xlvi DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 



"At the June meeting of the Michigan State Horticultural Society, convened in 

 Lansing, one of the most pleasant hours of the convention was occupied by members 

 of Prof. Seal's class in botany. Seventeen young ladies and gentlemen, fresh from 

 original work in the botanical laboratory, gave three-minute- talks to the assembled 

 horticulturists upon topics which they had been studying by the aid of the microscope. 



" Tlie work these young people are doing at the Agricultural College was not at- 

 tempted in any of our colleges twelve years ago. They are taught to be independent 

 of w^hat lias been printed, and are placed at once in the field of original investigation. 

 The glimpse they gave us of their methods spoke weU for the work Prof. Beal is doing."' 



Here follows a list of the topics which is a selection from those named in 

 the exhibit at the State Fair: 



' ' The drawings made by the students and employed in their explanations were ad- 

 mirably executed, and on the whole the entire exercise was as interesting as anything 

 ever presented to the Society. 



" The students were questioned upon the topics they elaborated, by the horticulturists 

 present, and the answers given were prompt and clear. 



' ' The botanical department of our Agricultm-al College has a beautiful building in 

 which these young people work, a cut of which forms our frontispiece. 



" The work done here is rendered attractive to the students and is certainly calculated 

 to stimulate original investigation in the field which the ' New Botany' occupies." 



After returning home from the horticultural meeting, Secretary Garfield 



writes : 



" As I recall the exercises of your students before our Society, I am filled with the 

 idea that it would be well to have the whole thing go into our report, illustrations and 

 all, if the matter can be prepared under your supervision. There is nothing like it in 

 any report published. My thought is not to enlighten people so very much by the facte- 

 which these young people presented, but to popularize your method of work." 



According to his request a report has been made to accompany the cuts and 

 all will appear in the next report of the State Horticultural Society. 



Seeing the account of the botanical department of our college in the Michi- 

 gan Horticulturist, the editor of The Home Farm, of Augusta, Maine, urged 

 that he might have the use of the electrotype. He made a very flattering ar- 

 ticle, some parts of which, in the opinion of the writer, were too highly colored. 

 I quote a few of the milder comments : 



"We can name no science more truly helpful to the farmer or gardener than botany. 

 This knowledge comes into actual use in a study of grasses and forage plants, and their 

 value : in relation to new fruits and vegetables, diseases of plants, and in many other 

 ways. An acquaintance with tliis science makes them more competent, more observ- 

 ing, gives a greater pleasure to their work, and enables them to obtain greater profits- 

 from labor, for they work more understandingly." 



I may add, that in no case above quoted did the writer hint or dictate what 

 should be written. Neither did he know what the magazines were to contain 

 till read in print. 



Two other requests, six in all, have been made for the cut and some informa- 

 tion for an article in the papers. 



DONATIONS. 



The donations have been as follows : 



Dr. C. E. Bessey, class '69, Lincoln, Neb.: 



Seeds of Helianthus annuus. 

 A. B. Cordley, Pinckney, Mich.: 



Eoots of tall oat-grass producing staminate flowers. 

 Dale A. Si/iith, Portla7id, Mich.: 



Fragments of seeds, etc., from India. 



