Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1871 [PAGE 340]

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332 Mr. Hamilton—A fallow is sometimes used. If land is weedy we use a fallow oftentimes, to kill the weeds; or if it is disposed to go to certain sorts of grass, we use it for the purpose of killing the grass; or if land is rather poor, use a fallow, feeling that it eases the land, and gives it the benefit of the action of the elements during the summer. The best farmers farm every acre of their farms each year; no waste land* at all; every acre must produce. The Chairman—Any remarks will be in order upon the report made by Professor Hamilton. Mr. Flagg—We have not heard from Wisconsin much in this agricultural experiment matter. Mr. McAffee—I wouldn't like to trespass upon the time. If this military matter is a matter of considerable interest, I don't wish to take time. The Chairman—Everything is of interest. M . McAffee—I can give a short history of our experimentation, but it 16 (<>r so short a time that perhaps it would not be of any great advantage. Only this year is all I know about it.

WISCONSIN E X P E R I M E N T A L FARM.

Our experimental farm is located upon the Huronian drift. The soil is mixed, composed of a detritis of a drift which has come from the North, mostly derived from granite and trap rocks, and is somewhat sandy. It is of such a nature that you cannot tell by an analysis of the soil on one square yard what may lie on the next square yard; but as it was mentioned here, to-day or yesterday, that the analyses of soils are not to be relied upon, I think there is a plain case where they are not to be. There is also an admixture among this drift of the older formation, some of the latter, fine stone and sand. This lies on the shore of Lake Mendota and is perfectly level. Some of it needs underdrawing ; it has not had it. W e have only S3 acres under the plow. As I have 146 experiments running this season, they were necessarily divided up into small plats of ground. The first thing that was taken into consideration this spring, in laying out a series of experiments, and the thing of the most importance, was a line of experiments in which we can reach results soonest, and communicate these results to the agricultural classes who are looking to these colleges soonest, and with the best results; that is, the testing of a variety of different crops. We all know that seedsmen and these private experimenters that are spoken of are very busy in pushing their commodities before the public, and there is a great deal of swindling