44 , STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Each year our experience indicates that it is wise to continue our 

 efforts to increase and strenj^then tlie technical work at the expense of 

 what might be called a popular presentation of the subject matter. If 

 our graduates are to successfully compete with those from other colleges 

 and universities in commercial and scientific work, we must make every 

 effort to have them thoroughly trained in the underlying fundamental 

 principles of the art and science of the subject. The practical applica- 

 tion is very largely a matter of time. 



Plantings on the campus to increase the varieties of trees and shrubs, 

 have continued. This is desirable for the general appearance of the 

 campus and especially to provide living material for class instruction 

 in the landscape gardening and other courses. 



A continued effort is being made to add to the attractiveness of the 

 gardens and orchards. The greatest demand seems to be to increase 

 the fertility of the soil and this is being done as rapidly as possible in 

 every practical way. 



The extension work of the department is meeting with splendid en- 

 couragement in all the fruit growing sections and in many others where 

 the farmers have shown a disposition to care for their orchards or make 

 new plantings. 



Early in the spring, arrangements are made for a series of meetings 

 in communities where the demand is the greatest. These meetings are 

 not of the lecture kind but are held in orchards and the people are in- 

 structed by obserWng the actual operation performed before them. The 

 first meeting in the series, held early in the spring, would be on prun- 

 ing, and spraying for scale. The others would be on the early foliage 

 spraying ; cultivation ; thinning and later sprayings ; cover crops and 

 packing. In addition to these demonstrations, a large number of other 

 meetings are held as time permits and the season demands. 



The usual number of farmers' institutes and high school meetings 

 were attended by members of the department who took an active i^art 

 in them. 



Exhibitions were also made at the State Fair at Detroit and the 

 West Michigan Fair at Grand Rapids, 



The spirit of cooperation that has existed between all members of 

 the department for the advancement of the work, continues and I 

 again have the pleasure in recording the work of Assistant Professor 

 C. P. Halligan, Instructors Thomas Gunson and O. I. Gregg, Field 

 Agent in Horticulture O. K. AVhite and Foretman A. Davis has been 

 thoroughlv satisfactorv. 



Respectful Iv submitted, 



H. J. EUSTACE, 

 Professor of Horticulture. 



East Lansing. June 30, 1911. 



