Transactions of the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society

view, and the subject of providing for its appointment is respectfully submitted to the careful consideration of the legislature;" and

WHEREAS, AS members of the State Agricultural and State Horticultural Societies, and representatives of the numerous county, town and other industrial organizations, including Patrons of Husbandry and Farmer's Clubs, and as citizens of Wisconsin, proud of our young state, rich in her varied and numerous resources, we desire the success of this grand national celebration; therefore,

Resolved, That we, as representatives of the above mentioned organizations, and as citizens of the state, do most earnestly commend this International Exhibition to the Congress of the United States, to the representatives of the state now here convened in Senate and Assembly, and to all the citizens of Wisconsin, believing the occasion worthy the best thought and labor of each individual citizen, and the combined wisdom of industrial and other organizations of the state.

Resolved, That the grandeur and magnitude of the enterprise are worthy of, and demand our earnest aid and co-operation, and with a view to obtain such facts and information relative to this exhibition as shall show its importance, magnificence and benefits to our people, we hereby request the chair to appoint a committee of three members of the State Agricultural Society to disseminate information regarding this Exposition through County Societies, Patrons of Husbandry, Farmers' Clubs and other Industrial organizations, and to take proper measures to secure subscriptions to the stock of the Centennial Board of Finance through the same channels.

Resolved, That we believe it to be the duty, as we doubt not it will be the pleasure, of the press throughout the state to forward this noble enterprise by publishing from time to time suggestions and facts bearing upon the importance and progress of this national work, that the people may be educated to properly appreciate this anniversary, and give it their earnest and cordial, moral and financial support.

Mr. Bennett, of Appleton, moved the adoption of the resolutions, and said that the importance of the proposed Exposition to our state and nation could not well be overestimated. The growth and development of our country had been wonderful in the last hundred years, and he deemed the enterprise worthy of the highest efforts of all the people, and hoped that each individual state in the Union would do what she could to make it a grand and glorious success.

Dr. J. W. Hoyt, who had just returned from the Vienna Exposition, and from an extended travel in Europe, said that he thought these resolutions were timely and appropriate, and he seconded their adoption heartily. He said action could not be had too soon by our people, if they expected to make this anni

versary a success worthy of a great nation like ours. The Professor said that one of the principal causes of partial failure in these celebrations had been the want of time to properly complete the preparations; that we ought to learn from the experience of other nations and commence this work now, and push it vigorously to completeness. He hoped our young state would do her full share in the work, and be fully represented in her agricultural, mining, manufacturing and other industries, works of art, educational advantages, and all other interests which tend to advance the state's prosperity and the happiness of each individual citizen.

Brief remarks were also made by Mr. Woodard and Mr. Tubbs, favoring the resolutions and urging the necessity of early action by the state and by our people. That what was done, should be well done, and the state be given that prominence in this national work which her vast and varied resources justly entitled her.

The resolutions were unanimously adopted, and the chair appointed as a committee contemplated in their provisions, Eli Stilson, President, and W. W. Field, Secretary of the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, and Hon. Harrison Ludington, of Milwaukee.

Adjourned sine die.

UNIVERSITY FARM.

IMPROVEMENT OF SOILS BY MECHANICAL MEANS.

Extract from the Report of Prof. W. W. DANIELLS to the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin, 1873.

This experiment was begun in 1871. Four adjacent plats of an acre each are to be cultivated as follows:

Plat 1, to be plowed to a depth of five inches only.

Plat 2, to be plowed twelve inches deep.

Plat 3, to be plowed twenty inches deep by trench plowing. Plat 4, to be plowed twenty inches deep by subsoiling. Plats 1 and 2 have been cultivated in the prescribed manner each of the three years since the beginning of the experiment.

Plat 3 was plowed in 1871 to the depth of twelve inches only; in 1872 and 1873, it has been plowed 17 inches deep, which is as deep as it has been practicable to plow.

Plat 4 was plowed and subsoiled in 1871 to a depth of 16 inches, and in 1872 and 1873, 17 inches in depth.

The cultivation of these plats has been the same in all other respects than those mentioned.

The soil is clay, with a stiff clay subsoil; the land is level and rather low.

These plats have been in cultivation to corn during the entire three years. The following table gives the results that have been obtained in bushels of ears of 75 lbs. each:

An acre adjoining these plats was plowed to the ordinary depth of cultivation, about seven inches, planted and cultivated in the same manner, the yield of which was 56 bushels. The results of this experiment appear quite contradictory, yet they are not so, when the circumstances of soil, season and cultivation are taken into account. In 1871 the shallow plowing yielded most, as in the other plats a heavy clay subsoil had been mixed with the soil. All the plats were fall-plowed in 1871, and again plowed in the spring of 1872. The soil and subsoil had then become quite well mixed, and the subsoil, by exposure to the frost and air, had become quite thoroughly pulverized. This decomposition was aided by the addition of 60 bushels of unleached wood ashes in the spring of 1872. The season was a very dry one, and the deep plowed plats, being better able to withstand the drought, gave a better yield.

In 1873, rain fell on eleven of the thirteen days from June 22 to July 4, inclusive, and during this time five inches of water fell. There is a slight descent of the ground from the shallow to the deep plowing across these plats, with no drainage but that over the surface; so that while the deeper plowed plats received the water from those plowed more shallow, the water that saturated the subsoil of those plats to the depth of 17 inches had no outlet, except as it was evaporated from the surfaces, or percolated through a heavy clay subsoil, which is very slowly indeed. The corn on the deep plowed plats was badly injured by these heavy rains on this account, and this injury was plainly visible in the smaller growth and sickly color of the corn. The lighter yield of these plats is then a natural consequence of the heavy rains of early summer, and of the location and composition of the soil. Drains have now been laid that will prevent a recurrence of the same unfavorable conditions.