90 Botany in the Extension Work. 



Horticulhiral meetings. — Experience with the plant disease ex- 

 hibit at Lockport last winter convinced me that this should be a 

 permanent part of the work of the Department. The growers of the 

 State showed the greatest interest in the exhibit and kept me busy 

 at nearly all hours of the day answering questions and showing the 

 organisms of the disease under the microscope. The exhibition of 

 the different diseases of fruit trees accurately named and labeled and 

 the distribution of literature to those persons who are especially in- 

 terested will I am sure become one of the most valuable features of 

 the Horticultural meetings. 



Farmers' field meeting and Grange lectures. — The work along 

 these lines also offers great opportunities in teaching the farmers 

 of the State in regard to the nature and treatment of the fungus 

 diseases of their crops. These lectures and talks should be well 

 illustrated with specimens, lantern slides, photographs and the micro- 

 scope. 



The Fairs. — The apparent success of the Plant Disease exhibit at 

 the fairs this year indicates that this also ought to be a permanent 

 feature of the work of the botanical Department. In order to make 

 this most valuable complete sets of specimens, photographs, etc., 

 should be prepared illustrating the life history and treatment of the 

 more common fungus and bacterial diseases that occur in this State. 

 This will call for considerable expenditures as the preparation of 

 such material is expensive. Moreover, if many fairs are to be at- 

 tended these sets will have to be duplicated. To be effective these 

 exhibits must be in charge of some one competent to carefully ex- 

 plain the nature of the diseases represented and to answer the ques- 

 tions of parties interested. 



Co-operative experiments. — Judging from the reports on these 

 experiments during the past year would say that I think them of 

 questionable value ?.o far at least as results are concerned. The 

 chief benefit derived I believe is to the person who is carrying on the 

 experiment, and from this point of view the work no doubt well re- 

 pays the effort put upon it. 



Correspondence. — The increased correspondence has taken a 

 great deal of the time of the pathologist. The indications are that 

 the correspondence for next year will be much heavier. The corre- 

 spondence entails not only the work of determining the material sent 

 in and the answering of the letters, but it also necessitates the careful 

 preservation of much of the material for future reference and illus- 

 tration and the preparation and the recording of extensive notes in 



