garden purposes. Ten acres are occupied by the buildings, the lawn, groves and yards, and there are thirty acres in pasture.

As this institution is purely educational and the pupils are either blind or of defective sight, a large farm is not necessary, as there is no idle labor to be utilized, and to operate a farm with hired labor would not be profitable. Cows are kept to supply the pupils with milk and hogs to consume the swill, the receipts from the sale of the latter for the last year amounting to $994.12, which proved quite an increase to the support fund of the college.

An addition of eighty acres, to enlarge the pasture and produce hay and corn fodder for the cows, would prove a profitable investment for the state, as the purchase of these articles proves a heavy drain upon the support fund. Very little additional labor from that now employed would be required to care for the land, and more cows could be kept to furnish milk for the pupils.

SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AT COUNCIL BLUFFS.

The School for the Deaf at Council Bluffs is also purely an educational institution, with no idle labor to be utilized. In regard to the purchase of additional land, Superintendent Rothert in his biennial report writes: "Our herd of cows needs additional pasturage. Permanently located as is the Iowa School for the Deaf, we submit whether it is not practical economy to surround it with sufficient land to maintain its stock and produce the necessary garden and field crops for its sustenance."

An additional quarter section of land for this institution would prove a good investment for the state, and materially aid the support fund by producing much that is now purchased.

SOLDIERS' ORPHANS' HOME AT DAVENPort.

At the last session of the general assembly an appropriation of $15,000.00 was made to purchase land for the Soldiers' Orphans' Home at Davenport. Superintendent Gass accompanied by Member Cownie of the Board, devoted a good deal of time. examining all the tracts offered for sale, and personally visited every farm within a radius of several miles from the land of the "Home." Careful inquiry was made in regard to values and every effort made to secure the most desirable tract of land at the least price. Three separate pieces of land were purchased, comprising 108 acres, at an expenditure of almost the entire appropriation. One piece of the land adjoins the state farm, the other land is separated from it, by a strip forty rods in width

that at present is not for sale. The land secured is naturally of excellent quality, part of it somewhat exhausted by repeated cropping, but a most valuable addition to the orphans' home.

The herd of cows has now been increased to fifty-five, thus securing a good supply of milk for the children, but to provide sufficient pasture, hay, corn fodder, potatoes, sweet corn and garden vegetables, there should be at least an additional 120 acres of land secured, before the already high values are further increased.

The labor of the boys at this institution can be utilized without cost, and a scientific training in farm work would prove of inestimable value to many of them in after life.

INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS AT ELDORA.

The large number of strong, hearty boys and young men, in attendance at the industrial school at Eldora, insures an ample supply of labor for farm and garden work. But here again the acreage is limited, and in the desire to produce crops, too much of the land is kept in continuous cultivation, and although cleaned, it is neither rested or fed, all necessary in a profitable system of agriculture. At least 600 acres should be added to this farm, and a regular system of rotation at once inaugurated, the necessity for land to cultivate having prevented' in the past any effort to increase the fertility of the soil, by a rotation, that includes clover and pasture, food and rest.

A thorough training in the principles of scientific agriculture, would prove of inestimable benefit to the young man graduating from this school, for the farmers of Iowa will always furnish employment to competent and willing help, at remunerative wages. The farm also furnishes less opportunity for temptation than does the towns and cities, and if the boys in attendance at the industrial school can be induced to take an interest in agriculture, stock breeding and feeding as a science, their chances. for growing up good law abiding citizens, a credit to themselves, and an honor to the state, will be materially increased.

INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FOR GIRLS AT MITCHELLVILLE. While the conditions are different at this institution from those at the Eldora school, on account of the sex of the pupils, still the girls in attendance cheerfully perform much of the lighter work in the garden, and on the farm, esteeming it a pleasure to assist in outdoor work, within the reach of their strength. As many of

the girls committed to this institution suffer with physical ailments, an outdoor life with exercise and pure air, proves highly beneficial, and the care of the lawn, the planting and cultivation of flowers and vegetables, has a better effect upon their condition than would result from an indoor life, and the administering of large quantities of drugs.

An additional quarter section of land would afford more pasture and hay ground, and allow a system of rotation, that would insure far better crops than can be produced by the exhausting method of cropping, that is now required by the limited acreage.

CHEROKEE STATE HOSPITAL.

Of the 600 acres of land in connection with this institution, a good part is very rough and of poor quality, which will necessi tate its remaining in permanent pasture. This condition will prevent a system of rotation of crops, so far as the rough land is concerned, and realizing that more land was necessary, at this institution an option $65.00 per acre was secured last spring on 240 acres adjoining the state land on the north. In addition to this 240 acres on which an option has been made, an additional tract of equal size should be secured, adjoining the land of the

state.

SOLDIERS' HOME, MARSHALLTOWN.

The conditions at this institution are entirely different from those at any of the others, the members being old, and rapidly becoming infirm, and incapable of performing manual labor. As all work performed by the members is paid for at a fixed price, it is doubtful if any large body of land could, with the foregoing conditions existing, be utilized with any margin for profit to

Milk is now purchased for the members, at a heavy expense, but to purchase land and cows, and pay for all labor in connection with furnishing food, and caring for the animals would, in all probability prove equally as costly and effect no saving whatever. The purchase of 80 acres of land to produce hay for the horses that it is necessary to keep, in connection with the institution, and for the production of potatoes, would undoubtedly prove beneficial, and make a saving in the support fund, that could be utilized for other needs of the veterans in the Soldiers' home.

Having thus briefly referred to the necessity of purchasing more land for the use of the state institutions, while it still can be had at a reasonable price, we would earnestly recommend

that the amounts asked for in the chapter on appropriations, be set aside for this purpose, and if the finances of the state will warrant, that such additional amounts be appropriated as will secure for the respective institutions, all the land as indicated in this chapter.

No better investment can be made by the state, than the purchase of sufficient land for the use of its institutions, for with the enhanced price of all food supplies, it is imperative that the greater part of the farm products required, should be p:oduced by the labor of the inmates, and with the additional land secured, this result can be accomplished.

During the last biennial period, new farm buildings have been erected in accordance with the appropriations made therefor. These buildings are of the most improved construction, and well adapted to the purpose for which they were intended.

In their erection the labor of the employes as well as the inmates of the institutions have been utilized to a great extent, thereby securing the best results that could be obtained from the appropriations.

Many of the institutions are still greatly in need of suitable farm buildings, those in use being far from creditable to the state. The fences also on the state farms are largely in a very dilapidated condition, being poorly constructed in the first place, and it will be necessary to make appropriations to rebuild and erect new fences, that will be a credit to the institutions.

The matter of tile drainage should also receive attention, as by the judicious use of an appropriation for this purpose, much land that is now practically useless could be made productive.

While the chief executive officers of the several institutions have found it extremely difficult to secnre the services of efficient farmers, and while there must be a number of changes made in this position with the coming year, the results secured so far have been particularly gratifying.

Reports from the farmers in charge have been required each week during the past season, so that the Board has been kept fully advised as to the labor done, and the condition of the crops at all times. A healthy rivalry has been maintained, and with the dismissal of those, who for any reason have proved incompetent, and the securing of energetic and well qualified farmers. in their places, still better results can be confidently expected in the future.

As far as cultivation is concerned a number of the state farms

are now models, that cannot be excelled by any farm in the west, and it will be our constant endeavor to place all the farms in connection with our state institutions on such a high plane, that while others may follow, none may surpass, and to that end we ask the careful consideration of the legislature, in connection with the desired appropriations, that we have recommended.