ATTENDANCE BY COUNTIES. LIST OF COUNTIES, AND ATTENDANCE FROM EACH, AT THE A. & M. COLLEGE DURING THE SESSIONS OF 1883 & 1884; 1884 & 1885; 1885 & 1886. DEAR SIR-I here with submit my report as Secretary of the A. & M. College of Mississippi, which embraces all receipts and disbursements since the published report December 1, 1883, under the head of "General Statement." Also classified statements of the several Departments. The itemized statements, with vouchers properly numbered, approved and receipted, are on file at my office, and have been examined and approved by the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees to date. All bills have been paid and we still have at Jackson, out of last appropriation, a balance of $4450.23, which will be sufficient to pay expenses to January 1, 1886. We have expended more for improvements and incidentals than we had anticipated. On account of the greatly increased number of students in attendance, we were obliged to fit up more rooms in Dormitory, and to further equip Recitation Rooms, Writing Room, Laboratory and Museum for proper instruction of students. We have built and thoroughly equipped the Creamery within the last twelve months. Attached to the Financial Statement you will find a copy of the inventory of property taken by the Committee of Citizens of the State appointed by the Board, showing a property valuation of $203,401.84, being an increase in two years of $28,544-75. Respectfully submitted, T. F. WATSON, Sec'y. GENERAL STATEMENT. RECEIPTS. ..$ 1,053 42 Amount cash on hand last report...... ment 12,279 35 Am't from matriculation and tuition fees............. Am't from sale of coal Am't from fees, students and analysis. 2,813 48 2,436 74 407 27 2,797 74 2,937 45 965 00 2,247 74 Am't from sale milk farm department...... Am't from sale butter farm departmer t........ ment..... Am't from sale vegetables horticultural departm❜nt DISBURSEMENTS. Paid salaries from Nov. 28, 1883...... Paid student labor.... Paid equipment and building.. .$40,658 26 STATEMENT OF APPRAISING COMMITTEE, A. & M. COLLEGE OF MISSISsippi, November 21, 1885. After having appraised the property of the A. & M. College, we feel that we would not have completed our duty if we did not express to the Legislature and citizens of the State, the great pleasure we have felt in witnessing the complete success of this institution. We find here in work being done, in the enthusiasm and earnestness of faculty and students, in the line of agricultural education and development, more of hope for the future of Mississippi than we have met since the war. We feel that this College in a few years will solve the great agricultural problem in this State, and in an object lesson and thought the students in attendance will indicate to our farmers a system of farming which will be profitable and encouraging instead of following the depressing system of gradually exhausting the soil and decreasing the yield. We desire to say that the State owes a debt of gratitude to the Board of Trustees for having adopted a policy strictly loyal to our agricultural interests and inspiring a confidence and faith in our young men which will soon elevate the agriculture of this State. We find an attendance of 365 students, which could be increased if there was room, and we urge on the Legislature to liberally support this institution and add increased facilities, as we feel that with the present Board of Trustees, no money in our State could be more wisely invested. With the present attendance there is not sufficient room or facilities, in way of buildings for comfort or preservation even of the property at this College, and we urge that such additional facilities be afforded as in the opinion of the Board of Trustees are needed. M. L. JENKINS, A. H. FRENCH, Appraising Committee. DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY. To President S. D. Lee: SIR: This Second Biennial Report is now offered: CHANGE IN CURRICULUM. The transfer of botany from the Freshman to the Junior class is a change of a very beneficial character. 1. It gives more time for the study of Fnglish in the Freshman year, where so much needed and so profitably studied. 2. The more advanced students, with two years' previous training in the meaning and use of language, and disciplined minds, are better prepared for the comprehension of the difficult study of Botany. 3. Under the |