110 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Vay. They include fertilizer experiments in vineyards and orchards 

 and a test of various insecticides for the control of the San Jose scale, 

 rose chafer and other insects. 



Correspondence. — A large amount of time has been used in answer- 

 ing letters of inquiry from correspondents. These covered almost every 

 phase of horticulture and have included the treatment that should be 

 given most of the common insects and diseases of orchards and gardens. 

 In quite a number of instances when the letters have referred to matters 

 that would be of general interest, they have been duplicated and 

 answers have been sent to the agricultural papers and others that 

 would be likely to give them space in their columns. 



Respectfully submitted, 



L. R. TAFT, 



Agricultural College. Mich., June 27. 1906. Horticulturist. 



REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE AND LAND- 

 SCAPE GARDENING. 



Director C. D. Smith: 



I submit my first report as associate horticulturist of the agricultural 

 experiment station, including the work done from September 1, 1905, 

 when my duties began, to July 1, 1906. 



The associate horticulturist has been placed in charge of all horti- 

 cultural experimentation at the college. During the year I have given 

 much consideration to the general policy that should guide this work, 

 with the following conclusions: 



1. It is not expedient for us to devote much energy to testing new 

 varieties of strawberries, apples and other fruits. The South Haven 

 experiment station does that work admirably and its reports are of 

 great practical value to the fruit growers of the state, especially of the 

 fruit belt. Duplication of this work at the college would be valuable, 

 but not in proportion to the expenditure; because we are not located 

 in a fruit district and hence the results of our variety testing would 

 have a more limited application, and because there are so many other 

 lines of work to which we could give our attention more profitably. 



2. The site and soil of the present horticultural grounds are poorly 

 adapted for tree fruits, being low, poorly drained and, worst of all, 

 underlaid with quicksand. For this reason it will not be wise to ex- 

 tend the present planting of tree fruits until more suitable land can be 

 secured ; an experimental orchard should at least have as good a site 

 and soil as a commercial grower would select. Our land can be used 

 to much better advantage for experiments with small fruits and 

 vegetables, although lacking in uniformity. By far the most impor- 

 tant small fruit in the state, commercially, is the strawberry. Atten- 

 tion should be given chiefly to this fruit, without neglecting the other 

 small fruits that thrive on our soil. 



