoological department, one thousand three hundred and forty-two dollars for the horticultural department, three thousand three hundred and eighty-nine dollars for the farm department, two thousand two hundred and thirty-one dollars for the botanical department, six thousand seven hundred and twenty dollars for repairs of buildings. Said amounts embraced in this section aggregating twenty-one thousand and fifty-two dollars to to be paid, one-half of the same in the year one thousand eight hundred and eightythree, and one-half in the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty-four, which said moneys, provided for in this act, or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be expended under the direction of the State Board of Agriculture for the purposes aforesaid, and shall be drawn from the treasury on the presentation of the proper certificates of said Board to the Auditor General, and on his warrant to the State Treasurer. SEC. 4. There shall be assessed upon the taxable property of the State in the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty-three the sum of thirty-two thousand one hundred and seventy-eight dollars, and in the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty-four the sum of eighteen thousand and nine hundred and eleven dollars to be assessed and levied in like manner as other taxes are by law assessed, levied, and paid, which tax, when collected, shall be credited up to the general fund to reimburse to the same the sum to be drawn therefrom as provided in this act, and any sums drawn under the provisions of this act before the taxes herein authorized are collected shall be returned when such taxes are collected, which said moneys provided for in this act, or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be expended under the direction of the State Board of Agriculture for the purposes aforesaid, and shall be drawn from the treasury on the presentation of the proper certificates of said Board to the Auditor General, and on his warrant to the State Treasurer. This act is ordered to take immediate effect. Approved May 18, 1883. THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. With the appointments upon the Board of Governor Begole, the terms of office of the Hon. H. G. Wells of Kalamazoo, and of the Hon. Geo. W. Phillips of Romeo, expired. Up to the time of the new appointments the Hon. H. G. Wells had been identified with the college from the time of its reörganization in 1861. He was named in the law, as one of the first members of the Board. On the drawing of lots for terms of office Mr. Wells drew for four years, and he has been three times reäppointed by as many different Governors for additional terms of six years each. From the spring of 1869 up to within a few months, Judge Wells has been the president of the Board; and previous to that time he acted as vice president, it being customary to elect the Governor of the State to be president, until it was seen that his many official duties did not leave the Governor time to attend to the details of college business. When Judge Wells was appointed by Gen. Grant, President of the United States, to be presiding Judge of the Alabama claims court, he sent to the president of the college a resignation of his place upon the Board, but at the earnest request of every one of his colleagues he retained his membership, and his resignation was never formally presented. Similar representations were made to him of the unanimous desire that he should not resign when he was again appointed by President Arthur to be the presiding judge of the new Alabama claims court. Judge Wells, as President of the Board, gave the college a large share of his interest and time. All documents of importance, all sales of lands of large amounts were committed to his care. In certain crises of the college, Mr. Wells has given weeks together of his time to its interest, and has enlisted many friends in its behalf. He carries with him off the Board the sincere affection and esteem of his successive associates on the Board for the last twenty years. The college library is fortunate enough to possess a fine oil painting of Mr. Wells, a gift of his to the college. Mr. Geo. W. Phillips had been a member of the executive committee of the State Agricultural Society long before he became, by appointment of Governor Baldwin, a member of the Board. It was fortunate for the college that it had so warm and outspoken a friend in that body. Mr. Phillips's acquaintance with farming in general, and stock in particular, and his general acquaintance with business made him a valuable counselor and member of the Board. The newly appointed members of the Board are the Hou, Henry Chamberlain of Three Oaks, well known and respected throughout the State, and Hon. Elijah W. Rising of Davison Station, well known also as a gentleman, and a member for many years of the executive committee of the State Agriricultural Society. The Board was reorganized at the first meeting after the new appointments, by the election, unanimously, of Hon. Franklin Wells of Constantine, for President, of Hon. Thomas D. Dewey for Vice President, and the reëlection, unanimously, of Robert G. Baird as Secretary, and Ephraim Longyear as Treasurer. The following committees were constituted: On Buildings and Repairs-Thos. D. Dewey, of Owosso, Franklin Wells of Constantine. On Employés-H. G. Reynolds of Old Mission, Wm. B. McCreery of Flint. On the Farm-Henry Chamberlain of Three Oaks, E. W. Rising of Davison Station, and Franklin Wells. On Finance-Wm. B. McCreery, E. W. Rising. On Horticulture and Botany-H. G. Reynolds, T. D. Dewey. On Institutes-E. W. Rising, Henry Chamberlain. OFFICERS OF THE COLLEGE. At or near the beginning of the present year, 1883, certain changes were made in the officers of the institution.. Forestry was added to Dr. Beal's professorship. Mr. Louis Knapper was transferred from the Superintendency of the Horticultural Department to the position of Florist, inade vacant by the resignation (Jan. 15) of the former occupant, Mr. James Cassidy. Mr. Eugene D. Willis, a graduate of 1882, was made foreman of the vegetable garden. The most important changes were the entering on duty of two newly appointed professors. Mr. Jas. Satterlee, Professor of Horticulture and Superintendent of the Horticultural Department, was graduated from the college in 1869. He received the degree of Master of Science in 1874. The State Horticultural Society was consulted regarding the selection of a person |