GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT. The Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station was established in accordance with an act of the General Assembly, approved April 17, 1882, "for the benefit of the interests of Practical and Scientific Agriculture, and for the development of the vast agricultural resources of the State.' The experiments and investigations are carried on both in the field and laboratory, and deal with the following great agricultural interests, viz.: (1.) Grain Raising. (2.) Stock Farming and Dairy Husbandry. (3.) Fruit and Vegetable Culture. (4.) Forestry. The Station is prepared to test varieties; to analyze and test fertilizers and manures, soils, waters, milks, cattle-foods, etc.; to examine seeds that are suspected of being unsound or adulterated; to identify and name weeds and other plants; to investigate and describe, when known, the habits of injurious and beneficial insects, and other work of a similar character that properly comes within its province. It is the desire of the Board of Control to make the Station as widely useful as its limited appropriation will permit. To this end we earnestly invite the co-operation of the people and press of the State. All communications on agricultural and horticultural topics will be fairly considered, and, as far as possible, promptly answered. Detailed reports of experiments, carefully and conscientiously made, will aid the Station in its work. Any citizen of Ohio, who is concerned in the promotion of agriculture, has the right to apply to the Station for any information it can render, and the Station will cheerfully respond to all applications, as far as lies in its power. Samples of different varieties of corn, wheat, oats, barley, and other grains; the seeds of fruit and forest trees; vegetables and flowers, that are true to name; specimens of grasses, weeds, and other plants that may be of interest; sections of different varieties of wood; specimens of injurious and beneficial insects; these, and other articles and materials illustrative of any department of agriculture, will be gladly received. Address all communications to WILLIAM R. LAZENBY, Columbus, Ohio. EXPERIMENT GROUNDS AND OFFICES AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, COLUMBUS, O. REPORT OF THE BOARD OF CONTROL. To the General Assembly of the State of Ohio: GENTLEMEN : We submit to your honorable body the Fourth Annual Report of the Director and other officers of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station for the year ending March 1, 1886. The work carried on the past year has been a continuation of the investigations begun when the Station was organized, together with such additional experiments as means and opportunity have rendered possible. We are happy to state that the past year has been one of substantial progress. Letters from all portions of the country cordially commend the work that is being done, and we feel justified in renewing the assertion of last year, that for the money expended no public institution is doing more for the welfare of the citizens of our State The contents of this and former reports bespeak the degree of success that has attended our efforts. It is confidently expected that the Experiment Station will have a still wider scope in the future than it has had in the past. Thus far its work has been in a great measure directed to a comparatively few staple crops. Henceforth it will seek to embrace the great agricultural interests of the State more in detail, giving prominence, as heretofore to staple products, while devoting as much attention as possible to stock-feeding, breeding and dairy husbandry, not neglecting the meadow, orchard and forest; in short, to study and report upon all subjects about which the farmer most needs to know. It is designed to increase the working force of the Station by the appointment of a Veterinarian, an Entomologist, and a Superintendent of Experiments in Forestry. Thus officered and equipped, the Station looks hopefully to new achievements, and wider fields of usefulness. W. N. COWDEN, Secretary of Board of Control. EMMETT MIX, President of Board of Control, FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT. INTRODUCTION. The object of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, together with the nature and scope of its work have been sufficiently explained in previous reports. This work has gone on without interruption the past year, and is herewith. presented in detail. The primary object of the Station is to suggest improvement in farm and garden management. It seeks to apply scientific principles to practical agriculture and horticulture. Its aim is to show how the products of the farm may be increased, and the cost of production diminished. Experiments that lead to reliable conclusions require skill, time and money. The Station has faithfully devoted whatever of these requisites it had at command to the object for which it was established. SUMMARY OF YEAR'S WORK. As heretofore, field experiments with grain, fruit and vegetables have claimed a large share of the Station's attention. In addition to this some feeding experiments have been undertaken, and numerous special investigations have been made. In connection with this work the climatic conditions have been regularly noted; numerous chemical analyses have been made; observations have been instituted to study the effect of special commercial fertilizers; the best methods of meeting certain insect enemies and checking plant diseases; experiments in, cross fertiliztion have been repeated and the study of weedy plants continued. CORRESPONDENCE. This has been extensive and varied. Over twenty five hundred letters have been answered by the Station officers during the past year. They were mainly of inquiry and came from all parts of the United States and Canada. Many of these letters asked for information concerning varieties of grain, grass, fruit, vegetables, noxious weeds and injurious insects. Others inquired about the management of stock, the preservation and use of farm yard manure, the application of commercial fertilizers, methods of cultivation, and many other subjects pertaining to agricultural practice. All communications of this character have been fairly considered, and with few exceptions promptly answered. TESTING THE PURITY AND VITALITY OF SEEDS. This continues to be a very useful feature of the work of the Station, and the oft-repeated assurances of losses averted by means of tests made, are sufficient proof of its importance. Good crops cannot be raised from poor seed, no matter how favorable all other conditions of success may be. |