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to discuss the new conditions brought about by the action of Congress.

It has been a matter of no little solicitude to develop satisfactory plans for the proper expenditure of this addition to the resources of the Station. Various proposals were presented to the Board of Control, and it was decided to establish a new Department for the investigation of the Fungous Diseases of plants, more especially those diseases which affect the crops of this State. The desirability of taking up this line of investigation, with perhaps that of injurious insects, has been frequently discussed by the Board for several years, but the lack of means has heretofore prevented. The National Appropriation now makes it possible, and work has accordingly been undertaken. A new laboratory building for this Department was begun, the walls were up and the building enclosed before the termination of the fiscal year, and it is now nearly complete.

The Station was fortunate in securing the services of Dr. Roland Thaxter, a graduate of Harvard University, and late instructor in Mycology at that institution. Dr. Thaxter began his connection with the Station in July, put himself directly in communication with some of our fruit growers and market gardeners, who are suffering from the ravages of fungi, and is engaged in the needful preliminary work of this department. Books and apparatus, including a Zeiss microscope of approved construction have been provided, and as soon as the heating arrangements, now making, are finished, Dr. Thaxter will begin the culture of various injurious fungi, and make systematic observations and experiments on their growth and habits, and on the methods of controling them.

Dr. Thaxter is now prepared to receive communications on the subject of his department from citizens of the State, who are hereby invited to make inquiries with regard to fungous diseases, including all varieties of rust, smut, mildew, mould, blight, and the like, and to forward to him specimens, concerning which any information may be desired.

At the annual meeting of the Board, in January, the methods. of collecting fertilizers were fully discussed. That the farmers and gardeners should know just what commercial fertilizers are offered for sale in the State is evident, and justice to the reputable dealers demands that the collection should be as complete and thorough as possible. The method pursued in 1887 was considered better than any before tried, and it was recommended to

continue the same. It is believed that the collection has been more successfully done this year than ever before.

The Report of the Treasurer is herewith appended. It exhibits the financial affairs of the Station for the fiscal year ending June 30th, and shows the amounts received from the several sources, the amounts spent for various purposes, what part of each has been paid from the National appropriation and what part from Home receipts.

The Report of the Director, which follows, in two parts, describes in classified detail the work of the station for the year ending Dec. 1, 1888.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

WILLIAM H. BREWER,

Secretary.

WM. H. BREWER, in account with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.

FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1888.

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MEMORANDUM.-The year's accounts were audited Sept. 13, 1888, by the Auditors of the State Public Accounts. Certain analysis fees due the Station at the close of the previous fiscal year ending June 30th, 1887, known at the time or discovered later, have since been collected and the sums are placed in this year's receipts.

The analysis fees of some of the fertilizers known or believed to have been on sale (in the State) since May 1st, are not yet received by the Treasurer, and others will probably be reported. As heretofore, any collections that may come from such sources will go into the new account.

WM. H. BREWER, Treasurer.

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR.

Under the requirements of the fertilizer law, as well as in answer to the requests of purchasers of commercial fertilizers, a large share of the time and labor of the working force of this Station has been employed during the year in the collection and analysis of fertilizers and fertilizing materials.

The whole number of brands of commercial fertilizers legally sold in Connecticut during the year has been 140. The law requires this Station to make and publish annually, at least one analysis of each of these. Examination of home-mixed fertilizers and waste products has brought the whole number of fertilizer-analyses up to 244. Each analysis has been made in duplicate and in almost all cases the duplicates have been executed by different chemists.

During April and May, special agents of the Station, Messrs. E. C. Ellwood, of Green's Farms, and C. L. Gold, of West Cornwall, visited 144 cities, towns and villages in the State and drew 887 samples of fertilizers, reporting also all cases where the requirements of the fertilizer law appeared not to be fully

met.

About 130 samples of feeding-stuffs have been or are now being analyzed, and the results of all accessible American analyses of this kind which have been published during the year have also been tabulated and averaged.

Fourteen samples of potatoes have been analyzed in connection with field experiments.

At request of the State Cattle Commission a portion of the stomach of a cow was minutely examined, for both organic and inorganic poisons, with negative results. This examination was made for the Station by Professor Herbert E. Smith, of New Haven.

All the chemical work required by the Dairy Commissioner during the year has been done at this Station, including examinations of 11 samples of suspected butter and 50 samples of molasses.

About 30 partial analyses of milk have been made, chiefly in testing methods of milk-analysis.

The work done and observations made in connection with the Forage Garden are described on subsequent pages (Part 2).

About 150 specimens of grasses and sedges have been sent in from all parts of the State, to be named and for information regarding their value, etc.

Ten field experiments have been carried out, to test the relative value of various phosphates applied as a fertilizer to Indian corn and potatoes, with the coöperation of the following gentle

men:

Robert Aitken....

C. S. Andrews, Jr...
W. I. Bartholomew.

W. R. Fish..
Edwin Hoyt..
G. F. Platt..

E. A. Russell.

C. A. Sill....

W. H. Yeomans..

Shaker Station.

New Britain.
Putnam.

Mystic Bridge.
.New Canaan.
Milford.

. Suffield.

Saybrook.

..Columbia.

A single experiment on the growth of sorghum was conducted by J. H. Dickerman, Esq., of Mt. Carmel.

An elaborate investigation on the effect of distance of planting on the quality and quantity of the maize crop has been made with the cooperation of J. J. Webb, Esq., of Hamden.

The chemical and field work pertaining to these experiments is described in detail in Part 2.

The Station has published and distributed in editions of 5000 copies, two printed Bulletins aggregating 25 pages. The object of these Bulletins is to place in the hands of those concerned the results of the Station work as promptly as possible.

As required by law, a package of each Bulletin is mailed to every post-office in the State. The package is directed to the postmaster, with a request to distribute to farmers. The number sent will be increased, in any case, on application. The distribution of these Bulletins is of course optional with the postmaster.

The Bulletins are also regularly sent to every Newspaper in the State, and to the Secretary of each Agricultural Society, Farmers' Club and Grange whose address is known to the Station.

The Bulletins are sent, also, to any citizen of Connecticut who applies for them. Such application, as a rule, must be renewed annually early in the year.

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