Department of Horticulture ciii 



the plantation and extensive collection of varieties all combined to prepare 

 for the visitors the most magnificent peony show ever held in America. 



The Department prepared an exhibit and sent representatives to the 

 meeting of the A'egetable Growers' Association of America, at Rochester. 

 The exhibit made at the State Fair was very much improved in character, 

 and it was thought that great good was accomplished. 



One of the most important meetings of the year was that of the 

 Northern Nut Growers' Association, held at the College of Agriculture 

 last December. This was largely attended. The JNIorris collection of 

 edible nuts of the world, collected through the efforts of Dr, R. T. Morris, 

 of New York City, and donated by him to the Department, added much to 

 the interest of the meeting. Forty persons in various parts of the country 

 sent in specimens of nuts to compete for the prizes offered by Doctor 

 Morris. Great interest in nuts has been aroused and letters are constantly 

 coming in asking for information regarding nuts. 



Among the many pieces of work in the nature of extension might be 

 mentioned the assistance given in preparing the revised premium lists 

 for flower exhibits at the State Fair. 



RECOMMENDATIONS 



The most urgent need of the Department is more greenhouse space. 

 The present glass area is insufficient to provide enough work for our 

 students in greenhouse practice. This course, revived at the beginning of 

 the year, has been very popular with the students, who appear to be ex- 

 ceedingly anxious to get actual practice in handling and growing plants. 

 This work is fundamental to the courses in vegetable-gardening and 

 floriculture, and so long as a considerable number of our students come 

 to us without practical experience it is desirable that we exert ourselves 

 to provide such facilities as we can. 



Also, we have not been able during the past year to afford the neces- 

 sary space for investigative work by undergraduate and graduate students. 

 Some of this was of a scientific character, and the results of all the prob- 

 lems under experiment were beneficial to the students. 



The regular instruction in floriculture and vegetable-gardening has 

 been hampered by insufficient space for growing all the leading crops. 

 The instruction, so far as it relates to many of the standard, or leading, 

 crops, has of necessity been mainly theoretical except such knowledge as 

 the class obtains from brief trips to greenhouse establishments. We have 

 not the houses to force roses, violets, cucumbers, or tomatoes in winter. 

 None of the crops grown have been on a scale sufficient to provide the 

 proper amount of laboratory practice for students. During the year all 



