110 STATE BO A ED OF AGKICULTURE. 



(dead), Canada, Black Hawk, Israella, Seneca, Walter, Isabella, Alvey, Arnold's 

 16, Senasqua, Taiman, Perkins. We have quite a number of our own seedlings, 

 about 50, making about 100 varieties in the department. 



Several of the older vines have been allowed to bear sparingly this year. I 

 am quite encouraged and agreeably surprised with the quality of our Concords, 

 Clintons, Taylor's Bullet, and several of Rogers' hybrids. The season has been 

 unusually favorable for this locality. The vines have had good care. 



AVe are so pressed for room in the green-house that the south room has not 

 been used for a grajjery, as first intended. Next season we hope to build a cheap 

 new structure for a cold grapery. 



FORESTRY AZS'D NURSERY. 



At present, this only contains a piece of land of about an acre and a fjuarter, 

 but it will be extended next year. In this we are raising samples of all the trees 

 and shrubs we can get in the State or any other places if there is any probability 

 that they will be hardy. We are starting samples of osago orange, honey locust, 

 l)epperidge, etc. 



. We have thrifty young trees of apple, peach, pear, plum, cherry, and orna- 

 mental plants, such as roses, lilacs, spiraeas, yuccas, j^eonies, etc., etc. 



There are evergreens in variety, also European larch, beeches, alder, birches, 

 and thirty-five species of shrubs and trees sent this year from the Bussey Insti- 

 tute, Mass. These, as well as everything in the plat, have done well this year. 



In small quantity we are raising some timber trees. Seeds of black walnut 

 and hickory planted as soon as gathered last fall failed to grow this year. But- 

 ternuts grew six inches to a foot, from seed, in one year. Basswood grew about 

 a foot, but most seeds failed to grow the first year, although they were planted 

 in the fall after gathering. 



Sugar maples came up thick, but have grown only a foot at best, and most of 

 them not over six inches. Beech grows slowly. Chestnuts grew well the first 

 year: a foot high. The hot weather injured them some. Catalpas made a 

 great growth, but are quite apt to die back some during the winter. Silver- 

 leaved maples set out this spring when they were three feet high have grown 

 well, some of them putting out new limbs four feet nine inches long. Honey 

 maple or box elder (Negundo aceroides) grows sparingly along our streams. In 

 the states west and south of us they are raised for timber, but here they are not 

 promising, as they grow straggling and are often injured by the winters. 



Some burr oaks have grown two feet in two years. The white ashes have 

 come up first rate on our light soil. They have grown one to two feet this first 

 year. The Avhole of them will average a foot and a half. 



I think this raising of forest trees is a promising field to demand our attention. 

 When tliese different kinds of trees are well started some people of our State 

 will want to learn how each variety thrives, that tJiey may plant also. Indeed 

 it does not now seem too soon for some farmers to be starting for profit, a plat 

 of hickories, black walnuts, and white ashes, and perhaps chestnuts, European 

 larches, and others. 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



The crops have generally done w'cll, though the season has been a remarkable 

 one. Till some time in July there were plenty of rains and no very hot weather. 

 Then the rains stopped and the sun shone out bright and warm. The sudden 

 change seemed to check the growth of potatoes, beets, and fome other vege- 



