The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1857-05-12


the amount Of progress which has been made.
to ut it for the reception Of pupils and fbs
their instruction, and also by actual survey
to understand the condition Of the farru, prc.
vious to the opening Of the institution.
THE FARM. ~ s =
The State Agricultural College Of MicA;l
gan is located about three miles TO the east
OF Lansing, and is endowed with n piece OF
| land containing little over 700 acres, which
is divided into two parts by the Grand River.
which flows through the lot. This land .
like all in that section, heavily timbercd, and
has undergone but little improvement. Some
twenty or thirty acres had been chopped be-
fore the purchase was made, and during tho,
past summer and winter, there has been
cleared about one hundred acres, now lying
principally around the buildings and between
imprved. and uuencloseedd.'' f6Geero were no
fences, even along the highway, and the rails
have had to be split, and the fences built.
during the past winter and present spring,
which were absolutely necessary for enclosure.
The land upon which the timber has been
cut, looks, and is as rough and wild, at pro-
sent, as it is possible for a new pieco Of land
to appear. The cut timber and brush is pill
cd up ir heaps, and ready rs soon as the sea-,
son will permit to be set on fire. The stumps
are all on hand, looking IA green and sturdy,
and rs obstinate, in their determination to
retain possession Of the land, ne green hard
wood stumps generally appear. Tho surface
in many places was covered with water, es.
pec'slly on the fiat places, where there was
little or no dcclivity to drain off the water.
What cur farming community would call
"cat holes" had evidently been numerous
These places are well known as the habita-
tion of frogs and mosquitoes. The superin-
tcndent Of the building department., Mr.. 8.
M. Bartlett, having become painfully aware
Of this fact last fall brought on tile making
machine, and set some Of the men who had
previously been employed in making brick,
to make drain tile. These tile he afterwards
used in the formation Of underground drains,
to convey the water from thcss miniature
swamps which lay in every direction around
the buildings. These underground drains, Of
which there were several hundred rods, sf.
forded mosst notable example Of the utili-
ty and efficiency of tiles. Largo tracts Of
some acres. which the year before, at this
season, had been covered to the depth Of
four, five, eight, and even fifteen to twenty
four inches Of water and upon which a crow
could hardly alight without sinking deeply
in the muck and mire, were now dry, and ia
- - '-:--li~ .."i ~~"'r-~- ~~..ai.'~., .i-s'. .
yoke Of OK could be employed on any por-
ton to turn it up with the plow. ! 9.i
We examined the outlet of several of the
drains, and found the water flowing in clear
and steady stream, almost half filling fivo
inch tile. This improvement made by tho
use Of the tile drains was very perceptible.
and reflected much credit npon tho gentle
man who planned ahd superintended their
construction. ...,
For the more speedy improvement Of the
land, from which the timber has been chop
ped, one of Willis far-famed stump machines
has been engaged to pull out the stumps.-
This machine was one of the three selected
from all tho patents in the office at Washing
ton, by the President, the Hon. j. r. Will
liams, as an efficient improvement to be used
for this kind of work, and the one employed
has been constructed at the Detroit Locomo-
tive Works, of the best Lake Superior iron,
for the purpose Of testing its great power 10
clearing land completely, and making it
ready for the plow, the harrow, the roller,
and the reaping machine. Of tho efficiency
of the machine in this work, we hope TO
speak from personal observation in the next
number. With fences unmadc, with cut
trees yet unhurned, with the brush heaps
"lyng around loose" with not an acre that
pow ought to he put into, it is not to be ex-
pected that any important or rapid improve
ment can be shown before the expiration Of
the present season. We know it is the ia
ten,ion of the President to push the working
~. e. 10 nd
der the institution a sef-sustaining one; but
we doubt whether he will he able to get a.
head of the passing season, with so much
work behindhand, and not even the first i'm
plement furnished for the use Of the farm.
THE BUILDINGS.
The College buildings n, present, consist
of two large three story structures, and
smaller one intended for n stall,. Ono Of
the large buildings is planned and designed
for educational purposes; the other, located
about two hundred rods eastward from the
| first. is to be used as the boarding house and
| homo ef the Students Both these odifces
arc plain substantial brick structures, with
| little or no ornament on the outside or inside.
They are massive, and imposing in appear.
auce, and look grandy in connection with
the hea, forest, which surrounds them on
every side. These bull ings preset. as fine
! specimens Of brick work rs can be found any.
where, and give noble testimony to the cx'
| cellpnce of the building material which the
country around Lansing can furnish, when
ever the time comes that it shall DO needed.
| The inside work WAS not all completed when
we were there, the carpenter being busily
employed in fitting up tho several rooms in
the college bulding for the various purposes
to ~hich they are TO l,c appropriated. Tho
carpeuisr work has evidently been done hur-
riedy and coarsoly. and tho floors, in many
Of the rooms are neither very smooth, nor
very well jointcd, and compare unfavorably
with the handsome brickwoik. In somo OF
the rooms of the upper story, the plasterinS
has cracked badly, and fallen down, owing
in somo measure 70 the late season at which
il was done, and the cffects Of intense. cold;