Date: 1865

Title: Dr. Manly Miles becomes the first professor of scientific agriculture in America

Description:

Dr. Manly Miles, a physician was hired in 1865 to teach zoology. Given physicians mastered chemistry, physiology, anatomy and herbal botany at the time, he was a capable choice for the position.

After finishing his medical degree at Rush Medical College in 1850, he continued his scientific studies and biology collecting.

He taught entomology, physiology, zoology, and geology. He trained students in the art of dissection. By 1863 he was teaching methods for controlling the ravages of insects on vegetation, one of the first economic entomology course in the United States.

Dr. Miles initiated the first scientific agricultural tests on fertilizers which were part of the first course on scientific agriculture.