The year has been one of substantial progress. The appropriations made by the Legislatures of 1885 and 1886, for the erection and repair of buildings, and for the purchase of scientific apparatus, has been entirely expended, and the buildings have been completed and occupied since the commencement of the academic year. The new south dormitory and agricultural hall, replacing that destroyed by fire February 4, 1885, and the chapel-library building, are in every way convenient and adapted to supply wants long felt. The entire apparatus and appliances of the laboratory, worn out by daily use for nineteen years, have been replaced, and several thousand dollars have been expended in the purchase of models and apparatus in the departments of physics and natural history. A corn-crib, with a capacity of 2,800 bushels, has been built at the north-west corner of the barn. An ice-house for use, in connection with the dairy, of a capacity of 100 tons, has been annexed to the farm-house, and the entire lower floor of the barn, occupied by the herd, has been repaired in the most thorough manner. In connection with the latter, the floor and drops have been re-laid, the stall rearranged to add room for fifteen more animals, five box-stalls built, —feeding-boxes renewed in different patterns, and various styles of stanchions and ties introduced, for illustration and comparison. There are five patterns of stanchions and-five different chain and other ties. Two stalls have also been fitted with the Stewart “ self-cleaning “ floor for trial.
 
Protection against fire has been secured by the laying of 600 feet of 4-inch iron main, connecting with the Amherst water works,—placing two additional hydrants at suitable points and purchasing a hose cart and 750 feet of hose. An efficient fire brigade of the students has been organized and placed under the direction of the regular army officer stationed at the college.

THE FARM:

During the season of 1886 crops were cultivated on 36 acres of land, thus divided: corn 23, oats 6, rye 5, potatoes and fodder-corn, each 1. The resulting crops were: 1,320 bushels of (shelled) corn; 40 tons of corn-stover; 240 bushels of oats; 70 bushels of rye; 12 tons of straw; 275 bushels of potatoes, and about 8 tons of fodder-corn, fed green. All of this area has been seeded to grass, and without a covering crop—except one and a half acres—seeded with winter wheat. Nearly all of these 36 acres have been top-dressed. Grass was cut from 41 acres the past season, the product being 90 tons of well-cured hay and 15 tons of rowen. None of this sod land has been broken, and more than half of it has received a dressing of wood-ashes. Much work of land improvement has been accomplished in the west lot and swamp, heretofore used as rough pasture. Fifteen (15) acres have been well cleared, plowed and seeded with rye, for pasturage. Twenty (20) acres of the lowest land has been cleared of trees, bushes and stumps, and converted from nearly a waste tract into fair pasturage. In the same general tract, thirty (30) acres have been plowed and fenced, about 160 rods of substantial rail fencing having been built. This area it is intended next season to devote to the principal hoed crops. Incidental to this fencing, 30 cords of good wood have been secured. A system of drainage for the western portion of the farm has been adopted, and the work well begun by laying the main drain 1,500 feet in length, the tile changing from five inches at the head to seven inches at the outlet, and three principal branches of 4-inch tile, aggregating 1,200 feet. It is proposed to gradually complete the work, by laying the laterals, section by section, as practical work for successive classes of students. About 100 rods of old lines of tile, contributing to the same general system, but which have been useless for some years, have been repaired and put in running order. There have also been over 1,200 feet of tile, and tile and stone drains, laid where needed in the lots east of the new chapel. A main sewer, 400 feet long, of 6-inch tile, has also been constructed for the farm-house and dairy-room, doing away with a cesspool, which had become offensive and dangerous. The entire work of clearing the swamp and laying the tile has been superintended and carried out in the most efficient manner by Mr. David Wright, for many years connected with the college. The live stock, for the details of which see Inventory of the Agricultural Department, consists of the following animals:—