146 AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 



Ill the peach-orchard, experiments have been made for sev- 

 eral years to determine the effect of severe pruning and an 

 abundance of plant-food, particularly the chloride of potassa, 

 upon the disease known as the " yellows." The results have 

 been so marked, that we hope to be able to show that the 

 disease is due to the exhausted condition of the soil, and the 

 injuries of the borer, and that a remedy is in the hands of 

 every cultivator. In fact every experiment we have made 

 upon the various diseases attacking plant-life leads us to the 

 conclusion that fungoid growths only attack living plants 

 when they are in an unnatural or unhealthy condition. 



A large collection of grasses and forage plants has been 

 grown in plats twelve feet square, and each kind carefully 

 labelled with both the Latin and common name, so that stu- 

 dents and others can make a study of their characteristics. 



It is proposed to make this collection as complete as possi- 

 ble by adding all the grasses and forage plants of any value 

 that we can obtain. 



A small plat of sugar-beets was grown from seed obtained 

 by Dr. Goessmann from France and Germany. 



Although the results were not as satisfactory as could be 

 desired, it is hoped, by the application of special fertilizers, 

 to produce a variety that will yield a larger per cent of sugar 

 than any now grown in this country. A fine lot of seed was 

 grown from a small lot of roots imported at the same time as 

 the seed, which will serve as a basis for next year's experi- 

 ment. 



The experimental fruit-plats carried on for Dr. Goessmann 

 are in a good growing condition. 



From each of the five plats, strawberries of two varieties 

 were gathered for analysis ; and the coming season will yield 

 raspberries, currants, gooseberries, and possibly grapes, from 

 which something of the effects of the different fertilizers upon 

 the character of the fruit may be determined. 



Our knowledge of plant-life, and the effects of the differ- 

 ent fertilizing elements upon their growth, must largely 

 depend upon the work of the chemist ; and no institution 

 can boast of better facilities for original work than our own. 



Upon the east side of the above plats, it is proposed to 

 devote a narrow strip of land to the growth of the newer 

 small fruits. 



